Groundwater in Benton County contains manganese, iron, nitrate, uranium, and PFHXS. Several of these contaminants exceed EPA health standards, making them a real concern for well owners in this area.
These contaminants come from two sources. Iron and manganese occur naturally in the rock beneath the county and dissolve into groundwater as it moves through. Nitrate, uranium, and PFHXS enter from the surface through soil--nitrate from fertilizers and septic systems, uranium from natural deposits in rock, and PFHXS from industrial and consumer products that break down and seep down into water supplies.
Groundwater in this county is hard, driven by elevated calcium and magnesium from the rock layers below. The rock in Benton County also releases iron at high levels into water as it flows through underground. These mineral characteristics show up across many wells throughout the county.
Wells in Benton County have been found to exceed EPA health standards for iron, manganese, nitrate, uranium, and a chemical called PFHXS. Uranium and nitrate can damage your kidneys and affect how your body processes nitrogen. Manganese can harm your nervous system, especially in children. Iron and PFHXS also pose health concerns at elevated levels. These are serious issues that deserve your attention.
Hard water in county wells can leave stains on fixtures, dishes, and laundry. Scale builds up inside pipes and water heaters, shortening the life of appliances like dishwashers and hot water tanks. You may notice a metallic taste or cloudiness in your water from the high iron levels. These problems affect your home's systems and your daily life.
We recommend a comprehensive water test to find out exactly what is in your well, since every well is different and yours could have higher or lower levels than the county average. Testing is the only way to know what needs treatment. A full panel costs between two hundred and four hundred dollars. Iron removal systems and uranium or nitrate filters are treatment options worth discussing with a water professional.
Not sure if your well is affected? Get certified results in 5–7 days.
Test Your Well Water with Tap Score →| Contaminant | Samples ⓘ | % Above MCL ⓘ | Distribution ⓘ | Confidence ⓘ | Risk ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 6 | 67% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 9 | 67% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| Manganese | 30 | 57% | Moderate | High | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 9 | 44% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| Iron | 134 | 31% | High | High | |
| Nitrate | 125 | 10% | High | Moderate | |
| Arsenic | 94 | 2% | Moderate | Low | |
| Uranium | 79 | 1% | Moderate | Low | |
| Lead | 94 | 1% | Moderate | Low | |
| Chloride | 148 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Fluoride | 118 | 0% | High | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 6 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Nitrite | 105 | 0% | High | Low | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 7 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Sulfate | 128 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Sodium | 123 | — | High | Low | |
| pH | 18 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 6 | — | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Hardness | 9 | — | Low | Low ⓘ |
MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level (EPA limit for public water; used as benchmark for private wells). Distribution shows % of sampled wells in each concentration band. Methodology.
* Microbial contaminants (E. coli, coliform) reflect only samples from the last 10 years.
Data shows potential risk — a certified test confirms whether your water is affected.
Order a Tap Score Test →Population-level CDC data. Not individual risk prediction.
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