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To test drinking water for PFAS, have a qualified laboratory analyze a sample; a mail-in kit is a way to collect and ship water, not an instant home test. If you use public water, first ask your utility for its PFAS results and what they cover. For a private well or an independent tap test, contact your state laboratory certification program or health or environmental agency for current lab recommendations, then follow the chosen lab’s collection instructions.
How do I test my water for PFAS?
- Identify your water source. Find out whether your home is served by a public water system or a private well. The next step differs: utilities may already have test results, while private-well owners generally need to arrange testing themselves.
- Check existing results or find a qualified lab. Public-water customers can request results from their utility. For a private well or an independent tap sample, contact your state laboratory certification program or state health or environmental agency for a current list of qualified laboratories. EPA recommends contacting the state program about certified PFAS laboratories or other state testing recommendations. EPA’s laboratory methods guidance explains this route.
- Ask what the lab will measure and how. Confirm that the lab is qualified for PFAS analysis in drinking water, ask which method and version it uses, request the list of PFAS in its panel and ask for its reporting limits. Also ask about cost, turnaround time, collection materials, shipping, holding time and whether chain-of-custody steps are required.
- Collect and send the sample as instructed. Use the lab’s supplied container and follow its specific handling and shipping directions. Do not substitute a household bottle or assume a public-system sampling protocol is appropriate for a homeowner test.
- Review the report and ask about next steps. Check the analytes, concentrations, units and reporting limits. If the result or its meaning is unclear, ask the laboratory or state agency to explain it; for an elevated result, seek advice from your state or local health or environmental agency.
Can I test my tap water for PFAS at home?
You can collect a sample at home, including with a mail-in kit, but the PFAS analysis is laboratory work. EPA Methods 533 and 537.1 use laboratory techniques, including liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. A consumer kit should therefore be understood as a collection-and-shipping option unless its provider clearly explains the laboratory analysis behind the result; it is not equivalent to an instant strip test merely because it is sold for home use. See EPA’s descriptions of PFAS drinking-water laboratory methods and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s March 2026 guide.
Where can I find a lab to test my well water?
Start with your state laboratory certification program or health or environmental agency. Ask for laboratories currently certified or otherwise recommended for PFAS analysis in drinking water, and confirm directly with the lab that its qualification applies to the test you need. State programs and available labs can differ, so a national list or a kit advertisement is not a substitute for checking current local guidance.
Private wells are not regulated under federal drinking-water standards in the same way as public water systems. EPA advises private-well owners to consult local and state authorities; see its PFAS guidance for private wells. The agency’s laboratory methods page also directs homeowners to state certification programs for testing recommendations.
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- TESTS FOR: 18 PFAS compounds including PFOS (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid), PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid), Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, Perfluoroheptanoic acid, Perfluorononanoic acid, Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, Perfluoroundecanoic acid, Perfluorododecanoic acid, Perfluorodecanoic acid, Perfluorohexanoic acid, NEtFOSAA, NMeFOSAA, Perfluorotetradecanoic acid, Perfluorotridecanoic acid, GenX, 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid, 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonic acid, and 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid
- EPA METHOD: 537.1 detects analytes to concentrations below 2 parts per trillion (PPT)
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What should a PFAS drinking-water test include?
Method and lab qualification
Ask whether the lab uses EPA Method 533, Method 537.1, or both, and request the exact method version and any modifications. EPA describes Method 533 as isotope-dilution anion-exchange solid-phase extraction with LC-MS/MS, and Method 537.1 as solid-phase extraction with LC-MS/MS. Both were validated for finished drinking water; EPA says they can also be effective for ambient groundwater that may be used as drinking water. That does not establish that the methods apply unchanged to unrelated sample types. State certification and method applicability should be confirmed for your purpose, especially because regulatory monitoring by public systems has specific requirements. See EPA’s sampling guidance and PFAS rule implementation information.
Analyte panel and reporting limits
EPA says Methods 533 and 537.1 together can measure 29 unique PFAS in drinking water. Method 533 complements Method 537.1 and can test for 11 additional PFAS. These figures describe the combined coverage of the methods, not a guarantee that every lab’s panel includes every analyte, or that the broad PFAS family has been fully measured. Compare the lab’s named analytes and reporting limits rather than relying on a label such as “PFAS test.” EPA’s comparison of PFAS analytical methods details their coverage.
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Result format and purpose
Ask the lab for a report that identifies each analyte and its concentration, along with units and reporting limits. Those details matter when comparing results from different labs or comparing a result with a health or regulatory benchmark. A household screening test is not the same thing as compliance monitoring conducted by a public water system; the lab should explain whether its method and reporting limits suit your goal. EPA notes that other methods may be suitable for some non-compliance purposes, but alternative methods are not necessarily evaluated by EPA or approved for regulatory monitoring.
What if I use public water?
Ask your water utility whether it has PFAS results and request information about sampling locations, analytes and dates. A system’s reported result may not establish the concentration at your individual tap: the utility can explain which locations were sampled and how well those data represent your service area. EPA recommends that customers ask their local utility about testing and available information in its risk-reduction guidance.
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If you want an independent sample from your tap, use a qualified lab and ask whether the sampling and analysis are appropriate for that purpose. A homeowner’s sample does not replace a public system’s regulatory monitoring.
How should I interpret the result?
Read the report for the specific compounds tested, the concentration reported for each, the units and the lab’s reporting limits. A result below a reporting limit does not mean every PFAS is absent; it means the lab did not report that analyte above the stated limit under that test. Results from different panels or methods may not be directly comparable. If you need help interpreting a result or deciding what to do, contact the lab or state or local health or environmental agency.
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Should I install a filter after testing?
Treatment is a separate decision from testing. If you consider a filter, look for a specific PFAS-reduction certification under NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58, and verify the model in the certifier’s directory. EPA cautions that current filter certifications do not yet indicate reduction to the levels in the current EPA drinking-water standard. Certification is not a guarantee of a particular result for your water; installation, maintenance and timely replacement also matter. EPA’s home-filter guidance discusses these limits.
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