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Water Quality and Treatment
For general information from the Frederick County Health Department about ground water: Well Water Education
For general information from the Frederick County Health Department about lead in drinking water: Lead in Well Water
For information from the EPA about lead in drinking water: Lead in Drinking Water from EPA
For information from the EPA about chromium in drinking water: Chromium in Drinking Water from EPA
Best Practices and Guidance for Flushing of Water After a Shutdown
Individuals on private wells who would like to have their water tested can use the Frederick County Health Department (FCHD) or a state-certified private water lab for sample collection.
Appointments and Processing Times: The FCHD schedules samples Monday through Thursday and generally has a longer turnaround time (normally 2-3 weeks) for receiving results compared to the private labs.
Types of Testing: The FCHD collects samples from private wells located in Frederick County and can test for coliform bacteria, nitrate, and/or turbidity. For additional types of testing, such as lead and copper, or testing that requires a quick turnaround time, please contact one of the private labs.
Drop-off Samples: Please note that while the FCHD does not accept drop-off water samples from the public, private labs may accept drop-off samples and should be contacted to confirm drop off process and availability. Drop-off samples, which are normally collected by the resident and processed by the lab, can help save on the cost of water testing.
Please select one of the following links to proceed:
FCHD Application for Private Water Well Testing
State Certified Private Drinking Water Labs in/near Frederick County
Entire list of State Certified Private Drinking Water Labs
FCHD Water Sampling Fees | |
Administration Fee | $40.00 per appointment |
Coliform Bacteria | $41.00 per sample |
Nitrate | $18.00 per sample |
Turbidity | $15.00 per sample |
More Information: For more information about private water wells, please visit
For printable well disinfection directions click here
The Maryland Department of the Environment procedures for disinfection of the well and water distribution system is as follows:
Disinfecting Your Drilled Well
There are a number of reasons why bacteria may be present in your well water. Disinfecting the water system will kill bacteria that have entered the system due to new well construction, installation or replacement of the well pump, or plumbing repairs.
Chlorinating the well will not provide a permanent solution to an ongoing contamination problem. This process only destroys existing bacteria. If bacteria are detected after chlorination, that is evidence that contamination continues to enter the system, and that some problem exists with the ground water, well, storage, or plumbing. If bacterial contamination persists after repeated disinfection of the well, repair or replacement of the well may be required. To properly disinfect your well, follow these steps:
Quantities of Disinfectant Required for Water Well Disinfection
(COMAR 26.04.04N (5))
Chlorine is available in both liquid (household or commercial bleach) or solid (available where pool supplies are found) forms. Liquid bleach tends to “float” in a well, granular solid chlorine may dissolve before reaching the bottom of the well, and chlorine tablets may sit on the bottom of the well and slowly dissolve, making it difficult to flush the chlorine out of the system. The most effective chlorination technique uses both liquid and solid forms. Use half of the quantity of solid chlorine shown plus half of the liquid volume shown for the depth of your well.
Well Depth | 4” Diameter | 6” Diameter | 8” Diameter |
20’ | A 1T | A 3T | A 4T |
B 1C | B 1C | B 2C | |
30’ | A 2T | A 4T | A 4T |
B 1C | B 2C | B 4C | |
40’ | A 2T | A 6T | A 8T |
B 1C | B 2C | B 1Q | |
60’ | A 3T | A 8T | A 4oz |
B 2C | B 1Q | B 2Q | |
80’ | A 4T | A 9T | A 5oz |
B 2C | B 1Q | B 2Q | |
100’ | A 5T | A 4oz | A 7oz |
B 2C | B 1Q | B 2 ½Q | |
150’ | A 8T | A 6oz | A 10oz |
B 4C | B 2Q | B 4Q |
T = tablespoons, oz = ounces (by weight), C = cups, Q = quarts,
Rows A are amounts of calcium hypochlorite (Solid Chlorine, Granular or Tablets) (70%)
Rows B are amounts of liquid household bleach (5.25%)
Maryland Department of the Environment, Water Supply Program
1800 Washington Blvd, STE 450 · Baltimore MD 21230-1708
(410) 537-3729, (800) 633-6101 (in Maryland)
A Certificate of Potability (COP) is issued by the local Health Department and is needed for an Occupancy Permit for new homes. It includes bacteriological and chemical testing as well as well construction information. The water samples must be taken by a certified water sampler and processed at a Maryland certified lab. Local certified labs.
If you use a private lab to collect samples the lab must submit results to the Health Department. It will take approximately one week to process the paperwork once it is received from the private lab.
COP samples can also be taken by the Health Department. The turnaround time will generally be longer than when a private lab takes the samples.
A COP consists of:
Individuals on private wells requiring water testing for in-home daycares, foster care or adoption can use either the Frederick County Health Department (FCHD) or a state-certified private water lab for sample collection.
Appointments and Processing Times: The FCHD schedules samples Monday through Thursday and generally has a longer turnaround time (normally 2-3 weeks) for receiving results compared to the private labs.
Private Laboratories:
Please select one of the following links to proceed:
FCHD Application for Private Water Well Testing
State Certified Private Drinking Water Labs in/near Frederick County
Entire list of State Certified Private Drinking Water Labs
FCHD Water Sampling Fees | |
Administration Fee | $40.00 per appointment |
Coliform Bacteria | $41.00 per sample |
Nitrate | $18.00 per sample |
Turbidity | $15.00 per sample |
More Information: For more information about private water wells, please visit
A TNC is a Transient Non-Community Water System according to The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (See https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/information-about-public-water-systems.)
TNCs serve at least 25 people or more per day for at least 60 days of the year, but not necessarily the same people or on a regular basis. The population is considered transient because they are only there for a short period of time. Examples of TNCs include restaurants, gas stations, churches, wineries, and many other public places that have their own well. Oversight of TNCs is delegated to the Frederick County Health Department by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). There are approximately 150 TNCs in Frederick County. Information about Frederick County TNCs and the many other places regulated by the EPA is available at https://echo.epa.gov/.
For questions about TNCs, contact the Community Services office at 301-600-1717 or CommunityServicesOffice@FrederickCountyMD.gov.
350 Montevue Lane
Frederick, MD 21702
Ph: 301-600-1717
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Payments accepted until 4:30 p.m.