16 named for nitrate itself on the list.
Per the state list or a state web page. Call to confirm.
Located outside Missouri but on its list.
USGS estimate for Missouri.
How many labs test for nitrate in Missouri
16 labs on Missouri's official drinking-water lab list are certified to test for nitrate. All 16 are named for nitrate on the list. The Missouri list does not say which labs take samples from homeowners, so call a lab before you send one. 10 are located outside Missouri.
The list is published by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (chemical labs) + Department of Health and Senior Services (microbiological labs). List version on file: Live export fetched 2026-11-15 (no list date printed in the file). Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC).
Missouri labs certified for nitrate
| Lab | Location | Nitrate certification | Public samples | Cert. expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton Analytical LLC | Brighton, MI | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 12/31/2027 |
| Brothers Lab Services | Maryland Heights, MO | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 4/30/2028 |
| EMSL Analytical Inc.-St. Louis | St. Louis, MO | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 5/31/2027 (chemical); 8/31/2029 (microbiological) |
| Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Environment Testing LLC | Lancaster, PA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 1/31/2028 |
| Eurofins South Bend | South Bend, IN | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 9/30/2027 |
| Kansas City Water Services Laboratory | Kansas City, MO | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 4/30/2027 (chemical); 10/31/2027 (microbiological) |
| Microbac Laboratories Inc.-Newton | Newton, IA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 4/30/2029 |
| Missouri Department of Natural Resources-Environmental Services CAS Laboratory | Jefferson City, MO | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 7/31/2026 Date on list has passed |
| National Testing Laboratories Ltd. | Ypsilanti, MI | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 12/31/2027 |
| Pace Analytical National Center for Testing and Innovation | Mount Juliet, TN | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 9/30/2028 |
| Pace Analytical Services LLC-Florida | Ormond Beach, FL | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 6/30/2028 |
| Pace Analytical Services LLC-Illinois | Peoria, IL | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 6/30/2028 |
| Teklab Inc. | Collinsville, IL | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 10/31/2026 (microbiological); 1/31/2028 (chemical) Date on list has passed |
| American Water Central Laboratory | Belleville, IL | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | 10/31/2027 |
| City of St. Louis-Howard Bend Laboratory | Chesterfield, MO | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | 8/31/2027 (microbiological); 3/31/2029 (chemical) |
| City Utilities of Springfield | Springfield, MO | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | 12/31/2027 (chemical); 5/31/2028 (microbiological) |
How the Missouri list marks public samples (whole list). Not stated in the list.
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 nitrate in Missouri
Nitrate has no taste or smell, and a lab report can state the same water in two units that differ by a factor of 4.43. Read our nitrate explainer.
EPA advises private-well owners to test every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. [1]
Missouri guidance that mentions nitrate:
- DHSS says to test each year for total coliform bacteria, E. coli and nitrate, and for other contaminants you suspect. Also test if there are known well water problems in your area, after flooding, land disturbance or nearby waste disposal, or after you repair or replace any part of the well system. If you live in an area with current or past mining, DHSS recommends a metals test. [2]
- The Missouri State Public Health Laboratory tests private well samples for total coliform and E. coli (iron bacteria by special request) and also offers chemical tests: a New Well Series (fluoride, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, iron, manganese and lead), typically run when a well is first installed, and a full panel of minerals, nutrients and metals. [2]
About 821,343 people in Missouri used private wells in 2015, by the USGS estimate of people on domestic self-supplied water. [3] 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: Missouri.
Other tests in Missouri
- U.S. EPA, Protect your home's water
- Missouri DHSS, Well Water Test Kit Information and Services
- USGS, Estimated use of water in the United States, county-level data for 2015 (Dieter et al., ver. 2.0, 2018)
- Missouri DNR - Certified Chemical Laboratories (spreadsheet of all laboratories) (official list)
- Missouri DNR - Certified Chemical Laboratories (spreadsheet of all laboratories) + Missouri DNR - Certified Microbiological Laboratories (spreadsheet of all laboratories) (official list)
Missouri DNR - Certified Chemical Laboratories (spreadsheet of all laboratories).
Official source