Sign up today for your in-home well water test to ensure bacteria is not lurking in your water supply.

Did you know that over 50% of waterways in the United States are unsuitable for drinking? Due to this staggering number, we recommend that if you have well water, that you conduct water bacteria testing for New Hampshire residents every 1-2 years, preferably in the spring after the snow melts and potentially moves hazardous chemicals.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 1-in-8 homes use a private well as their main water source and of those tested, 1-in-5 required filtration due to unsafe drinking test results. The most important thing to keep your family safe is ensuring you have clean water — including that your total coliform bacteria level does not exceed recommended or safe drinking water standards.

It’s interesting that while most coliform bacteria are not the main cause of disease, when they are present in the water supply, other disease-inducing microorganisms tend to be present. These organisms can cause things like dysentery, salmonella, hepatitis, giardiasis, etc. You may be wondering — What are the symptoms of bacteria in drinking water? Symptoms can range from diarrhea, cramps, and vomiting to nausea, fatigue, headaches, and fever. Infants, children, elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems are the most susceptible to diseases caused by exposure to unsafe drinking water. Whether you have potentially harmful bacteria in your well or not depends on a variety of factors which include:

  • The well’s location
  • How deep the well is
  • The quality of the surrounding soil
  • The quality of surrounding groundwater

While having well water may taste great, it may also present some problems, like exposure to bacteria, arsenic, radon, iron, or PFAS. Right now, activists and communities across New England and the United States are fighting for the right to clean water, particularly from man-made environmental toxins that you can’t see or smell. Having clean water is essential for your health, particularly when it comes to avoiding bacteria like e.coli in the water supply. Be sure to schedule your yearly water test today.

Common questions about bacteria in water.

Is there a way to test water for bacteria?

Yes, you can test for bacteria in water.

How do I get my well water tested in NH?

You could check with your town’s resources or health departments, a state-certified lab, or you can simply call us to take care of the testing requirements! (Our testing ranges in price, depending on what you need. Some are free, while things like PFAS and bacteria testing do have a cost.)

What are the different kinds of bacteria in water?

Total Coliforms — These are typical bacteria microbes that you can find everywhere from the digestive system of mammals to the soil, plants, and surface water. These often don’t make you sick — but since differentiating between the ones that do make you sick and normal ones is hard to test in water, “total coliforms” are tested. If that count is higher than recommended, it’s also expected that other germs like parasites, viruses, and harmful bacteria are also present.

Fecal Coliforms / Escherichia coli (E. coli) — Now these bacteria are a specific strain found in the millions in feces/ warm-blooded digestive systems. You can test for E. coli by itself — a positive test may mean that harmful germs have made their way to your water system, potentially causing diarrhea, dysentery, and hepatitis.

How long does it take to get sick from E. coli in water?

You will probably notice feeling ill (nauseous, vomiting, diarrhea) in 24-48 hours.

Can you shower if water has E. coli?

Due to the risk of ingesting the water, children and infants should not bathe in water tainted with E. coli. Adults can shower safely.

Do water filters remove E. coli?

Some filters do remove E. coli, but not all. Those that would not include cartridge filters, carbon filters, and pitcher style filters. Our whole home water filtration systems do remove E. coli.

What to expect in your water bacteria test.

Our NH Tap water experts are fast and professional, determining your water’s chemical makeup with our water bacteria testing for New Hampshire residents. With a complete water analysis, we will have some results from your water test while others may need to be sent to an independent lab for further testing (like arsenic and PFAS). Once the lab results come in, usually within 1 week, we will share them with you and provide a quote for any necessary remediation.

  • Most New Hampshire well water testing only lasts 20 minutes.
  • Our free water test includes testing for pH, iron, manganese, hardness (calcium), total dissolved solids, and arsenic.
  • We can provide additional testing at a discounted lab cost.
    • Radon: $50
    • Bacteria: $50
    • PFAS: $200

Steps to getting the purest water.

If you need a whole-home well water filtration system solution, NH Tap can help you reduce your family’s toxic exposure by over 99%.

Set up your water bacteria test today.

NH Tap proudly provides bacteria water tests for all of New Hampshire, from Jaffery to Salem to Milton — and everywhere in between. Curious about your water quality? Find out more about these surrounding service areas:






  • and more.