Georgia Private Well Water Risk: Arsenic & Nitrate

These figures are USGS statistical estimates for private (domestic) wells in Georgia. They describe the area's modeled risk — not any single well.

This is a modeled probability for the area, not a measurement of your well. USGS statistical models estimate how many private wells in this area are likely to exceed the federal limit — they cannot tell you what is in your water. Two neighbors can have very different results. The only way to know your well is to test it.

Nitrate

0%

of the private-well population is modeled above the 10 mg/L nitrate limit

~304

people on wells estimated above the limit

~1,390,000

total residents on private wells statewide

Source: USGS machine-learning nitrate model, Ransom et al. (2022), domestic-well depth zone.

Arsenic

Across Georgia, an estimated ~34,975 people rely on private wells with modeled arsenic above the 10 µg/L EPA limit. The highest modeled exposure is in Fulton County (~1,272 people).

Counties with the highest modeled arsenic exposure

CountyEst. well residents over arsenic limit90% range
Fulton County~1,2728581,882
Coffee County~1,0776851,663
Bulloch County~1,0246731,551
Colquitt County~9866261,540
Laurens County~9806411,499
Tattnall County~9496451,390
Pierce County~8835961,299
Wayne County~8765961,278
Appling County~8285551,226
Effingham County~7895411,144
Brantley County~7855181,173
Elbert County~6914071,146
Tift County~567364872
Dodge County~562359868
Lowndes County~549365829
Hart County~548317977
Berrien County~542357819
Long County~539364787
Carroll County~521350766
Evans County~459300683
Charlton County~453299678
Grady County~450281719
Jeff Davis County~444293663
Bacon County~432290642
Brooks County~424266665
Troup County~415284604
Lumpkin County~415270641
Cook County~408260629
Thomas County~406256638
Meriwether County~405299546
Coweta County~399280566
Burke County~399266603
Toombs County~393251606
Worth County~383251583
Oglethorpe County~376247568
Emanuel County~337215527
Irwin County~332212514
Telfair County~332213513
Bibb County~326251428
Lanier County~324222471
Screven County~321209492
Johnson County~295190450
Wheeler County~292188447
Bleckley County~290188446
Candler County~280178431
Monroe County~251173368
Hall County~242175343
Ware County~242163356
Washington County~241166351
Rockdale County~230157336
Atkinson County~224146339
Pike County~208153283
Decatur County~204135314
Montgomery County~204131316
Macon County~193143263
Glynn County~190137262
White County~187124287
Madison County~18681788
Liberty County~184128267
Jenkins County~174112268
Gwinnett County~172126234
Twiggs County~168118240
Echols County~161106239
Henry County~161117224
Treutlen County~158101244
Turner County~157100243
Sumter County~155118207
Mitchell County~154105225
Ben Hill County~15297235
Cobb County~151100233
Wilcox County~14896228
Fayette County~146105204
Spalding County~14196206
Camden County~13896199
Crisp County~13491198
Heard County~13489199
Habersham County~13395191
Jackson County~13173283
Pulaski County~13198175
Jefferson County~13093183
Columbia County~12891182
Lee County~12694170
Dooly County~12389170
Clarke County~12268217
Haralson County~12077188
Gilmer County~12089166
Clinch County~11882168
McDuffie County~11780171
Jones County~11692149
Crawford County~11387145
Fannin County~11281155
Paulding County~10974160
Chatham County~10878148
Warren County~10470154
Lamar County~10174140

64 additional Georgia counties have lower modeled arsenic exposure (fewer than 100 estimated well residents over the limit).

Source: USGS domestic-well arsenic model, Lombard et al. (2021); county population product (2017).

Treating arsenic in Georgia

Arsenic is not removed by carbon pitchers or faucet filters. Reverse osmosis is the treatment that brings it below the federal limit at your tap.

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