Standard Well Water Tests should be performed every 5-10 years or within a 1 year period for buying or selling properties supplied by well water. 

• Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Manganese, Magnesium, Mercury, Sodium

• Chloride, Fluoride, Nitrate, Nitrite

• Hardness, pH, Turbidity, Conductivity

• Total Coliform Bacteria, E.coli Bacteria and Heterotrophic plate count (HPC)

Comprehensive Test that includes the Standard Test and the PFAS Test for new owners or for property owners that have not been testing according to the recommendations of the Mass DEP

• Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Iron, Lead, Manganese, Magnesium, Mercury, Sodium

• Chloride, Fluoride, Nitrate, Nitrite

• Hardness, pH, Turbidity, Conductivity

• Total Coliform Bacteria, E.coli Bacteria and Heterotrophic plate count (HPC)

• PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) including the following six PFAS chemicals referred to as PFAS6: Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)

These tests should be performed yearly, they are a small sub-set of the Standard Test. 

• Total Coliform Bacteria, E.coli Bacteria and Heterotrophic plate count (HPC)

• Nitrate, Nitrite, pH, Conductivity, Sodium, Iron

As PFAS testing becomes increasingly important for residential properties, it should be added to the 5-10 Standard test suite, especially as it is now frequently required in real estate transactions. Ideally, this test should be conducted within one year prior to selling a property.

The PFAS test screens for a wide range of compounds, including the six regulated in Massachusetts (commonly referred to as the "MA PFAS6"):

• Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)

• Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

• Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)

• Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)

• Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)

• Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)

Coliforms are bacteria that indicate that other, potentially harmful bacteria may be present. These tests should be performed as needed if suspected contamination may have occured.

• Total Coliform Bacteria, E.coli Bacteria and Heterotrophic plate count (HPC)