Test your well this spring at RHA’s community events

If your drinking water comes from a well, how much do you know about it? When you pour a clear, cool glass of water from your tap, you might assume it’s safe to drink if it has no “off” odor or taste.

But that might not be true – many common contaminants in well water can't be detected by our senses. That’s why Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA), a nonprofit dedicated to protecting clean water, encourages residents with private wells to have their water tested.

This spring, RHA is working to make well testing more accessible by offering “community” testing in partnership with more than a dozen municipalities across Hunterdon, Somerset, and Morris counties. Testing events are scheduled from mid-April through mid-June, including some at local community days and festivals.

“Four out of five households in the upper Raritan River watershed rely on well water, and it’s impossible to know if this water is safe without testing,” said Samantha LaRocca, well testing program manager for RHA. “For the sake of residents’ health and peace of mind, we strongly encourage them to get their water tested.”

Water drawn from underground sources is vulnerable to pollution from various harmful contaminants, including coliform bacteria, nitrates, arsenic, lead, radon, volatile organic chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and more.

Here’s how community well testing works: Residents attend a testing event on the designated day or days and purchase kits for the tests they need. Following the instructions on the kits, they collect water samples from their taps and bring them back to the community location on the designated day. Samples are analyzed by a certified laboratory, and results are emailed within three weeks.

Community well testing is available to everyone – not only residents of the participating municipalities. “We want to protect the public’s health, so we try to make testing simple and accessible to as many households as possible,” said LaRocca. “You can get test kits at any location that’s convenient for you.”

Here is the spring 2026 schedule in chronological order. Visit www.testmywell.org to view all testing options, pre-order a test kit, and check for any schedule updates.

Washington Township – Test kits will be sold on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Rock Spring Park Senior Center Pavilion, 35 East Springtown Road, Long Valley. Samples should be returned on Monday, April 20, between 7 and 9:30 a.m. at the same location.

East Amwell Township – Test kits will be sold during the week of April 13-17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the East Amwell Township Municipal Building, 1070 Route 202/31, Ringoes. Samples should be returned on Wednesday, April 22, from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at the Municipal Building.

Mount Olive Township – Test kits will be available for purchase on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Turkey Brook Park during the “Hidden Treasures” community yard sale and vendor fair, rain or shine. Samples must be returned on Monday, April 27, between 7 and 9:30 a.m. at the Senior Center.

Clinton Township – Test kits will be sold on Saturday, April 25, from noon to 4 p.m. at Bundt Park, 8 Red School House Road, Lebanon, during Clinton Community Day, rain or shine. Samples should be returned on Wednesday, April 29, from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at Bundt Park.

Bernards Township – Test kits will be available for purchase on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, April 27-29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bernards Township Health Department, 262 S Finley Ave, Basking Ridge. Samples should be returned on Thursday, April 30, between 7 and 9:30 a.m. at the Health Department.

Lebanon Township – Test kits will be available for purchase on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Municipal Building, 530 West Hill Road, Glen Gardner. Samples must be returned on Monday, May 4, between 7 and 9:30 a.m. at the Municipal Building.

Franklin Township (Hunterdon) – Test kits will be available for sale on weekdays from May 4-12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Franklin Township Municipal Building, 43 Lower Landsdown Road, Annandale. Samples should be returned on Wednesday, May 13, between 7 and 9:30 a.m. at the Municipal Building.

Bridgewater Township – Test kits will be sold on Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Municipal Building, located at 100 Commons Way, Bridgewater. Samples are to be returned on Monday, May 11, between 7 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. at the Municipal Building.

Alexandria Township – Test kits will be available for purchase on Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Municipal Building, 242 Little York Mt Pleasant Road, Milford. Samples should be returned on Monday, May 18, between 7 and 9:30 a.m. at the Municipal Building.

Branchburg Township – Test kits will be available for purchase on Saturday, June 6, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Health and Recreation Annex Building's outside lot, 34 Kenbury Road, Branchburg. Samples should be returned on Monday, June 8, from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at the same location.

Union Township – Test kits will be available for purchase on Saturday, June 13, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Finn Road Park, 36 Finn Road, Pittstown, during the annual “Finn Fest” community day. Rain date is scheduled for June 14. Samples should be returned on Wednesday, June 17, from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at the Municipal Building.

Bernardsville Borough – Test kits will be available for purchase during the week of June 8-12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Borough Hall, 166 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville. Samples should be returned on Thursday, June 18, from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at Borough Hall.

Warren Township – This event is sponsored by the Middle-Brook Regional Health Commission, which serves Warren, Green Brook, Watchung, and Bridgewater. Test kits will be available during the week of June 8-12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Warren Township Municipal Complex, 46 Mountain Boulevard, Warren. Samples should be returned on Monday, June 15, between 7 and 9:30 a.m. at the Municipal Complex.

Since 1974, RHA has offered well water testing at discounted prices from a state-certified laboratory. In addition to the spring and fall community well testing events, Raritan Headwaters offers year-round well testing through its Bedminster and Flemington offices.

Since 1959, Raritan Headwaters Association has focused on clean water. RHA engages citizens and decision-makers in protecting the Raritan River headwaters region and beyond through science, education, land preservation, and advocacy.

 

RHA’s 470-square-mile region provides clean drinking water to 300,000 residents across 38 municipalities in Somerset, Hunterdon, and Morris counties, and directly affects over 1.5 million homes and businesses in New Jersey's densely populated urban areas. To learn more about Raritan Headwaters and its programs, visit www.raritanheadwaters.org or call 908-234-1852.