About 30% of the county's 51,540 residents. Rank 19 of 24 in Maryland.
95% range 1,171 to 2,356 private-well users (2010 base year). Rank 10 of 24 in Maryland.
Low potential (average indoor radon may be less than 2 pCi/L). EPA says the map should not be used to decide whether an individual home needs testing.
Labs with an address in this county, from the official state lists on this site, matched by ZIP code.
What to test for in Worcester County
Private wells are not regulated like public water: EPA advises owners to test their well every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. Your state's own schedule:
- Maryland's Department of the Environment (MDE) says that at a minimum a well should be sampled every year, for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. It also advises sampling any time you notice a change in odor, taste or appearance or suspect other contaminants. More frequent testing may be warranted, for example with unexplained illnesses in the family, a household member who is pregnant or nursing, or a contaminant found in a neighbor's water. source
- University of Maryland Extension recommends a comprehensive test if you have not tested in several years, then routine tests: coliform bacteria and nitrates every year, and pH, total dissolved solids and sulfates every 3 years. It also suggests checking with your local health department and county well permitting office about contaminants of local concern. source
Arsenic. USGS estimates that about 1,671 people using private wells in Worcester County had arsenic above 10 µg/L, EPA's limit for public water (2010 base year; 95% range 1,171 to 2,356). USGS describes this kind of estimate as useful "for broad screening of the population at risk", so it says nothing certain about any one well. Arsenic has no taste or smell: test for it by name.
Radon. EPA puts Worcester County in Zone 3: low potential (average indoor radon may be less than 2 pCi/L). That map is about radon in indoor air, and EPA says it should not be used to decide whether an individual home needs testing. If radon is found in your air and you have a well, EPA suggests testing the water too: see radon in well water.
For anything specific to your home (farms nearby, old plumbing, a new baby, a smell or stain), use the which-tests checklist. When the results arrive, check your numbers against EPA's limits.
Show the numbers
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wicomico County | 6,673 people (2010 base year) | |
| Baltimore County | 4,039 people (2010 base year) | |
| Harford County | 3,505 people (2010 base year) | |
| Calvert County | 3,020 people (2010 base year) | |
| Anne Arundel County | 2,558 people (2010 base year) | |
| Worcester County (this county) | 1,671 people (2010 base year) |
USGS model estimate for broad screening, not a measurement of any well. Only a test tells you about your own well. Source: USGS, Estimated county level domestic well population with arsenic greater than 10 micrograms per liter (Ayotte, Medalie and Qi, 2017), accessed 2026-11-01.
PFAS in public water near Worcester County (public supply, not your well)
This is public water data, not your well. A private well draws its own groundwater, which can have more or less PFAS than the public supply nearby. Only a test of your well tells you.
Under EPA’s fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), public water systems sampled their water for 29 PFAS between Jan 3, 2023 and Jun 17, 2026. 5 public systems that serve ZIP codes mainly in Worcester County reported results. 0 of them had at least one sample with PFOA or PFOS at or above 4.0 ng/L, and 2 had at least one of the 29 PFAS measured at or above its reporting level.
4.0 ng/L (parts per trillion) is both EPA’s UCMR 5 reporting level for PFOA and PFOS and the number in EPA’s 2024 limit for public water. That limit is judged on a running annual average, so one sample at that level is not a violation. EPA proposed changes to its PFAS rules in May 2026: see PFAS in well water for the current status and who should test a well. To test your own well, find a lab certified for PFAS.
Method: a system counts for this county when it reports serving a ZIP code whose largest land part is in this county, so a system serving several counties counts in each. Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data (by state), file dated Oct 15, 2026; downloaded Nov 1, 2026.
Testing programs and help in Maryland
- If you suspect other contaminants, MDE says local health departments, University of Maryland Extension, geologists at local universities and nearby public water systems can help to identify potential problems. source
Buying a home with a well in Worcester County
Loan test (FHA, VA, USDA) in Worcester County, MD
- VA. Test results are valid for 90 days from the date the local health authority certifies them, unless the local authority says otherwise. VA’s chapter names no list of contaminants: the water must meet the local health authority’s requirements, or EPA guidelines where it has none. Your lender may ask for specific tests.
- FHA. A well test is required in the situations FHA’s handbook lists, among others, and the report may not be more than 180 days old at disbursement.
- USDA. Guaranteed loans need a water quality test for a private well, done by the local health authority or a state-certified lab, and no more than 180 days old at closing.
Lenders can ask for more (extra tests, a particular lab, who takes the sample): ask your lender before you book. Federal rules as read on Nov 3, 2026 source 1 source 2 source 3. Full comparison: VA, FHA and USDA well water test requirements. Loan test kits sold by mail, with price and days to results: kits compared.
State-certified labs in Worcester County
Labs on the Maryland list whose own websites say they take homeowner samples: CERTIFIED WATER TESTING, LLC (Thurmont), CHESAPEAKE ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY, INC (Stevensville), FOUNTAIN VALLEY ANALYTICAL LABORATORY, INC (Westminster), HOME LAND LABS - ANNAPOLIS (Annapolis), HOME LAND LABS - FOREST HILL (Forest Hill), HOME LAND LABS - TOWSON (Towson), HOME LAND LABS - WALDORF (Waldorf), WATER TESTING LABS OF MD - ANNAPOLIS (Annapolis). Use Check my ZIP to sort labs by distance.
See all Maryland labs in the finder and filter by the test you need and by labs that take homeowner samples.
- USGS, Estimated use of water in the United States, county-level data for 2015 (Dieter et al., ver. 2.0, 2018)
- USGS, Estimated county level domestic well population with arsenic greater than 10 micrograms per liter (Ayotte, Medalie and Qi, 2017)
- U.S. EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county list (EPA 402/A-16/001)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA to county relationship file (lab ZIP codes to counties)
- Maryland's Certified Drinking Water Laboratories (MDE Laboratory Certification Program) (Latest Revisions: 10/1/2026)
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