Well Water Testing Before Buying a House: A Buyer's Guide

When a seller says the well passed, ask to see two things: the laboratory report for the water and the inspection report for the equipment. Each answers a different question. Check the date, sample location and tests ordered, then ask a state-certified lab and the local health department what this particular property still needs.

Buyers often assume "the well was tested" covers everything. It usually covers one of two things.

You want both, and you want to know which one each document is. RKIN's buyer checklist similarly separates water quality from the condition and performance of the well system ( RKIN ).