Well water testing in Livingston County, MI
Livingston County sends well owners to certified labs: Brighton Analytical in Brighton or Water Tech in Howell (call for prices). The state lab in Lansing mails kits; bacteria is $23. Oakland County's lab in Pontiac tests out-of-county wells for $20. Keep samples cold.
- Bacteria test
- $23
- Sample
- You take the sample
Livingston County does not test well water itself. The labs below take samples from its residents.
Where to get your well tested
Michigan EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory (state lab)
| Total coliform and E. colicoliform bacteria and E. coli | $23 |
| Sample preparation feeAdded once per sample for metals, hardness, partial chemistry and some other tests. | $13 |
| ArsenicarsenicPlus a $13 sample preparation fee per sample. | $15 |
| UraniumuraniumPlus a $13 sample preparation fee per sample. | $15 |
All 14 tests and prices
| Lead and copperlead and copperPlus a $13 sample preparation fee per sample. | $30 |
| HardnesshardnessCalcium, magnesium and calculated hardness. Plus a $13 sample preparation fee per sample. | $30 |
| Nitrate and nitritenitrate and nitrite | $41 |
| Partial chemistryCalcium, chloride, fluoride, hardness, iron, magnesium, nitrate, nitrite, sodium and sulfate. Plus a $13 sample preparation fee per sample. | $66 |
| Partial metalsarsenic, copper, iron, lead, manganese and other itemsArsenic, copper, iron, lead, manganese and zinc. Plus a $13 sample preparation fee per sample. | $81 |
| Complete metalsarsenic, copper, iron, lead, manganese and other itemsAntimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, selenium, thallium and zinc. Plus a $13 sample preparation fee per sample. | $136 |
| Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)VOCs | $147 |
| 1,4-Dioxaneother items | $169 |
| Pesticides and aromatic compoundspesticides | $183 |
| PFASPFAS | $320 |
- Who takes the sample
- You take the sample
- Getting a bottle
- Call the lab to order a test kit. You can have it shipped to your home, or pick it up at the lab in Lansing at a time you book. Allow about a week for the order, plus shipping. Use only the lab's bottles.
- EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory, 3350 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Lansing
- Returning the sample
- Fill out the form completely; samples with incomplete forms are rejected. Ship the sample overnight (UPS Next Day Air, USPS Priority Mail Express or FedEx Priority Overnight) on the same day you take it, Monday to Wednesday only. Or bring it to the lab in Lansing; call first to book a drop-off time. Bacteria samples are not accepted on Fridays.
- Drop-off hours
- Monday to Thursday, 8am to 4:30pm; Friday, 8am to 3pm (by appointment only; no bacteria samples on Fridays)
- Time limit
- The sample must reach the lab within 24 hours of when you take it, so ship it the same day.
- By mail
- Yes, samples can be mailed.
- Results in
- Up to 10 business days after the lab gets the sample, plus mailing time.
- How you get results
- Results are mailed, and emailed if you give an email address. A copy also goes to your county health department, which can help explain them.
- Good to know
- The lab does not explain results. Call your county health department for help with what they mean.
- Address
- 3350 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Lansing, MI 48906
Microbiology scheduling (special bacteria tests): 517-335-9814
Brighton Analytical, LLC
No prices published. Call for the current fees.
- Good to know
- A state-certified drinking water lab in Livingston County. Call for prices and bottles.
- Address
- 2105 Pless Drive, Brighton, MI 48116
Water Tech
No prices published. Call for the current fees.
- Good to know
- A state-certified lab in Howell that takes drinking water and well samples from homeowners. Call for prices and bottles.
- Address
- 718 S. Michigan Ave., Howell, MI 48843
Oakland County Health Division, Environmental Health Services (Health Division Laboratory)
For: Takes samples from wells outside Oakland County at a higher price
| Bacteriological (coliform)coliform bacteria and E. coliPrice for a well outside Oakland County. If coliform is found, the lab also tests for E. coli. | $20 |
| Partial chemicalnitrate, nitrite, chloride, fluoride and sulfatePrice for a well outside Oakland County. | $18 |
- Who takes the sample
- You take the sample
- Getting a bottle
- Buy bottles, forms and instructions at a Health Division office in Pontiac or Southfield, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.
- North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Building 34E, Pontiac
- South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Rd., Southfield
- Returning the sample
- Bring the filled bottle and form back to the Health Division. Call Environmental Health Services before you go to check which days and times the lab takes well water samples.
- Good to know
- Oakland County's lab, about 35 miles from Brighton. You must pick up bottles at its office in Pontiac or Southfield and bring the sample back there.
- Address
- 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI 48341
Health Division main line: 248-858-1280 · South Oakland Health Center: 248-424-7000
Free and lower-cost testing
PFAS testing through the MDHHS Environmental and Health Hotline
Who qualifies: Homes in an area under state investigation for PFAS
Call the hotline to find out if your home is in a PFAS investigation area. If it is, the state may test your water for free.
Program pageFree well water test kits (State of Michigan, 2023)
Who qualifies: Michigan residents with a private well
Free test kits for coliform bacteria, nitrate, nitrite, metals and other common contaminants. The $5 million fund ran out within a week of opening in September 2023.
Program pageWhat the health department recommends
Every year: coliform bacteria, nitrate and nitrite. Every 3 to 5 years: arsenic, lead and copper. Also test for bacteria if the water's taste, look or smell changes, it turns cloudy after rain or the well top floods, someone in the home becomes pregnant, a baby or young child lives there, a septic system or barnyard is within 50 feet of the well, family members have unexplained flu-like symptoms, or the water system was serviced or changed.
This is the county or state health agency's own advice, not ours.
Rules that apply
- In Michigan, a well must be tested when it is put in or repaired. Most new wells must show no bacteria, nitrate of 10 parts per million or less, and arsenic of 10 parts per billion or less. Your well permit lists the exact tests.
- The property owner is responsible for collecting the samples for a new well. A contractor or home builder may collect them for you.
To take a bacteria sample, get bottles from a certified lab. Take the sample just before you bring it in, and keep it cold on the way.
Well testing in Livingston County: quick answers
How much does well water testing cost in Livingston County?
Michigan EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory (state lab) charges $23 for "Total coliform and E. coli". Prices are from the provider's own fee list, checked Oct 13, 2026.
Who tests well water in Livingston County?
Livingston County does not run its own well water testing. Residents can use Michigan EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory (state lab), Brighton Analytical, LLC, Water Tech, Oakland County Health Division, Environmental Health Services (Health Division Laboratory).
How do I get a sample bottle in Livingston County?
Call the lab to order a test kit. You can have it shipped to your home, or pick it up at the lab in Lansing at a time you book. Allow about a week for the order, plus shipping. Use only the lab's bottles.
How quickly does the sample need to reach the lab?
The sample must reach the lab within 24 hours of when you take it, so ship it the same day.
Checked Oct 13, 2026 against the provider's own pages. Fees and hours change, so call before you take a sample. Something wrong? corrections@wellwatertestfinder.com
Sources (17)
- milivcounty.gov/environmental-health/wells/water-quality/
- milivcounty.gov/environmental-health/wells/bacteria-testing/
- michigan.gov/egle/about/organization/remediation-and-redevelopment/laboratory/certifications
- michigan.gov/egle/-/media/Project/Websites/egle/Documents/Programs/RRD/Lab/Microbiological-Laboratory-Certifications.pdf
- watertech-inc.com
- watertechlab.com/
- cdn.oaklandcountymi.gov/oakland-sitefinity-prod/docs/default-source/health/public-health-services/environmental-health/26-1087-mmh-eh-fee-schedule.pdf?sfvrsn=82b46d86_1
- oakgov.com/community/health/public-health-services/environmental-health/well-and-water-services
- michigan.gov/egle/about/organization/Remediation-and-Redevelopment/laboratory/drinking-water
- michigan.gov/egle/-/media/Project/Websites/egle/Documents/Programs/RRD/Lab/Water-Testing-Fee-Schedule.pdf
- michigan.gov/egle/-/media/Project/Websites/egle/Documents/Forms/RRD/Laboratory/EQP2301-Testing-Fee-Schedule.pdf
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- michigan.gov/egle/faqs/drinking-water/testing
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- michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/mi-environment/2023/10/16/free-water-tests-sell-out-quickly
- michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/mi-environment/2024/03/21/michigan-program-encourages-private-well-owners-to-prioritize-water-quality-testing