PFAS in well water is a growing concern for Florida buyers, and nobody is required to test for it if the home you’re buying gets its water from a private well. These “forever chemicals” are now regulated in public drinking water systems nationwide, so public utilities have to test and treat for them. Private wells do not. That gap has become a bigger story in our part of Florida over the last few months, and it is one more reason a water quality lab test belongs on the closing checklist for any home with a well.
PFAS in Well Water: Why the EPA Started Regulating It
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of manufactured chemicals used for decades in things like nonstick cookware, firefighting foam, water-resistant fabrics, and some industrial processes. They are called “forever chemicals” because they break down extremely slowly in the environment and in the human body. Research has linked long-term PFAS exposure to a range of health concerns, which is why the EPA finalized the first-ever national Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS in April 2024, setting enforceable limits of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, two of the most common PFAS compounds, along with limits for several others.
That regulation applies to community water systems and non-transient non-community systems, the utilities that supply most cities and towns. It does not apply to private wells. The EPA is explicit about this: well water is not covered by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and a private well is only tested if the owner arranges and pays for it. In practical terms, that means two houses on the same street can have very different water safety pictures if one is on the utility grid and the other pulls from a well.
It’s worth being clear about what the research does and doesn’t show. Studies on PFAS exposure are still developing, and results vary by compound, concentration, and duration of exposure, which is exactly why the EPA moved to set enforceable numeric limits rather than leave it as a general concern. The point for a homeowner isn’t to assume the worst, it’s that a lab test replaces uncertainty with an actual number you can compare against a known standard.
What’s Turning Up Locally
This isn’t a hypothetical concern for our area. University of Florida researchers sampling surface water across Sarasota County found PFAS compounds in roughly 70% of samples, with the highest concentrations detected around North Port. Suncoast Waterkeeper, a regional nonprofit, has been running a “Forever Free” PFAS testing program offering free sampling kits to residents of Manatee and Sarasota counties, and has already identified several PFAS compounds, including PFOA and PFOS, among the samples processed so far. Further north, elevated PFAS levels have also been found in a cluster of private wells near Tallahassee, prompting county and state officials to expand monitoring in that area.
The detail that matters most for well owners: Suncoast Waterkeeper’s free program currently excludes private well systems. Free testing is going to residents on municipal or community water. If your water comes from a well, that free option isn’t on the table right now, and the responsibility for testing falls entirely on the homeowner.
Why This Matters at the Closing Table, Not Just After Move-In
A real estate transaction is the one point where a buyer has real leverage to find out what they’re inheriting before it becomes their problem. Standard home inspections cover the well equipment, pressure, and flow, but a general inspection is not a substitute for a laboratory water quality analysis. PFAS, along with bacteria, nitrates, and other contaminants, can only be identified through certified lab testing of a water sample, not through a visual inspection of the pump and pressure tank.
For a buyer, that distinction matters because remediation options exist and can be planned for before closing, whereas discovering a contamination issue after you’ve moved in turns it into an unplanned, on-your-own project. For a seller working with a real estate agent, disclosing a clean water test can also remove a point of hesitation for a nervous buyer.
If a Test Comes Back Positive
Finding a contaminant on a lab report is not the same as having an unlivable house. Depending on what’s detected and at what concentration, options range from point-of-use filtration at the kitchen tap to whole-house treatment systems such as reverse osmosis, activated carbon, or ion exchange, each suited to different contaminants and budgets. The lab report itself typically tells you which compounds exceed a health-based threshold, which gives you and, if you’re buying, your realtor and closing attorney, something concrete to negotiate around rather than a vague worry. That’s a very different position than finding out after closing that the water needs attention.
Storm Season Adds Another Layer
The University of Florida’s IFAS Extension has also been running a free webinar series this year specifically focused on protecting well water and septic systems through hurricane season. Flooding can push contaminants, including bacteria and, in some cases, PFAS-laden runoff, into shallow wells, and storm damage to wellheads or septic drain fields is a common cause of water quality problems that show up weeks after a storm has passed. If you already own a home with a well, testing before hurricane season and again afterward is a reasonable habit, not just a one-time, at-purchase step.
What a Water Quality Lab Test Actually Checks
A proper water quality lab test goes well beyond a PFAS panel. Depending on the scope, testing can screen for coliform bacteria and E. coli, nitrates and nitrites (common near septic systems and agricultural land), lead and other heavy metals, hardness and mineral content, and PFAS compounds where that’s a relevant concern for the area. The sample goes to a certified lab, and results typically come back with clear pass/fail thresholds tied to EPA and Florida Department of Health standards, so a buyer or homeowner isn’t left guessing what a number means.
Our Recommendation on PFAS in Well Water
PFAS in well water is worth testing for whether you’re buying or already own the home. If you’re under contract on a Florida home with a private well, or you already own one and haven’t tested recently, get a water sample to a certified lab before you’re relying on that water daily. This is especially true in Manatee, Sarasota, and surrounding counties, given what’s already been found in regional testing. If you’re on a municipal water system, PFAS is regulated at the utility level, but a lab test can still be worthwhile if you’re concerned about older plumbing, lead service lines, or general water quality.
For buyers, the practical move is to build water testing into the same window as the rest of the inspection process, alongside the general home inspection and, where applicable, a septic tank inspection if the property isn’t on municipal sewer. A well and a septic system are usually installed together on the same lot, and problems with one often affect how the other performs, so it makes sense to have both looked at as part of the same due-diligence period rather than treating them as separate errands. For homeowners who already closed on a home with a well, there’s no reason to wait for a real estate transaction to be the trigger; testing on a regular schedule, and again after any major storm, is simply good maintenance.
Alex Home Inspection Services LLC provides full home inspections, 4-point insurance inspections, wind mitigation inspections, sewer and drain camera scoping, water quality lab testing, and septic tank inspections, with reports delivered within 24 hours. Florida license #HI-15079. Call (508) 246-3465 or schedule online.