THE QUICK EXPLANATION
PFAS can enter groundwater from a handful of common sources (historic industrial activity, firefighting foam use near airports/training areas, landfills, wastewater impacts, and more). The catch with private wells is simple: if we don’t test, we’re guessing.
Our goal is not to run a lab in our kitchen. Our goal is to answer one question:
Do we need to take action—and if so, what’s the most cost-effective way to do it?
WHY THIS MATTERS
Private Wells
If we’re on a private well, we don’t get the same monitoring, reporting, or treatment upgrades that public water systems are increasingly pressured to provide. That doesn’t mean we need to panic—it just means our “water-first” plan starts one step earlier:
Test → understand what it means → choose the simplest fix that matches our results.
Our favorite test comes from our friend at Tap Score they offer three kinds of Well Water Tests (←Click here)and best of all you can save $10 off a $100 purchase by using the coupon code PASSONPFAS10
Your Quick Guide
Step 1: Decide what kind of test to run
Option A — The “Start Here” test (most people)
Test for PFAS in drinking water using a kit or lab that reports PFAS results clearly.
If we can only afford one move: test first.
Option B — The “Be thorough” test
If we want broader coverage, we include additional common well concerns (like nitrates, bacteria, metals) in a separate panel.
PFAS testing is often its own thing—so keep it simple and don’t assume a general test includes PFAS.
Rule: We confirm the test explicitly lists PFAS (not just “chemicals” or “contaminants”).
Step 2: Sample the right water (so the results actually mean something)
These basics prevent bad results and wasted money:
Use the cold tap (kitchen is fine).
Remove any aerator/screen if instructions say to.
Don’t sample from a filtered faucet unless the goal is to test the filter itself.
Follow the kit’s fill/handling directions exactly (PFAS tests can be sensitive).
Ship same day if the instructions require it.
If we already have treatment equipment (softener, carbon, RO), we decide before testing:
Are we testing raw well water (before treatment) to know our baseline?
Or testing at the drinking tap to confirm our current setup works?
Both are useful—just different questions.
Step 3: Interpret results without spiraling
This part gets messy online. Here’s how we keep it clean:
We treat results as a decision tool, not a diagnosis.
“Detectable” doesn’t automatically mean “we failed.” It means we now know what we’re dealing with.
If results are elevated, we focus on reducing exposure at the point that matters most: drinking and cooking water.
Practical mindset: our job is to reduce ongoing intake—not solve PFAS for the entire planet.
Step 4: Choose the right fix (Best / Budget / Upgrade)
If we need action, we keep it simple:
Budget: Point-of-use (drinking + cooking only)
Reverse osmosis (RO) under the sink is often the strongest targeted move for drinking/cooking water.
Good when we want maximum reduction where it matters most without treating the whole house.
Best: Whole-house + targeted drinking tap
Whole-house carbon treatment helps reduce PFAS throughout the home.
Pairing whole-house with a dedicated drinking solution can be a strong “belt + suspenders” approach for some households.
Upgrade: Confirm performance
After installation, we re-test (at least at the drinking tap) to confirm the system is actually doing what we bought it for.
Rule: We don’t buy gear until we’ve tested (unless we already know we’re in a known PFAS area and we want a precautionary filter immediately).
Common mistakes (so we don’t waste money)
Buying a random “PFAS filter” before testing.
Testing from a filtered faucet and thinking it represents the well baseline.
Treating the whole house when the real exposure driver is drinking/cooking.
Not re-testing after install (and never knowing if it worked).
One simple step to take this week
Book the test.
Even if we don’t run it today, we pick the kit/lab, order it, and schedule the sampling window.
That single move turns “PFAS anxiety” into “PFAS clarity.”
Next Week
Send us your topic ideas!!
We may earn a commission from links in this email.
If this helped, subscribe and share with one person who wants a simpler way to lower PFAS exposure:
passonpfas.com
