Diagnose your well water by symptom
Strange smell, stains, taste, or a sudden change in your private well? Each symptom below points to a likely cause, explains whether it is an aesthetic nuisance or a real health concern, and tells you the one test that settles it. A symptom is a clue — only testing your own well confirms what is in your water.
Pick the symptom you are seeing
Why does my well water smell like rotten eggs?
A rotten-egg or sulfur smell coming from your well water, at one or more taps.
Why does my well water leave orange or red stains?
Orange, red, brown, or black stains on fixtures, sinks, tubs, toilets, or laundry.
Why does my well water taste metallic?
A metallic, tinny, or coppery taste in your well water.
Why is my well water cloudy or milky?
Cloudy, milky, or murky-looking water from your well.
Could my well water be making my family sick?
Recurring stomach upset, diarrhea, or nausea in your household that may track with your well water.
Is my well water safe to drink after a flood?
Floodwater has reached or covered your wellhead, or your area has recently flooded.
Is my well water safe for making baby formula?
You are mixing infant formula with private well water, or have a baby under six months in a home on a well.
My neighbor's well is contaminated — should I test mine?
A nearby or neighboring private well has tested positive for a contaminant.
Why does my well water leave blue-green stains?
Blue or blue-green stains on sinks, tubs, faucets, or anywhere water drips.
Why does my well water taste salty?
A salty or brackish taste in your well water.
Already tested your well? Get a free plain-English reading
Upload your well water lab report (PDF or a photo) and our team will email you a full, plain-English reading of every result — free. Educational only, never medical advice.
Your upload also helps us keep local water data accurate — we only ever share anonymized, area-level summaries.
Upload my well testBy TapWaterData Editorial
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