If you rely on a well, spring, or cistern for your drinking water, you are responsible for ensuring that it is safe for your family. Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) offers affordable water testing clinics across the state through the Virginia Household Water Quality Program (VAHWQP). This year, VCE-Augusta is again offering the VCE Well Water Testing Clinic for residents relying on a private water supply for their household water.
The cost for each kit is $70/sample kit (a limited number of subsidized kits may be available). Since analysis is done at our cost-recovery lab, each kit costs $70—compared to more than $300 at a private lab. If one would like to take multiple samples (such as a pre- and post- treatment sample), then two kits would be needed.
Each kit provides testing for 28 chemical and bacteriological constituents, including Coliform bacteria, E. coli, lead, copper, arsenic, hardness, pH, nitrate, sulfate, fluoride, and more.
How The Clinic Works
- Participants in the clinic will need to register and pay online for each kit at this link: https://tinyurl.com/VAHWQP-AU. Participants will need to pre-register for the clinic by purchasing their kit(s) by Monday, February 23, 2026 at 5 pm as space is limited.
- Participants will then need to pick up their kit(s) at the Augusta Extension Office during normal business hours between 8 am to 5 pm between February 17-20, or February 23-24, or lastly, on February 24 at the Augusta Government Center – Smith West Meeting Room between 5 pm and 6 pm.
- Participants then will collect their sample the morning of February 25 following the procedures lined out in this video: Watch a video on how to collect your sample on YouTube. The instructions can also be found here: Read instructions on how to collect your sample online.
- Drop off your sample between 7:30 and 9 am on Wednesday, February 25 at the Augusta County Extension Office parking lot.
Samples will be tested at the Virginia Tech Water Quality lab and results will be available in approximately 5 weeks. All results will be individually emailed and are kept confidential.
Important Information
- Pick-Up Your Testing Kit:
- February 17 - 20, Augusta Extension Office, 8 am to 5 pm
- February 23 - 24, Augusta Extension Office, 8 am to 5 pm
- February 24, Augusta Government Center Smith West conference room, 5 pm to 6 pm.
- Sample Your Water and Drop-Off the Sample:
- February 25, Augusta Extension Office, 7:30 am to 9 am
Register now online: https://tinyurl.com/VAHWQP-AU
Don’t live in Augusta County?
See the current list of municipalities participating in Well Water Testing Clinics.
Have questions about collecting your sample?
Do you have questions about your results?
Contact John Benner at benner89@vt.edu or by calling (540) 245-5750.
