Columbia County, GA
These figures come from wells tested in Columbia County, GA, not from any one well.
- Iron is common in wells in Columbia County, GA (3 of 15 tested wells were over that level), so it's worth testing for.
- Sulfate is not common in wells in Columbia County, GA (0 of 19 tested wells were over). Only a test tells you about your own well.
- Wells in Columbia County, GA are typically soft (19 wells tested).
- Too few wells have been tested in Columbia County, GA (5) to say how common manganese is.
- Only a test of your own well tells you about your water.
What to test for
Start with the four this site covers:
- iron (common in wells here)
- manganese
- hardness
- sulfate
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. Georgia'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 | 20% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 3 of 15 |
| Median | < 0.02 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 2002–2017 |
| Wells | 15 |
| Test results | 40 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (10), 21GAEPD_WQX (5) |
More than half the wells had results below the lab's detection limit, so the median is reported as below that limit.
Manganese Too few
| Level it's compared with | 0.05 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 80% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 4 of 5 |
| Median | 0.17 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 2015–2017 |
| Wells | 5 |
| Test results | 9 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | 21GAEPD_WQX (5) |
Fewer than 10 wells behind this figure; treat it as a hint, not a prior.
Hardness Recent
| Level it's compared with | none; hardness is shown in bands |
|---|---|
| Share of wells very hard | 0.0% |
| Median | 45 mg/L as CaCO₃ |
| Years sampled | 1958–2017 |
| Wells | 19 |
| Test results | 44 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (14), 21GAEPD_WQX (5) |
Sulfate Recent
| Level it's compared with | 250 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 0.0% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 0 of 19 |
| Median | 5.2 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1958–2017 |
| Wells | 19 |
| Test results | 44 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (14), 21GAEPD_WQX (5) |