Caledonia County, Vermont: drinking water report. Caledonia County covers Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, including St.
Caledonia County covers Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, including St. Johnsbury, Lyndonville, Hardwick, and Danville. Most residents rely on groundwater from bedrock wells or small community systems that draw from springs and aquifers in the Green Mountains and Connecticut River watershed. The rural character means fewer centralized utilities and more private wells, which shifts testing responsibility to individual homeowners.
Vermont's bedrock geology presents known challenges for well water quality. Granite and metamorphic formations throughout Caledonia County can naturally release arsenic, uranium, and radon into groundwater. The state Department of Health estimates that roughly 20 percent of private wells across Vermont exceed the arsenic standard of 10 parts per billion, and the Northeast Kingdom's geology makes this region particularly susceptible. Unlike municipal systems that test continuously, private wells require homeowners to initiate and pay for testing.
PFAS contamination has emerged as a concern across Vermont, though Caledonia County has seen less industrial activity than counties further south and west. The state's agriculture-heavy economy means past use of contaminated biosolids as fertilizer could affect some properties, but mapping remains incomplete. Small water systems serving mobile home parks, schools, and villages face the same PFAS testing requirements as larger utilities under state rules that exceed federal mandates, yet funding for remediation is limited.
Lead typically enters drinking water through plumbing rather than source water. Homes built before 1986 (when lead solder was banned) and those on acidic well water face higher risk because low pH can leach lead from pipes and fixtures. The decentralized nature of Caledonia County's water supply means no county-wide lead testing data exists. Individual well owners must test their own taps, particularly if they have young children or if renovations disturbed old plumbing.
Private well owners should test for arsenic, uranium, radon, bacteria, and nitrate at minimum, with PFAS testing worth considering if your property has any history of commercial or agricultural activity. Municipal system customers can request consumer confidence reports from their utility but should still test at the tap if concerned about lead from household plumbing. Check your water for current data on community systems, review our water filter guide for treatment options suited to Vermont's specific contaminants, read the detailed report for testing recommendations, or visit the Vermont state page for regulatory context and resources.