Well Inspection: What to Check & How to Write the Report

A well inspection is one of those jobs that separates experienced inspectors from the rest. Unlike municipal water — where you check pressure at the fixtures and move on — a private well means you're evaluating the entire water supply system. The well itself, the pump, the pressure tank, the treatment equipment, and the water quality. Miss something, and your client drinks contaminated water or loses their well six months after closing.

This is the complete well inspection walkthrough — what to check at each component, what the findings mean, and how to document everything so your report actually protects your client and your license.

Before You Show Up

Well inspections require planning that most other inspection types don't. You need to coordinate water sampling, which means understanding lab requirements before you arrive.

What to Arrange Ahead of Time

• Lab-approved sample containers. Most labs provide these free of charge. You need sterile bottles for bacteriological testing and separate containers for chemical analysis. Don't use your own bottles — the lab will reject the sample.
• Chain of custody forms. The lab needs to know when the sample was collected, by whom, and how it was transported. Some states require this for real estate transactions.
• Run time before sampling. The well should not have been used for at least 4 hours before you collect a bacteria sample. Coordinate this with the homeowner or listing agent. If someone ran the dishwasher an hour before you arrived, your coliform results are unreliable.

The Wellhead: Your First Stop

Start outside at the wellhead. This is where most problems are visible without any tools.

What You're Looking At

• Casing condition. The well casing should extend at least 12 inches above grade (some states require more). Look for cracks, corrosion, or damage. A damaged casing is a contamination pathway.
• Well cap. Should be a vermin-proof, sanitary well cap — bolted down, not just sitting on top. If you can lift the cap off by hand, that's a finding. Insects, rodents, and surface water can enter through a loose cap.
• Grout seal. The annular space between the casing and the borehole should be sealed with bentonite or cement grout. You can't see the grout below grade, but if surface water is pooling around the casing, the seal may be compromised.
• Grading. The ground should slope away from the wellhead in all directions. Water pooling around the casing = surface contamination risk.
• Setback distances. Check the distance from the well to the septic system, fuel tanks, chemical storage, and property lines. Minimum setbacks vary by state — typically 50-100 feet from a septic tank, 100-200 feet from a leach field. If you're not sure about local requirements, note the distances and let the client verify with the health department.

Common Wellhead Findings

Flow Rate Testing

This is the test that tells you whether the well can actually support the household. A well that produces 1 GPM might work for a single person but will fail a family of four running laundry and showers simultaneously.

How to Run a Flow Rate Test

1. Open a hose bib or exterior faucet. Use one close to the pressure tank for the most accurate reading.
2. Let the pump cycle. Run water until the pump kicks on, then continue running water through at least 2-3 full pump cycles.
3. Measure with a 5-gallon bucket. Time how long it takes to fill. Do this at least three times during the test.
4. Calculate GPM. 5 gallons ÷ fill time in minutes = GPM. If the bucket fills in 60 seconds, you're at 5 GPM.
5. Monitor for problems. Watch for air spurting from the faucet (could indicate a failing pump or low water level), sediment, discoloration, or odor changes as the well is stressed.

What the Numbers Mean

• Less than 1 GPM: Significant concern. The well may not support daily household use without storage and delivery systems.
• 1-3 GPM: Low yield. Functional with careful water management, but the client should understand the limitations. A storage tank and delivery pump system may help.
• 3-5 GPM: Adequate for most households. Note any fluctuation during extended testing.
• 5+ GPM: Good production. Still worth monitoring for consistency during your test window.

Important caveat: A flow rate test during a 30-minute inspection doesn't tell you what the well does over 24 hours. Extended draw-down tests (4-6 hours) are more definitive, but those are outside typical inspection scope. Note your test duration and conditions in the report.

Pressure Tank and Pump System

The pressure tank is usually in the basement or utility room. This is the heart of the delivery system.

Pressure Tank Checks

• Tank type. Bladder tanks (blue or gray, typically branded Well-X-Trol or Flexcon) are standard. Old galvanized tanks without a bladder can become waterlogged.
• Pre-charge pressure. With the pump off and the tank drained, check the air pressure at the Schrader valve on top. It should be 2 PSI below the pump cut-in pressure. If cut-in is 30 PSI, pre-charge should be 28 PSI. A waterlogged tank (zero pre-charge) causes rapid cycling — the pump turns on and off every few seconds instead of running through a normal cycle.
• Rapid cycling. If the pump kicks on and off more than 6 times per hour during normal use, the pressure tank is likely waterlogged or undersized. Rapid cycling burns out pump motors.
• Pressure switch settings. Standard residential settings are 30/50 or 40/60 (cut-in/cut-out). Check the gauge near the pressure switch. Settings above 60 PSI cut-out can stress plumbing and fixtures.
• Visible condition. Look for corrosion, leaks at fittings, and proper mounting. The tank should be secured and not resting directly on a damp floor.

Pump Basics

You usually can't see the pump itself — submersible pumps sit at the bottom of the well. But you can evaluate it indirectly:

• Amp draw. If you have a clamp meter, check the amp draw on the pump circuit while the pump is running. Compare to the nameplate rating on the pressure switch or control box. High amp draw suggests a failing motor or restricted impeller.
• Control box. For 3-wire submersible systems, there's a control box near the pressure tank. Check for signs of overheating, burnt wiring, or a tripped overload relay.
• Age. If the homeowner knows the pump installation date, note it. Submersible pumps last 10-15 years on average. A 20-year-old pump works until it doesn't — and replacement means pulling the well.

Water Quality Testing

This is the part that protects your client's health. Even a perfectly constructed well with great flow can produce water that's unsafe to drink.

What to Test For

At minimum, a real estate well inspection should include:

• Total coliform bacteria. The primary indicator of bacterial contamination. Any detection is a failed test. The EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) is zero.
• E. coli. A subset of coliform that specifically indicates fecal contamination. Presence = serious health risk.
• Nitrate. MCL is 10 mg/L. Elevated levels suggest agricultural runoff or septic system influence. Particularly dangerous for infants (blue baby syndrome).
• pH. Should be between 6.5 and 8.5. Low pH (acidic water) corrodes copper plumbing and can leach lead from solder joints.
• Hardness. Not a health concern, but affects fixtures, appliances, and treatment system sizing.

Sampling Procedure

1. Select an untreated tap — before the water softener or any treatment equipment. The kitchen cold water faucet is typical, but remove any aerator or filter first.
2. Run water for 3-5 minutes to purge standing water from the pipes.
3. For bacteria samples: flame-sterilize the faucet opening with a lighter, or use an alcohol wipe. Do not touch the inside of the sample bottle or cap.
4. Fill the sterile bottle to the line. Don't overfill — the bottle contains a preservative tablet.
5. Label the sample with date, time, location, and your name.
6. Keep samples cool (ice chest) and deliver to the lab within the hold time — typically 6-24 hours for bacteria, 48 hours for chemical analysis.

Treatment Equipment

Many private wells have treatment systems. Document what's installed and its apparent condition, even if evaluating treatment effectiveness is outside your scope.

Common Systems You'll Encounter

• Water softener. Removes hardness (calcium and magnesium). Check the brine tank salt level, look for salt bridging, note the brand and approximate age.
• Sediment filter. Usually a cartridge-style filter housing. Note whether the cartridge looks like it's been changed recently or is overdue.
• UV disinfection. Kills bacteria without chemicals. Check whether the UV lamp is illuminated and note the lamp replacement date if visible.
• Acid neutralizer. Raises pH using calcite or magite media. Common in areas with acidic well water. Check for proper bypass valve installation.
• Iron/manganese filter. Removes dissolved metals that cause staining. Usually a backwashing system similar to a water softener.

Note everything that's installed, but be clear in your report about what you evaluated versus what requires a water treatment specialist.

Writing the Well Inspection Report

Well inspection reports tend to be dense. You're covering mechanical systems, water quality lab results, and site conditions — often for clients who've never had a private well before.

Structure That Works

1. Well overview. Type (drilled, driven, dug), depth if known, casing material, approximate age.
2. Wellhead condition. Photos and findings from your exterior evaluation.
3. Flow rate results. GPM measured, test duration, any anomalies during testing.
4. Pressure system. Tank type, size, pre-charge, pump cycling observations, pressure switch settings.
5. Water quality. Lab results with clear pass/fail language. Don't just attach the lab report — interpret it.
6. Treatment equipment. What's installed, apparent condition, maintenance status.
7. Recommendations. Clear, prioritized list of what needs attention.

Tips for Clear Well Reports

Don't bury the lead. If coliform is present, that's the first thing in your summary — not page 4 after the pressure tank description.

Explain what matters to the client. "Total coliform detected" means nothing to most homebuyers. "Bacteria was detected in the water supply, indicating a potential contamination pathway. The well should be shock-chlorinated and retested before use" is actionable.

Include your test conditions. Flow rate measured at 4.2 GPM over a 20-minute test period is meaningful. "Flow rate adequate" is not.

Separate health concerns from maintenance items. Bacteria in the water is a health issue. A pressure tank that's due for replacement is a maintenance item. Your report should make this distinction obvious.

Internal Links for Context

If you're also covering the home's sewer system or crawl space, cross-reference those sections. Well and septic issues are often related — a failing septic system 40 feet from the well is relevant context for elevated nitrate levels.

Common Mistakes Inspectors Make

Not running the well long enough. A 5-minute flow test tells you almost nothing. Run it for at least 15-20 minutes, ideally 30. Wells that seem fine initially can show problems under sustained demand.

Sampling after running the well hard. Collect your bacteria sample first, under normal conditions. Extended pumping can dislodge sediment and biofilm that skew results.

Ignoring the electrical. The well pump is a 240V system. Check the disconnect, the wire gauge, and the breaker size. An improperly wired well pump is both a safety hazard and a maintenance headache. See our electrical inspection checklist for the fundamentals.

Not photographing the wellhead. The wellhead is the single most important component to document visually. Your photos should show casing height above grade, cap condition, grading, and any nearby contamination sources.

Speed Up Your Well Inspection Documentation

Well inspections generate more notes than almost any other inspection type. Flow rates, pressure readings, lab sample IDs, treatment equipment model numbers, setback distances — that's a lot of data to capture while you're standing next to a well casing in January.

ReportWalk lets you dictate findings as you move through the inspection. Walk up to the wellhead, describe what you see, move to the pressure tank, narrate the readings. Your voice notes become structured report sections — no typing in the field, no trying to remember details back at your desk.

The well inspection is complex enough without fighting your documentation tool. Let your voice handle the notes so you can focus on the inspection.