Many homeowners trust their well water because it looks clean. It may pour clear from the faucet, taste normal, and have no noticeable odor. But some contaminants do not announce themselves. Nitrate is one of them.

Nitrate can be present in groundwater without changing the way your water looks, smells, or tastes. That is why testing matters. The Minnesota Department of Health notes that nitrate cannot be tasted, smelled, or seen in water, and the CDC recommends annual private well testing for nitrates along with bacteria, total dissolved solids, and pH.