Drinking Water: Interpretation and Recommendations

UGA Extension contacts:
Richard Hitchcock and Uttam Saha

An estimated 1.7 million people in Georgia rely on 640,000 private wells for their drinking water supply. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division enforces EPA’s drinking water quality standards for human consumption in public water supplies according to the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. However, private wells are not regulated. Consequently, private well water users are responsible for ensuring the quality and safety of their water supplies for domestic, livestock, and irrigation use.

This online tool provides interpretations and recommendations for drinking water quality. The user enters the test results from a water testing laboratory, then interpretation of data is automatically given. This tool also provides recommendations to the user when necessary.

The tool can be found at http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/water/recommendations/

Created by Uttam Saha, Rick Hitchcock, and Leticia Sonon
Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories

An estimated 1.7 million people in Georgia rely on 640,000 private wells for their drinking water supply. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division enforces EPA’s drinking water quality standards for human consumption in public water supplies according to the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. However, private wells are not regulated. Consequently, private well water users are responsible for ensuring the quality and safety of their water supplies for domestic, livestock, and irrigation use.

The Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories has created an online tool that allows well owners to receive instant interpretations and recommendations for drinking water quality based on the results received from a water testing laboratory. The user enters the test results into the online form, and the interpretation of data is given upon submission. This tool also provides recommendations to the user when necessary.

Access the online tool.

Published by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. For more information or guidance, contact your local Extension office.

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (working cooperatively with Fort Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the counties of Georgia) offers its educational programs, assistance, and materials to all people without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status, and is an Equal Opportunity Institution.

Our Experts

Richard Hitchcock

IT Manager

Uttam Saha

Program Coordinator

Status and Revision History

Published on March 3, 2025

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