Vermont Private Well Water Quality 2026

Vermont’s PFAS Crisis: Bennington and Beyond

Vermont was among the first states in the US to take PFAS seriously, setting its own maximum contaminant level of 20 ppt (combined for five PFAS compounds) for public water systems back in 2019. But early regulatory action has not translated into protection for the 40% of Vermonters on private wells — and the contamination picture in parts of the state is severe and still developing.

The epicentre of Vermont’s PFAS crisis is Bennington and North Bennington. The source is ChemFab — a now-defunct Teflon-coating fabric manufacturer that operated in North Bennington until it closed in 2002, and was owned by Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics. The facility released PFAS, primarily PFOA, into the surrounding environment over decades. Saint-Gobain originally claimed contamination would peak in 2016 and then decline. Research presented by Bennington College in March 2025, conducted in partnership with the Vermont DEC, found the opposite: PFAS levels are still rising in some areas of groundwater, and contamination continues to spread into wells that previously tested clean. Environmental studies professor Laura Martin, who found PFAS in her Bennington well in 2023 after it had previously tested clean, summarised the situation clearly: the chemicals “are going to be for decades to centuries” in the local soils.

The state’s response has been substantial. Under settlement agreements with Saint-Gobain in 2017 and 2019, the company funded the majority of a $48.7 million project connecting 445 homes in Bennington, North Bennington, and Shaftsbury to the town’s municipal water system — adding 21 miles of water mains and 15 miles of service lines. PFAS were detected in more than 330 private wells across the two main areas of concern near the former ChemFab factory. Around 30 households whose wells tested above the state action level continue to use Saint-Gobain-funded point-of-entry treatment (POET) systems. A further 154 wells testing below the action level for PFOA are monitored twice yearly by a Saint-Gobain consultant, with results submitted to the state for review. In a separate class action, Bennington-area residents received a $34 million settlement from Saint-Gobain — affecting approximately 2,400 properties and 8,000 residents.

The Bennington contamination is not fully contained. New affected areas have been identified in southern Bennington since the original remediation programme, meaning the plume continues to be re-mapped. Bennington is also not Vermont’s only PFAS problem. The Vermont DEC’s southwestern Vermont response programme covers five communities: Bennington, North Bennington, Shaftsbury, Clarendon and Pownal. Separately, as part of state PFAS litigation against DuPont and 3M, approximately 500 private wells across Vermont are being tested to determine the wider extent of contamination statewide.

Arsenic, Radon and Uranium in Vermont Bedrock

Vermont’s geology creates significant naturally occurring contamination risks entirely separate from its industrial PFAS problems. Arsenic is present in bedrock across the state, with the highest concentrations in the Green Mountains and Taconic ranges of southwestern Vermont — particularly in Bennington and Rutland counties. Wells drilled into granite formations statewide are also at elevated risk. The Vermont Department of Health recommends all new well owners test for arsenic and advises that well casings be set at least 20 feet into fresh bedrock to bypass arsenic-bearing veins where possible.

Radon in water is a statewide concern. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that dissolves into groundwater from uranium-bearing granite and glacial deposits found throughout Vermont. The Vermont DEC lists radon as a contaminant of concern for all private wells across the state — not just in specific geological zones. When radon-bearing water is used for showering or other household activities, the gas releases into indoor air, creating an inhalation risk the VT Department of Health considers significant. Air-stripping systems are the recommended treatment for elevated radon in water.

Uranium has been documented in Vermont groundwater, particularly in the Champlain Valley, where the DEC’s geological survey has identified radionuclide-enriched aquifer systems in areas including Milton and Colchester. Vermont requires all new drilled wells to be tested for gross alpha radiation and uranium under Act 163, underscoring how seriously the state treats this naturally occurring risk.

Nitrate and Bacteria Risks

Vermont’s dairy-farming landscape creates elevated nitrate risk for well owners in agricultural areas. The Champlain Valley and Connecticut River Valley are the regions most affected, where shallow wells near active farm fields are particularly vulnerable to nitrate intrusion from fertiliser and manure runoff. Nitrate poses a serious health risk for infants under six months, causing methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome), and cannot be detected by sight, smell or taste without laboratory testing.

Coliform bacteria and E. coli contamination are documented risks for Vermont private wells — particularly springs, dug wells, and older drilled wells with compromised casings. The Vermont Department of Health notes that springs are among the most vulnerable private water sources in the state, because the groundwater feeding them travels only a short distance before emerging, limiting natural filtration. UV disinfection or permanent chlorination is strongly recommended for any spring used as a drinking water source, along with bacteria testing after every heavy rainfall event.

Regulatory Situation for Vermont Well Owners

Private drinking water sources in Vermont — including drilled wells, dug wells and springs — are not regulated by the EPA or the State of Vermont, except at the point of initial construction. Vermont’s Act 163 requires all newly drilled or deepened wells to be tested before use, with a mandatory panel covering bacteria (coliform and E. coli), arsenic, nitrate, lead, manganese, uranium, gross alpha radiation, fluoride, iron, pH and other inorganics. Results are sent automatically to the Vermont Department of Health, and the VT Health Lab charges approximately $161 for the full panel.

Beyond that initial test, ongoing monitoring is entirely voluntary. There is no requirement for existing well owners to test at any frequency, and no notification system if contamination is discovered nearby. Most critically, there is no requirement in Vermont to test private wells for PFAS — at any point. The Vermont DEC states this explicitly on its PFAS page: the only way to know whether your well contains PFAS is to test it yourself.

Vermont’s PFAS standards for public water systems were updated under a new Water Supply Rule effective January 1, 2026, adding further PFAS compounds and introducing a hazard index approach for mixtures. But those standards apply only to public water systems — they provide no protection to private well owners. If you suspect your property may be near a contamination source, the DEC’s Waste Management and Prevention Division can be contacted at (802) 828-1138 to ask whether your address falls within an active investigation zone.

Check our Vermont municipal water quality page for town-by-town tap water data, our Burlington water quality page, or use our live boil water notice tracker for active advisories across the state.

Known High-Risk Areas in Vermont

If you live near any of the following locations, well water testing is urgent — not precautionary.

How to Test Your Vermont Well Water — and What to Do Next

The Vermont Department of Health recommends all private well and spring owners test regularly — at minimum for bacteria, inorganic chemicals and gross alpha radiation. For PFAS, there is no state requirement to test private wells, making proactive testing all the more important. PFAS is colourless, odourless and tasteless — it cannot be detected without laboratory analysis, and the Bennington experience demonstrates clearly that contamination can reach a property years after neighbouring wells first tested positive.

Contact the Vermont Department of Health at 802-863-7220 (or 800-439-8550 toll-free within Vermont) for test kits, certified lab referrals and guidance on interpreting results. If you are in or near any of the PFAS-affected communities in southwestern Vermont, contact the DEC’s Waste Management and Prevention Division at (802) 828-1138 first — free testing may be available if your property is within an active investigation zone.

For filter options, our well water filter guide covers reverse osmosis systems for PFAS and arsenic, air-stripping for radon, UV disinfection for bacteria, and whole-house well systems for comprehensive treatment. Browse our full water filter solutions page or check your ZIP code for local water quality context.

For other Northeast and Midwest well water risks, see our page on Michigan wells. Return to the private well water directory to find your state.