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Case guide

Private-well testing near coal ash: ask what was measured

A private-well test answers a specific water question. Routine testing may not include the metals of concern.

See If You Qualify

Free · No obligation · About 2 minutes

Updated Oct 4, 202618 sources

This may apply to you if

  • Identify the plant, ash site or work location you want reviewed.
  • Bring dates and records of the suspected exposure and claimed harm.
  • Ask what links the site to your water, health or property concern.

What the public record says

These are cited sources. Their inclusion does not imply that they endorse People’s Justice or reviewed this page.

The evidence and its limits

University of Louisville · Global Pediatric Health · 2017

Health of Children Living Near Coal Ash

Design:
Other study design
Participants:
Cross-sectional questionnaire: 111 children total; 61 near a Kentucky site and 50 in a rural comparison group
Finding:
Children near the site had more parent-reported health and sleep problems.
Main limitation
Small, single-community survey; no household environmental measures. Recall and selection bias and urban/rural differences limit interpretation. Association does not establish individual cause.

Read the source: Health of Children Living Near Coal Ash (opens in a new tab) · Checked Oct 3, 2026

The short answer

Is my private well the same as a facility monitoring well?
No. Where a sample was taken matters. A facility well result does not prove what is in your tap water. [2]
Which tests should I ask about?
EPA lists yearly routine tests for bacteria, nitrates, dissolved solids and pH. Other concerns need other tests. Ask a certified lab or local health agency. [1]
How often does EPA recommend routine testing?
EPA recommends annual checks for the routine items it lists. Changes or local hazards may call for other tests. Ask about your well’s actual circumstances. [6]
What if a result exceeds a relevant limit?
Ask the local health agency what to do. EPA says to confirm a high result with another test. Treatment must fit what is in the water. [6]

What rules a case out

Not covered by this case

  • Living near coal ash does not prove a personal exposure or illness cause.
  • Facility compliance dates and public enforcement payments do not set your claim or award.

The process

What happens next

  1. 01

    You answer a few questions

    About two minutes. Nothing is sent until you agree on the last step and press submit.

  2. 02

    A lawyer looks at it

    A lawyer at the firm reads your answers and checks them against the current case criteria.

  3. 03

    The firm decides and gets in touch

    If the firm takes your case, you get the terms in writing to read before you sign. You can always say no.

A private-well test answers a specific water question. Routine testing may not include the metals of concern. Ask a certified lab and local health agency what to test.

Is my private well the same as a facility monitoring well?

No. Where a sample was taken matters. A facility well result does not prove what is in your tap water.

Keep the location, collection date and report together. Ask whether the sample came from your drinking source, a treatment system or another well. Do not substitute a regional map for an actual household result.

Which tests should I ask about?

EPA lists yearly routine tests for bacteria, nitrates, dissolved solids and pH. Other concerns need other tests. Ask a certified lab or local health agency.

EPA advises testing for other contaminants when there is reason for concern. Coal ash can contain metals, but that does not establish their presence in your well. Confirm the lab’s test list rather than assuming a bacteria test covers every chemical.

How often does EPA recommend routine testing?

EPA recommends annual checks for the routine items it lists. Changes or local hazards may call for other tests. Ask about your well’s actual circumstances.

A yearly schedule is not a promise that water is safe between samples. Keep past results so changes can be discussed. The appropriate additional test depends on the concern, not a universal coal-ash panel invented here.

What if a result exceeds a relevant limit?

Ask the local health agency what to do. EPA says to confirm a high result with another test. Treatment must fit what is in the water.

Keep the full report, units and sampling details. Ask what the result means for drinking and other uses now. This page does not select a filter or certify that boiling removes the substance of concern.

Which records help explain the water history?

Keep reports, sample locations and collection dates. Note any well repairs or treatment changes. Ask the lab to explain missing details.

A number without its units or sampling point can be hard to interpret. Preserve earlier reports rather than replacing them with a summary. Medical records answer a separate health question; a water result alone does not diagnose illness.

Does a water result establish a personal claim?

It is one item for review. Cause, harm and the applicable legal rules need separate assessment. Public cleanup dates are not personal claim deadlines.

A facility’s duty to monitor or comply does not guarantee household damages. Ask a lawyer which site and records the claim would concern. Current fees, case acceptance and any personal filing date remain unverified.

Find out where you stand.

The review is free and private. Asking for it doesn’t commit you to anything.

Register your interest

Sources

  1. EPA coal combustion residuals basicsEPA coal combustion residuals basics · regulator
  2. EPA coal ash rule overviewEPA coal ash rule overview · regulator
  3. EPA legacy coal ash rule and deadline tableEPA legacy coal ash rule and deadline table · regulator
  4. EPA final CCR management unit deadline extension, February 10, 2026EPA final CCR management unit deadline extension, February 10, 2026 · regulator
  5. EPA 2026 proposed coal ash amendmentsEPA 2026 proposed coal ash amendments · regulator
  6. EPA protect your home’s waterEPA protect your home’s water · regulator
  7. Sears and Zierold: Health of Children Living Near Coal Ash (2017)Sears and Zierold: Health of Children Living Near Coal Ash (2017) · study
  8. DOJ Duke Energy subsidiaries guilty plea and sentence, May 14, 2015DOJ Duke Energy subsidiaries guilty plea and sentence, May 14, 2015 · regulator
  9. ABA Model Rule 1.5: FeesABA Model Rule 1.5: Fees
  10. HHS your medical recordsHHS your medical records · regulator
  11. SDNY filing time-limit FAQSDNY filing time-limit FAQ · court
  12. U.S. Courts civil casesU.S. Courts civil cases · court
  13. EPA Issues $3.125M Penalty Against WTG Gas Processing Under Consent Decreeecho.epa.gov · Jun 23, 2026 · regulator
  14. EPA Issues $1.26M Federal Penalty Against Hasa, Inc.echo.epa.gov · Jul 10, 2026 · regulator
  15. EPA Issues Nearly $1M Penalty Against Denka Performance Elastomerecho.epa.gov · Jul 13, 2026 · regulator
  16. EPA Issues $541,110 Penalty in AMVAC CAFO Enforcement Caseecho.epa.gov · Jul 25, 2026 · regulator
  17. EPA Enforcement Case Against Colgate-Palmolive Discloses $930,000 Federal Penaltyecho.epa.gov · Sep 17, 2026 · regulator
  18. EPA Enforcement Record Shows $3.19M Penalty Tied to Exxon Mobil Pipeline Caseecho.epa.gov · Sep 19, 2026 · regulator

Checked against 18 primary sources by People's Justice editors · Updated

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