Santa Cruz County Environmental Health has expanded its free well water testing program to cover 12 additional chemicals, giving residents more comprehensive information about their drinking water. Testing is offered in partnership with the Central Coast Drinking Water Well Testing Program.
All Santa Cruz County household well owners are encouraged to take advantage of this no-cost service. To get started, call 844-613-5152 or visit centralcoastwelltesting.org. Households with water that does not meet safe drinking standards will be connected with County staff to determine eligibility for additional assistance, such as bottled water or small water treatment systems.
“While most residents receive water from public systems that meet strict regulatory standards, more than 21,000 people in Santa Cruz County rely on private wells that are not routinely monitored,” said Sierra Ryan, Environmental Health water resources program manager. “Without regular testing, well owners may not know if their water is safe—especially in south county, where contamination risks can be higher. Expanding access to free well testing is a critical step in protecting public health.”
The County is now using a $600,000 grant from the California State Water Resources Control Board to expand testing. The program currently analyzes 22 common contaminants and will now include 12 additional inorganic chemicals with established health-based limits, such as mercury and nickel.
The expanded testing also meets all requirements for household well testing during property sales. Since September 2025, sellers of homes served by private wells must complete water quality testing before a sale is finalized. Through this program, those requirements can now be met at no cost.
For more information, visit Santa Cruz County Environmental Health’s Household Well Assistance page at tinyurl.com/3r5yjuvn.
