Butte County, ID
These figures come from wells tested in Butte County, ID, not from any one well.
- Iron, manganese and sulfate are not common in wells in Butte County, ID (10 of 138, 13 of 146 and 9 of 385 tested wells were over). Only a test tells you about your own well.
- Wells in Butte County, ID are typically very hard (343 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:
- iron
- 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. Idaho'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 | 7.2% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 10 of 138 |
| Median | 0.00485 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1949–2026 |
| Wells | 138 |
| Test results | 1,906 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (329) |
Manganese Recent
| Level it's compared with | 0.05 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 8.9% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 13 of 146 |
| Median | 0.000785 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1950–2026 |
| Wells | 146 |
| Test results | 1,845 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (288) |
Hardness Recent
| Level it's compared with | none; hardness is shown in bands |
|---|---|
| Share of wells very hard | 51% |
| Median | 180 mg/L as CaCO₃ |
| Years sampled | 1949–2026 |
| Wells | 343 |
| Test results | 1,692 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (343) |
Sulfate Recent
| Level it's compared with | 250 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 2.3% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 9 of 385 |
| Median | 24.3 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1949–2026 |
| Wells | 385 |
| Test results | 5,808 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (385) |