Harding County, SD
These figures come from wells tested in Harding County, SD, not from any one well.
- Iron is common in wells in Harding County, SD (12 of 23 tested wells were over that level), so it's worth testing for.
- Manganese is common in wells in Harding County, SD (12 of 23 tested wells were over that level), so it's worth testing for.
- Sulfate is common in wells in Harding County, SD (231 of 392 tested wells were over that level), so it's worth testing for.
- Wells in Harding County, SD are typically moderately hard (544 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 (common in wells here)
- manganese (common in wells here)
- sulfate (common in wells here)
- 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. South Dakota'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 | 52% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 12 of 23 |
| Median | 0.371 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1938–2010 |
| Wells | 23 |
| Test results | 449 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (344), MHA_NATN (23) |
Manganese Recent
| Level it's compared with | 0.05 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 52% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 12 of 23 |
| Median | 0.134 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1938–2010 |
| Wells | 23 |
| Test results | 413 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (314), MHA_NATN (23) |
Hardness Recent
| Level it's compared with | none; hardness is shown in bands |
|---|---|
| Share of wells very hard | 32% |
| Median | 68 mg/L as CaCO₃ |
| Years sampled | 1938–2010 |
| Wells | 544 |
| Test results | 653 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (521), MHA_NATN (23) |
Sulfate Recent
| Level it's compared with | 250 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Share of wells over the level | 59% |
| Wells over the level / wells judged | 231 of 392 |
| Median | 322 mg/L |
| Years sampled | 1938–2006 |
| Wells | 393 |
| Test results | 452 |
| Wells left out | 0 |
| Sources | USGS (375), MHA_NATN (18) |