0 named for coliform bacteria itself on the list.
Per the state list or a state web page. Call to confirm.
Located outside Alabama but on its list.
USGS estimate for Alabama.
How many labs test for coliform bacteria in Alabama
30 labs on Alabama's official drinking-water lab list are certified to test for coliform bacteria. Of these, 30 hold a group certification that includes it. The Alabama list does not say which labs take samples from homeowners, so call a lab before you send one.
The list is published by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) - Drinking Water Branch. List versions on file: Certified Bacteriological Laboratories: Revised: April 7, 2026; In State Certified Chemical Laboratories: Revised: April 7, 2026; Revised: April 7, 2026. Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC).
Alabama labs certified for coliform bacteria
| Lab | Location | Bacteria certification | Public samples | Cert. expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albertville Bacteriological laboratory | Albertville, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Alexander City Sugar Creek Laboratory | Alexander City, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Environmental Resource Analysts | Auburn, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Guardian Systems | Leeds, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Limestone County Bacteriological Laboratory | Athens, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Living Water Services | Alabaster, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Mobile Branch Laboratory | Mobile, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Mobile Water Service Laboratory | Mobile, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Montgomery Industrial Waste Laboratory | Montgomery, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Pace Analytical National Decatur | Decatur, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Pace Analytical Services | Tuscaloosa, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Pace Analytical Services - Mobile | Mobile, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Polyenvironmental Corporation | Dothan, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Prattville Branch Laboratory | Prattville, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Safety Environmental Services | Pelham, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Smiths Water Laboratory | Smiths, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Southern Environmental Testing | Florence, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Southern Environmental Testing - Decatur | Decatur, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Anniston Water Works Laboratory | Anniston, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Bessemer Utilities Lab | Bessemer, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Bridgeport Water Treatment Plant Laboratory | Bridgeport, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Chattahochee Valley Water Supply District | Lanett, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Five Star Filter Plant Bacteriological Laboratory | Wetumpka, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Gadsden Water Works Laboratory | Gadsden, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Houston County Regional Water Lab | Dothan, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Huntsville Utilities Laboratory | Huntsville, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Madison County Water Department Laboratory | New Market, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Montgomery Water Works Laboratory | Montgomery, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Opelika Water Treatment Plant Laboratory | Opelika, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Tuscaloosa Water Dept Laboratory | Tuscaloosa, AL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
How the Alabama list marks public samples (whole list). Not stated in the list. ADEM's program page says the lists "contain both commercial laboratories that provide services to the public and water systems that have their own laboratories."
Before you send a sample, call the lab to confirm it is currently certified for the exact test and method, that it accepts samples from homeowners, and how to collect and ship them. Status can change between list updates.
Why test for coliform bacteria in Alabama
About a third of the 397 domestic wells tested for bacteria in a national USGS study had total coliform. Read our coliform bacteria explainer.
EPA advises private-well owners to test every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. [1]
Alabama guidance that mentions coliform bacteria:
- To test for bacteria, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) says to call your county health department. You can ask for an environmentalist to collect the sample (there may be a collection fee) or collect it yourself using a container from the county health department. Results take about 24 hours after the lab receives the sample, and there may be a fee per sample. [2]
- Alabama Extension says ADPH bacteria tests may differ in price by county but are usually very affordable. For nitrate or heavy metals, you may need a certified drinking water lab. [3]
- The Auburn University Soil, Forage and Water Testing Lab can do an educational screen of well water (metals, pH, nitrate, dissolved solids). It is not a certified drinking water lab and does not test for bacteria. [4]
About 539,394 people in Alabama used private wells in 2015, by the USGS estimate of people on domestic self-supplied water. [5] Federal limits are written for public water systems, not private wells, so testing is up to the owner.
For tests that depend on your home (farms nearby, old plumbing, a new baby), use the which-tests checklist. When results arrive, check your numbers against EPA's limits. State guidance, county data and every lab: Alabama.
Other tests in Alabama
- U.S. EPA, Protect your home's water
- Alabama Department of Public Health, Well water (page last updated Jun 23, 2026)
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Step-by-step guide to getting your well water tested (ANR-2867, Jun 14, 2022)
- Auburn University Water Resources Center, Alabama Private Well Program
- USGS, Estimated use of water in the United States, county-level data for 2015 (Dieter et al., ver. 2.0, 2018)
- ADEM - Certified Bacteriological Laboratories (official list)
- ADEM - Certified Bacteriological Laboratories + ADEM - In State Certified Chemical Laboratories (official list)
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