Septic systems & private wells
Keep up with septic care and well tests
If your home runs on a septic system or a private well, nobody sends you a utility bill — and nobody reminds you to maintain it. We do. Plain-English guidance and free email reminders, built on EPA and CDC recommendations.
What do you take care of?
Septic Care
How often to pump, what an inspection covers, what it costs, and the everyday habits that protect your drain field.
Septic guidesWell Water
When to test, what the results mean, and what to do about bacteria, nitrates, iron, or hard water — without the chemistry degree.
Well water guides
Need to test your well this year?
EPA and CDC both recommend testing a private well at least once a year for total coliform bacteria, nitrate, pH and total dissolved solids. A certified laboratory is how you know what is actually in the water. Screening strips can flag a change between lab tests — they are not a substitute.
If you want the kit-versus-lab breakdown first, start with the well water tester guide. For the yearly plan, see the annual well water check guide. Sources: EPA private wells · CDC private wells.
Heads up: we may earn a commission if you buy through a qualifying link on this page. It never changes what we recommend. How we make money
Free septic care & well test reminders
Start with your email, then add your maintenance and test dates. We’ll remind you to review septic care and arrange annual well tests. Confirm each change by email.
Latest guides
Arsenic Water Testing: What Your Well Report Means
Learn what to do about elevated arsenic, how to order a certified lab test, interpret your results, and verify that treatment reduces arsenic levels.
Chloroform in Water Test: Not Coliform
A chloroform in water test is a chemical panel, not a bacteria result. See how to read TTHMs, confirm the lab analyte, and choose the next well-water step.
Coliform in Well Water: What a Positive Test Means
Understand total coliform, fecal coliform and E. coli results, protect your drinking water, and arrange repeat testing and repairs with professional guidance.
Hard Well Water: Read Your Test and Decide Whether to Soften
Use your hardness result, scale problems, and household needs to decide whether a water softener makes sense—and what to ask before buying one.
How Often Should You Pump Your Septic Tank?
Use professional sludge and scum measurements to set your septic pumping interval, adjust for household changes, and keep a clear service record.
Iron in Well Water: Stains, Smell, Tests
Interpret iron in well water using sample location, iron form, manganese, pH and hardness, then compare treatment proposals and maintenance needs.