Well water in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Hernando

About 12% of Floridians — an estimated 2.5 million people — rely on private wells, and roughly a third of well owners don't know how to properly maintain them, according to research cited by UF/IFAS. Unlike city water, nobody is testing or treating a private well on your behalf. That responsibility sits with the homeowner.

The Florida Department of Health's standing guidance is to test private well water for bacteria and nitrate at least once a year, more often if you notice a change in taste, smell, or color. A certified lab is the only way to reliably clear a well for bacteria or nitrates — an in-home test strip can't do that job.

Each county health department offers a different level of help — some run general testing programs, others focus on known contamination sites.

• Hillsborough: DOH-Hillsborough publishes private-well guidance covering bacteria, iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, and annual testing recommendations.
• Pasco: DOH-Pasco's drinking water program offers sampling assistance and well identification for eligible wells — contact them directly for current sample pricing.
• Hernando: DOH-Hernando runs bacteriological testing at its Spring Hill office (Tue–Thu mornings) for well owners, plus a separate Well Surveillance Program that only monitors known contamination sites — it's not a general testing service, so check which one applies to you before you call.

Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and a flooded wellhead is a real risk — Hurricanes Helene and Milton flooded wellheads across the region in 2024. Municipal water isn't immune either: St. Petersburg shut off city water entirely for several days in October 2024 after more than 300 water-main breaks.

If your wellhead has been flooded, follow UF/IFAS's and the Florida Department of Health's published storm guidance for private wells rather than guessing — both spell out what to do before a lab test and what to do once results come back. We can help coordinate that certified lab test.

Iron and manganese staining, a rotten-egg hydrogen-sulfide smell, and hardness on top of either are the most common complaints we hear from well owners in Pasco and eastern Hillsborough. There's no one-size system for a well — we measure iron, sulfur, pH, and hardness in your home first, coordinate a certified lab test for bacteria or nitrates if needed, and size equipment to what your water actually has.