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Private Well Water Test Report Reviewer for Homeowners: Lab Results vs Reference Limits, Bacteria and Nitrate Priorities, Infant and Pregnancy Flags, Treatment Options, and a Retest Schedule
Read a private well water lab report the way a county environmental health specialist would: line up each result against the reference limit printed on the report, sort what needs action now from what is cosmetic, flag concerns for infants and pregnancy, list treatment options to discuss with a certified installer, and set a retest calendar.
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Prompt
Act as a county environmental health specialist who reviews private well water test reports with homeowners, explains results in plain language, and points them to the right next step without overselling treatment. Inputs: - Lab report as pasted: each analyte, result, units, method, and the reference limit or standard the lab prints next to it: [LabReport] - Well details: type (drilled, dug, driven), depth, age, casing condition, and distance to septic, livestock, or fields if known: [WellInfo] - Household notes: infants, pregnancy, older adults, immune concerns, and any symptoms or taste and smell complaints: [HouseholdNotes] - Treatment already installed (softener, sediment filter, UV, reverse osmosis) and its last service date: [TreatmentInPlace] - Your state or county program if known: [LocalProgram] - Output format: [Format] Generate: 1. A results table from LabReport: analyte, result, units, the lab's reference limit, and status (above, near, below), using only the lab's printed limits. 2. A priority order: act now (any bacteria or E. coli present, nitrate or nitrite above the limit, arsenic or lead above the limit), plan to fix (health related but lower), and cosmetic (iron, manganese at aesthetic levels, hardness, odor). 3. Household flags from HouseholdNotes, such as nitrate and infant formula, and what to use for drinking and formula until resolved. 4. Likely sources to check from WellInfo (septic distance, surface water entry, casing or cap damage, natural geology) stated as possibilities. 5. Treatment options to discuss with a certified installer per problem, noting what each does not remove, and checking TreatmentInPlace for service gaps. 6. A retest schedule: after any shock chlorination, after installing treatment, and routine yearly bacteria and nitrate tests. 7. Questions to ask LocalProgram or the lab. Constraints: - Use only results and limits from LabReport; if a limit is missing, say so and point to LocalProgram. - Do not diagnose illness; send health questions to a doctor. - No brand names for treatment. No em dashes.
Instructions
Replace every [bracket] with your details before running. Works on ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Generated Output
This image was generated using the prompt above.
Examples
Example Input
LabReport (state certified lab, sample date 10/02/2026, kitchen tap, untreated line): - Total coliform: PRESENT (reference: absent) - E. coli: ABSENT (reference: absent) - Nitrate as N: 8.9 mg/L (reference limit 10 mg/L) - Nitrite as N: <0.05 mg/L (reference limit 1 mg/L) - Arsenic: 0.004 mg/L (reference limit 0.010 mg/L) - Iron: 0.82 mg/L (aesthetic guideline 0.3 mg/L) - Manganese: 0.09 mg/L (aesthetic guideline 0.05 mg/L) - Hardness: 240 mg/L as CaCO3 (no limit printed) - pH: 6.6 (aesthetic range 6.5 to 8.5) WellInfo: drilled well, 85 ft deep, built 1978, cap is an older loose fitting cap, septic field about 60 ft uphill, neighbor's corn field across the road HouseholdNotes: baby due in February; current family uses well water for drinking; orange stains in the tub TreatmentInPlace: water softener, last serviced 2023; no disinfection LocalProgram: county health department private well program Format: table, priorities, household, sources, treatment, retest, questions
Example Output
RESULTS (using the lab's printed limits) | Analyte | Result | Lab limit | Status | | Total coliform | Present | Absent | ABOVE | | E. coli | Absent | Absent | OK | | Nitrate as N | 8.9 mg/L | 10 mg/L | NEAR (89% of limit) | | Nitrite as N | <0.05 mg/L | 1 mg/L | Below | | Arsenic | 0.004 mg/L | 0.010 mg/L | Below | | Iron | 0.82 mg/L | 0.3 mg/L aesthetic | Above (cosmetic) | | Manganese | 0.09 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L aesthetic | Above (cosmetic, see note) | | Hardness | 240 mg/L | none printed | Hard water | | pH | 6.6 | 6.5 to 8.5 | Low end of range | PRIORITIES Act now 1. Total coliform present. E. coli was absent, but coliform means something can get into the well. Use bottled water or boil water for drinking until a retest is clean, and ask the county about shock chlorination. Plan to fix 2. Nitrate 8.9 mg/L, close to the 10 mg/L limit. With a baby due in February, this matters before the birth. 3. Manganese above the aesthetic guideline. Ask the county whether your state also has a health based level for manganese and how 0.09 compares. Cosmetic 4. Iron 0.82 mg/L (orange tub stains), hardness 240 mg/L, pH 6.6. HOUSEHOLD FLAGS - Pregnancy and newborn: do not use this water to mix infant formula unless nitrate tests well below the limit on a retest. Ask your doctor about drinking water during pregnancy. - Until the coliform retest is clean, everyone drinks bottled or boiled water. Note: boiling does not remove nitrate and concentrates it. POSSIBLE SOURCES TO CHECK - Loose older well cap: insects and surface water can enter. Common coliform cause. - Septic field about 60 ft uphill: check your state's required setback, and ask the county to look at septic function. - Corn field across the road: a possible nitrate source, along with the septic field. - Iron and manganese: often natural in the local geology. TREATMENT TO DISCUSS WITH A CERTIFIED INSTALLER - Coliform: replace the cap with a sanitary well cap, shock chlorinate, retest. If it returns, consider UV disinfection with a sediment prefilter. UV does not remove nitrate, iron, or hardness. - Nitrate: point of use reverse osmosis at the kitchen tap for drinking and formula. A standard softener does not reliably remove nitrate. - Iron and manganese: an iron filter or adjusted softener settings; ask what iron level the softener can handle. - Softener last serviced 2023: schedule service. RETEST SCHEDULE - 7 to 14 days after shock chlorination: total coliform and E. coli - After any new treatment: test the treated tap for the target contaminant - Before February: nitrate on the drinking tap - Every year: bacteria and nitrate; every few years: arsenic and the full panel QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNTY OR LAB 1. Do you offer a shock chlorination guide or a free retest? 2. Is there a health based level for manganese in our state? 3. What septic setback applies to an 85 ft drilled well? 4. Are other wells near the corn field showing high nitrate?