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Well water

Drinking water from a private well on the property, not a public utility. Requires periodic testing for bacteria and minerals. The pump is the owner's to maintain and replace.

Property condition · Updated September 2026

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Where this comes up: under contract

This word belongs to the under contract part of a sale. Here is what that part holds, in order.

  1. Go under contractSign the purchase agreement · Confirm earnest money is deposited
  2. Buyer's inspectionCoordinate access for the inspector · Give the inspector clear access
  3. Title workOpen title with your closing team · Review the title commitment
  4. Settle repairsDecide what you'll fix and what you'll credit · Collect contractor quotes

Your Room keeps this list for your own sale, with your dates on it.

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Part 1 of 4

Why a seller cares

A private well means the buyer, and often their lender, will want a water test and a look at the pump. A clean test and a service record settle the question; a failed test becomes a treatment system on your side.

Part 2 of 4

A simple example

Your home is on a well. The buyer's lender asks for a bacteria and nitrate test, and the buyer's inspector checks the pump's flow rate.

Well water: a simple example
What the test findsWhat tends to follow
Clean water, good flowNothing; the report goes in the file
Coliform bacteriaA shock chlorination and a retest, a few hundred dollars
High nitrates or a weak pumpA treatment system or a pump, and a negotiation

Well water is tested, not assumed. The test is where it becomes a cost or a non-issue.

Part 3 of 4

What people get wrong

That the water tasting fine means it will pass. Bacteria and nitrates have no taste, which is why lenders ask for the lab.

Part 4 of 4 · where to read next

Where it appears in the sale

What happens after you accept an offerUnder contract · the stretch of the sale this word belongs to

What a definition is, and what it isn't

Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.

Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish

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In your Room, this word explains itself where it appears.

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