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Well Water Testing · Clarion, IA

Water testing in Clarion

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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Clarion · Wright County

Well Water Testing in Clarion

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.

Clarion is a courthouse-square county seat on flat, tiled lobe prairie. Housing here runs to courthouse-square county-seat housing across a wide age range, across the square district and the newer edges.

Clarion is served by our Fort Dodge team →  ·  (563) 517-7815

Well water in Wright County

Private wells in Wright County are the owner's responsibility to test. Iowa DNR recommends that all private well owners test at least annually, with coliform bacteria and nitrate checked each year, and arsenic tested at least once. DNR also notes that nitrate, arsenic, and other contaminants occur naturally in some aquifers, and that shallow groundwater is more exposed to surface contaminants. DNR names manure and farm chemical use among human-caused sources of contamination. Published county-level well results were not found for Wright County, so testing your own well is the only way to know what is in it.

County facts checked October 2026 against: iowadnr.gov, iowadnr.gov.

Well water around Clarion, Wright County

Clarion, IA water testing: well casing in a low spot with standing rainwater around it at a Iowa farmstead in spring
DRO: a screen for diesel and heating-oil petroleum →
Flooded Iowa farmyard after spring snowmelt with a well cap in the water in Iowa summer (Wright County, Iowa)
Coliform bacteria: Iowa DNR recommends testing every year →
Clarion, IA water testing: chlorine bleach jug beside a well cap ready for shock chlorination (no brand) at a Iowa home
Nitrate: EPA limit 10 mg/L, highest risk to infants →

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

Water tests available in Clarion

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.

Clarion 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 Clarion

  • 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 Clarion: 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.
Which contaminants matter most for a Wright County private well?
Iowa DNR says, at a minimum, test private water for coliform bacteria, nitrate and nitrite, and manganese, and test for arsenic and lead at least once. Atrazine is named as one of the most commonly found pesticides in well water analysis, and DNR suggests pesticide and farm-chemical testing for shallow wells, so ask about that.
What comes up most in Clarion homes?
Flat lobe prairie drains slowly — this ground needed tile to farm — so grading and basement moisture lead, followed by systems read by age across a stock that runs from century homes to newer builds. Wright County is Zone 1 for radon like all of Iowa.
Is there arsenic in Iowa well water?
Arsenic occurs naturally in Iowa rocks and soil, and DNR says it is present at some level in groundwater in many areas of the state. A 2006-2008 University of Iowa survey for DNR found detectable arsenic in 48 percent of 475 sampled rural wells, and 8 percent were at or above 0.01 mg/L (10 ppb). High arsenic was most common in north-central Iowa. Only a lab test shows your well's level. Arsenic cannot be seen, tasted or smelled, so a lab test during a home purchase is how a buyer learns the level in that well.
What does Iowa say about the wellhead itself?
Under 567 IAC 49.17, a well not in a wellhouse needs a cap that seals tightly against the casing, and the casing must terminate at least one foot above finished grade. A cap on a well with a pitless adapter needs a screened vent at least 12 inches above the ground. Section 49.8 says wells cannot be located in basements or in frost pits. These are the construction rules for new wells. Cap, casing height and drainage around the wellhead are visible items covered in a home inspection, and a bacteria test shows whether they are doing their job.
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