UGA Extension Office

Soil and Water Testing

Soil Testing


Soils tests provide information on the soil’s actual nutrient status. Test results are used to determine the amount and kind of nutrients that should be added for the best growth of lawn, garden, and other types of plants. Here's a How to Publication from UGA


Water Testing


In 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report on test results of private well water from 30 of the nation’s 62 principal aquifers across the United States. Important findings were:

  • one of every five private wells contained one or more contaminants at concentrations exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) human health benchmarks
  • approximately half of all wells had at least one problem
  • a third of all wells had microbial contamination

Government agencies do not monitor or regulate water quality in private wells, and water testing is not required by any federal or state regulation. If you are one of the 1.7 million Georgians with a private well, you are responsible for the quality and safety of your well water. But where do you begin. Check out our UGA Publication Testing for Water Quality.