The EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory offers services for the analysis of drinking water quality. These services include all physical, chemical, and microbiological testing procedures currently used for this purpose by state and local water supply programs.
For additional information, contact the EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory at 517-335-8184.
The EGLE drinking water laboratory is increasing the fees for drinking water testing for the first time since 2007.
Most of EGLE's laboratory testing fees are increasing except any testing that may have been recently developed or updated.
Our drinking water testing fees will be increasing on October 1, 2026.
We are increasing our laboratory testing fees due to the rising costs of laboratory operations, including laboratory staff, advancements in laboratory equipment and maintenance, chemical reagents and other testing supplies, and sample and hazardous waste disposal costs.
Our drinking water laboratory testing fees have not increased since 2007.
Our laboratory testing fees directly support the laboratory's operations based on a fee-for-service model.
The laboratory does not receive any general funding through the State of Michigan's budgeting process.
We will be evaluating our laboratory testing fees annually and adjusting them only if necessary to maintain and support laboratory operations and continue providing these critical services the State of Michigan, public water supplies, businesses, and residents rely on.
Not at this time.
We do not currently offer free or reduced cost drinking water testing except through specifically funding programs, budgeted or enacted by legislation.
We proactively look at fiscally and environmentally responsible ways of reducing costs to minimize the impact testing fees have on Michigan's residents, businesses, and regulated communities.
One way it does this is by reviewing its testing procedures where allowable to:
These all reduce the impact on Michigan's environment while helping protect public health.
There are many different reasons to get your drinking water tested at a laboratory, especially if you get your drinking water from a private residential well.
People may want to get their drinking water tested when:
You should contact your local health department for a recommendation of what to have your water tested for. Recommendations may differ based on water conditions in your area, household makeup, and your own water quality concerns. Visit MALPH.org to find your local health department.
Standard water quality concerns for private wells include coliforms, nitrites, some metals (like arsenic and lead), and any other additional parameters recommended by your Local Health Department, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), or EGLE's drinking water program.
Still not sure what to test for? Find your concern (taste, smell, odor, color, etc.) using our Common Drinking Water Quality Concerns page to find which test(s) may be recommended based on what you're concerned about.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) recommends that, at a minimum, all private wells should be tested for coliform bacteria and nitrate/nitrite.
The EGLE drinking water laboratory offers many tests, including microbiology, inorganics, organics, and metals. Review our Request for Water Analysis Form to learn what we test for, and use our Testing Fee Schedule to check which items are included under specific bundles.
You will receive a drinking water testing invoice when your testing is complete.
You may mail your payment to the address on the invoice, or pay online securely by credit card or E-Check.
Your invoice number is required for online payment.
The lab does not accept pre-payment including checks or money orders. Do not include payment information with your drinking water sample submission.
517-335-8184
Call the lab's customer service line to order drinking water test kits (including bottles for sampling).
You may have your order shipped to you, or you may pick up your order at the laboratory by scheduling a pickup appointment when you place your order.
Please allow 3-5 business days to process your order and additional time for shipping.
You should only order enough sample containers for samples you will be collecting and submitting to the EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory within 30 days of ordering.
The laboratory carries a limited supply of sample containers at any given time and processes several orders a day.
A separate form is required for each sample collection point, collection address, or different collection date and time.
If you are submitting multiple samples indicate a unique identifier on the sample bottle label so the laboratory is able to match the Request for Water Analysis form with the corresponding sample bottle (i.e. well number, address, sampling point, etc.).
On the Request for Water Analysis Form, select test code B. This test analyzes drinking water for Total Coliforms and E. coli.
No.
You must use a sample container specifically required for the testing that will be done on your water sample.
The laboratory’s sample containers have been quality control checked for specific analyses to ensure they meet test method requirements and are free of contaminants. A list of required bottles or units, along with test codes, can be found on EGLE's Drinking Water Laboratory Testing Fee Schedule.
Learn more about the Drinking Water Laboratory or contact the laboratory at 517-335-8184 with additional questions about required bottles and test codes.
No.
If your sample was collected in an EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory provided sample container, it must be returned to the EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory for testing.
Laboratories will generally only test samples that were collected in their sample containers as part of their Quality Management Program, good laboratory practices, or as a requirement of certification and accreditation.
Instructions for collecting your water sample are included with your sample bottle on the back of the Request for Water Analysis form.
Follow the instructions carefully when collecting your water sample. Different bottles have different collection requirements based on testing methods and any preservatives that may be included in your bottle or kit.
Samples that aren’t collected correctly and don’t meet testing requirements when received at the laboratory will not be accepted for testing, because test results may not be accurate.
For additional questions contact the EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory at 517-335-8184.
It depends.
Some tests require thermal preservation upon sample collection, and your water sample may need to be refrigerated.
If you received ice packs with your sample bottle, freeze them for 24 hours and use them when you return the sample to the EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory.
Refrigerate your sample for 8 hours when possible if you will not be able to return it to the laboratory within 24 hours of collection.
Do not freeze the sample. Samples received frozen will not be accepted for testing.
You may ship your water samples UPS Next Day Air, USPS Priority Mail Express, or FedEx Priority Overnight to the EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory Monday through Thursday to be received by Friday, or you may bring your samples to the laboratory by calling 517-335-8184 to schedule a sample drop off appointment Monday through Friday 8:00AM to 4:30PM (some exclusions apply).
A government issued picture ID is required at the laboratory facility’s entrance gate. You must include a completed Request for Water Analysis form and any provided materials such as coolers and ice packs to ensure your samples will be accepted for testing.
Yes.
You must indicate the sample collector, collection date and time (circle am or pm) for your water sample on the Request for Water Analysis form.
Testing methods have a U.S. EPA maximum allowable holding time from the time your water sample was collected until the time testing begins. Without the collection date and time, it is not possible to determine if your water sample can be tested within the holding time, and your sample will not be accepted for testing.
It depends.
Check the box if your sample is collected for compliance with the State of Michigan. This ensures that the laboratory will only accept your sample if it meets all testing requirements.
If you do not check this box, the laboratory may test your sample and your payment will be processed, even if it did not meet acceptance criteria*. Results from samples that do not meet testing requirements in this case should be used for informational value only.
*The exception to this is coliform bacteria testing. Samples that do not meet all testing requirements for coliform bacteria testing will not be accepted for testing.
Testing methods have a U.S. EPA maximum allowable holding time from the time your water sample was collected until the time testing begins. Results from samples analyzed past holding time may be less accurate. The holding time is indicated on the bottle label. Samples that do not meet the holding time when received at the laboratory will not be accepted for testing.
If your sample does not meet testing method requirements for collection, preservation, or submission, your test results may not be accurate. The EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory is the State of Michigan’s principal state laboratory for testing drinking water samples submitted for compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The laboratory is certified by the U.S. EPA to test for contaminants under the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and follows stringent test procedures published and promulgated by the U.S. EPA. Each testing procedure requires that samples collected for drinking water testing meet criteria such as thermal preservation and proper sample volume when submitted to the laboratory.
If these criteria are not met when samples are submitted, samples may not be accepted for testing.
No.
Testing for Total Coliforms and E. coli Bacteria requires a 24-hour incubation time to complete the analysis. Submit your sample and contact information to the laboratory Monday through Thursday for faster results.
Test results are released Monday through Friday by the drinking water laboratory to get this critical testing information out as quickly as possible.
With the information you provide, the laboratory will make every effort to contact you and your local health department as soon as possible if your sample tests positive for E. coli.
When you fill out your Request for Water Analysis form completely, your laboratory results will be mailed via U.S. Mail and additionally emailed if you provided an email address. You can expect testing to be completed on your water sample in approximately up to 10 business days after your sample is received at the laboratory for most testing, with additional time to mail your results.
For questions regarding your water quality, please contact your local health department. The EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory does not make interpretations about your water quality or water sample test results. If your sample was collected from a private well, the Be Well Informed tool can also provide information about your test results.
