Gila County, AZ
These figures come from wells tested in Gila County, AZ, not from any one well.
- Manganese is common in wells in Gila County, AZ (23 of 157 tested wells were over that level), so it's worth testing for.
- Sulfate is common in wells in Gila County, AZ (26 of 233 tested wells were over that level), so it's worth testing for.
- Iron is not common in wells in Gila County, AZ (9 of 156 tested wells were over). Only a test tells you about your own well.
- Wells in Gila County, AZ are typically very hard (284 wells tested).
- Only a test of your own well tells you about your water.
What to test for
Start with the four this site covers:
- manganese (common in wells here)
- sulfate (common in wells here)
- iron
- hardness
Most well owners also test for these. We point to the source and don't interpret the results.
- arsenic: occurs naturally in groundwater in many regions. USGS: arsenic and drinking water
- nitrate: common near farmland and septic systems. EPA: private drinking water wells
- total coliform bacteria: the standard yearly well check. EPA: private drinking water wells
- lead and copper: from household plumbing, especially when pH is below 6.5. EPA: lead in drinking water
- PFAS: several states run private-well sampling programs. EPA: PFAS
- a certified lab: states certify labs and some run their own private-well programs. Arizona's certified-lab list (from your state drinking-water program)
The numbers
County figures describe the wells sampled there, not any one well. Exact counts, sample years and sources are below.
Iron Recent
| Level it's compared with | 0.3 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 5.8% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 9 of 156 |
| Median | < 0.5 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1975–2015 |
| Wells | 157 |
| Test results | 498 |
| Wells left out | 107 |
| Sources | USGS (113), AZDEQ_GW (97), 21ARIZGW (53) |
More than half the wells had results below the lab's detection limit, so the median is reported as below that limit.
Manganese Recent
| Level it's compared with | 0.05 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 15% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 23 of 157 |
| Median | < 0.3 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1975–2015 |
| Wells | 158 |
| Test results | 500 |
| Wells left out | 111 |
| Sources | USGS (113), AZDEQ_GW (97), 21ARIZGW (53), AZDEQ_SW (1) |
More than half the wells had results below the lab's detection limit, so the median is reported as below that limit.
Hardness Recent
| Level it's compared with | none; hardness is shown in bands |
|---|---|
| Share of wells very hard | 72% |
| Median | 258 mg/L as CaCO₃ |
| Years sampled | 1959–2016 |
| Wells | 284 |
| Test results | 671 |
| Wells left out | 127 |
| Sources | USGS (125), AZDEQ_GW (107), 21ARIZGW (51), AZDEQ_SW (1) |
Sulfate Recent
| Level it's compared with | 250 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 11% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 26 of 233 |
| Median | 18.5 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1959–2016 |
| Wells | 233 |
| Test results | 457 |
| Wells left out | 31 |
| Sources | USGS (125), AZDEQ_GW (107), AZDEQ_SW (1) |