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Septic and Well Inspections When Buying in Chester County, PA and Cecil County, MD

A lot of the homes we sell in southern Chester County and Cecil County run on a well and a septic system. Here's how to inspect both before you buy, the Maryland law that makes a well test part of every contract, and what happens if something fails.

A country house side yard with a well cap and septic access area, and open fields beyond

Short answer: If the house has a septic system or a private well, inspect both before you're locked in. In Pennsylvania, Penn State Extension recommends making your agreement of sale contingent on a septic inspection using the PSMA/NOF standards, which include pumping the tank, and testing the well at a state-certified lab. In Maryland, the law goes further on wells: every contract for a home with a private well must require the buyer to have the water tested, and both buyer and seller must review the results before settlement, unless the buyer waives it in writing. Anyone inspecting a septic system for a Maryland sale must hold a state license. In Cecil County, well and septic permits are handled by the county government's Division of Water and Sewer Planning, not the health department.

I'm Brian Foraker, owner of Foraker Realty Co. I live in West Grove, and once you get outside the boroughs of southern Chester County, wells and septic systems are a normal part of country living. The same goes for much of Cecil County. A failed system is fixable, but you want to find out before settlement, not after. Last reviewed October 13, 2026. General information; your inspector, the county and your agreement of sale control the details.

Step 1: Put the inspections in your offer

Write a septic inspection and a water quality test into your offer as contingencies, with deadlines you can actually meet. Penn State Extension's suggested wording ties the deal to a septic inspection "using the PSMA/NOF Inspection Standards and the Checklist therein." In Maryland, the well test is already required in the contract by statute (Real Property § 10-713), so the question is timing, not whether.

Pennsylvania also has a sewage disclosure rule: a contract for a lot with no community sewage system available must say so, and must tell the buyer to contact the local sewage agency about permits. If the property uses a holding tank, the contract must disclose it along with a history of its annual maintenance cost (25 Pa. Code § 72.32).

Step 2: How does a septic inspection work in Pennsylvania?

The inspection standard Penn State Extension recommends is the PSMA/NOF standard, from the Pennsylvania Septage Management Association (PSMA). According to Penn State, a PSMA/NOF inspection:

  • evaluates the tank, distribution pipes and drainfield;
  • requires pumping all treatment and dose tanks during the inspection (Penn State puts pumping at $275 to $500);
  • may add a hydraulic load test ($500 to $1,000) when it's unclear whether the drainfield is absorbing properly;
  • ends with a written report on the system's type, condition and needed corrections.

Some municipalities also require routine pumping or inspections every 3 to 5 years. Those regulatory checks aren't the same as a buyer's inspection, so ask the seller for records.

Step 3: Test the well

The Pennsylvania DEP recommends testing a private well every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH, and always using a state-certified laboratory. For a purchase, I'd go further. Chester County Health Department's standards for new wells (Chapter 500, § 501.13) cover total coliform, nitrate, arsenic, iron, manganese, chloride and a list of volatile organic compounds, including trichloroethylene (TCE). That list is a good starting point when you ask the lab for a panel. Have a lab employee collect the sample rather than handing in a jar yourself.

Step 4: What's different in Cecil County, Maryland?

  • The well test is required by law. The contract must require the buyer to ensure a water quality test. A state-certified lab runs it and reports results to MDE within 5 business days. Settlement can't happen until buyer and seller each certify in writing that they've received and reviewed the results. Results stay valid for 3 years, and a buyer may waive the test in writing.
  • Septic inspectors must be licensed. Anyone inspecting an on-site system for a property transfer must hold a Maryland license (now issued by the State Board of On-Site Wastewater Professionals) and complete the state's standard inspection form.
  • Who to call: since August 21, 2023, well and septic services in Cecil County run through the county's Division of Water and Sewer Planning under an agreement with MDE, at 410-996-5230. The division reviews septic repair permits but doesn't test water, so use a state-certified lab.

Step 5: What if the septic or well fails?

Don't panic, and don't let a deadline pass. Penn State Extension says septic repair or replacement can run $10,000 to $60,000 or more, and the inspection and repair costs "can often be negotiated into the real estate transaction." Your options under the contingency are usually a seller repair, a price credit or ending the contract on time. Repairs need a permit: in Chester County, the Health Department handles on-lot sewage permits and enforces Pennsylvania's Act 537 rules; in Cecil County, it's the Division of Water and Sewer Planning.

Maryland homeowners can also apply for help. In June 2026, MDE announced $15 million in Bay Restoration Fund grants for nitrogen-reducing septic upgrades, sewer connections and replacing failing systems, run through local governments and prioritizing systems closest to the bays. A failed well test usually points to treatment, re-testing or, less often, a new well, so ask the lab what the result means.

How we handle wells and septic at Foraker

Our transaction system runs the 30 steps of every deal from ratification to settlement, so inspection deadlines don't slip while you're waiting on a lab. Sellers should read what you have to disclose, and buyers can see how an inspection contingency differs from a disclosure. Looking at country properties? Start on our buying page or call (484) 406-3004.

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