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Well Water Testing · Bouton, IA

Water testing in Bouton

Water testing for Iowa homes, above all those on a private well. An accredited laboratory can test the water for coliform bacteria and E. coli…

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Bouton · Dallas County

Well Water Testing in Bouton

Water testing for Iowa homes, above all those on a private well. An accredited laboratory can test the water for coliform bacteria and E. coli, nitrate, arsenic and more. Iowa DNR recommends testing a private well at least once a year.

Bouton is a very small Dallas County town that peaked at 187 residents in 1920. Housing here runs to a small stock of early-1900s houses from the years the town peaked at 187 residents, plus some mid-century and newer homes, across the small town grid of about 0.14 square miles and the farm ground around it.

Bouton is served by our Des Moines team →  ·  (563) 517-7815

Well water in Dallas County

Many Dallas County homes use city or rural water, yet a USGS-based estimate counts about 7,943 residents on private wells.About 61% of the county is row-crop land. We found no Dallas County-specific well test results. Iowa DNR advises annual bacteria and nitrate testing and arsenic at least once, via your county health department.

County facts checked October 2026 against: iowadnr.gov, services.shl.uiowa.edu.

See all Bouton inspections →  ·  Water testing in Iowa, explained →

Water tests available in Bouton

Bacteria

Shows whether surface water or waste is reaching the well.

  • Total coliform bacteria
    Surface contamination reaching the well
  • E. coli
    Fecal contamination from septic, manure or wildlife

Health chemicals

No taste, color or smell. These are the long-term health checks.

  • Nitrate
    Fertilizer, septic and manure; highest risk to infants
    10 mg/L (EPA)
  • Arsenic
    Natural arsenic from rock and soil
    10 µg/L (EPA)
  • Lead
    Lead service lines, solder and brass fixtures
  • Manganese
    Natural manganese; a concern for infants
  • Fluoride
    Natural fluoride; dental health
    4.0 mg/L (EPA)
  • Uranium
    Natural radionuclide in groundwater
    30 µg/L (EPA)

Petroleum & solvents

Fuel and chemical spills from old tanks or nearby sites.

  • VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
    Fuels, solvents, degreasers and paints
    Varies by compound (EPA)
  • DRO (diesel range organics)
    Diesel and heating-oil petroleum

Household quality

Staining, scale and taste, and choosing the right treatment.

  • Iron
    Rusty staining and metallic taste
  • Hardness
    Scale buildup; sizing a water softener
    No health standard
  • pH
    Corrosive or scaling water
    6.5 to 8.5, aesthetic (EPA)
  • Sulfate
    Taste and odor; diarrhea risk for infants
    250 mg/L, aesthetic (EPA)

Limits shown are EPA drinking water standards. Your lab report compares each result to the standards that apply.

Bouton private well testing timeline

Iowa DNR recommends testing a private well at least once a year. Its testing guidance lists coliform bacteria and nitrate every year and arsenic every 3 years, with at least one arsenic test for every well. Source: Iowa DNR
TestYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6
Coliform bacteria
Nitrate
Arsenic

Test again any time after flooding, after work on the well, or when the water's taste, color or smell changes, and always when you buy a home with a well.

How far a well must be from common hazards in Bouton

  • Property line4 ft
  • Building sewer line10 ft
  • LP gas tank15 ft
  • Roadside ditch15 ft
  • Stream, pond, lake or wetland25 ft
  • Septic tank50 ft
  • Septic absorption field100 ft
  • Fuel oil or gasoline tank100 ft
  • Fertilizer or chemical storage150 ft
Source: Iowa Administrative Code 567, chapter 49

Septic, feedlot or fuel tank near the well? A coliform and nitrate test shows whether it is reaching the water. Get a free instant quote

Buying a home with a well in Bouton: what happens at the sale

  1. Groundwater Hazard StatementIowa Code 558.69 requires a groundwater hazard statement filed with the declaration of value when a listed condition (including any known well and its status under 455B.190, or a private sewage disposal system) exists on the property, signed by a seller or agent, with a copy given to the buyer.
  2. Wells on the propertyIf known wells are on the property, the statement must give the approximate location of each and its status under Iowa Code 455B.190 (abandoned wells properly plugged); the owner is responsible for the accuracy of the information.
  3. Septic time-of-transfer inspectionIowa Code 455B.172(11) requires a private sewage disposal system serving a building to be inspected before any transfer of ownership, by a DNR-certified inspector, and the county recorder will not record the deed without the report or a binding acknowledgment.
  4. Failing systemsA system that is failing to treat wastewater must be renovated to current standards by the seller or, by agreement and within a reasonable time set by the county board of health or DNR, by the buyer (455B.172(11)(c)).
Source: Iowa Code and Iowa DNR

The paperwork tells you a well exists, not what is in it. Add water testing to your inspection. Get a free instant quote

Questions

Common questions.

Who needs well water testing in Iowa?
Any home on a private well, and above all one you are buying. Iowa DNR recommends testing a private well at least once a year, and also when a well is new, after work on the well or pump, and when the water changes in look, smell or taste.
Is well water testing part of the home inspection?
It is an add-on. Add it to your home inspection quote. Testing early in your inspection window leaves time to act on the results.
Does farmland around Adel and Waukee mean my well needs a nitrate check?
The area estimate for Dallas County is low for nitrate, but the source notes individual wells can still exceed the limit, and about 61% of the county is row-crop land. The Iowa DNR lists nitrate as an annual test and notes shallow wells may contain high nitrate. Testing your own well is the only way to know.
Bouton had 187 people in 1920 and 127 in 2020. How does that show up in a house?
Often as long ownership and deferred work. A town that has lost about a third of its peak population has houses that have been carried by fewer owners, and a few may have sat empty. Common findings include old panels with add-on breakers, galvanized supply lines, furnaces and water heaters past their normal life, and roofs with several layers. In a vacant house, frozen-line damage and rodent entry are the things to watch. If a property is on a private septic system, Iowa Code 455B.172 requires an inspection before transfer. Dallas County is EPA Radon Zone 1.
Who is allowed to do well work in Iowa?
Iowa requires well services to be done by a DNR-certified well contractor who is on site and in direct charge of the work, under 567 IAC 82.2(1) and 49.4(3). The one exception is that a person may perform well services on their own property. DNR certifies well drillers, pump installers and well plugging contractors, and they have different scopes. You can check a contractor's status on DNR's lists. A home inspector or tester does not do licensed well work; testing and a visual check of the wellhead help decide whether to call a certified contractor.
How is a well shock chlorinated, and what does Iowa DNR say about retesting?
DNR's flood guidance says if a well is positive for coliform or E. coli, purge and shock chlorinate the well and water system, then retest for bacteria, fecal coliform and nitrate 7 to 10 days later, repeating until there is zero coliform and fecal coliform. Iowa's well rules (567 IAC 49.24) call for chlorine to reach every part of the well and stay in contact long enough. Shock chlorination does not remove Giardia or Cryptosporidium. A follow-up lab test is the check that a disinfection actually cleared bacteria from the well.
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