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Well Water Testing · Decatur, IA

Water testing in Decatur

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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Decatur · Decatur County

Well Water Testing in Decatur

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.

Decatur is the original Decatur County seat, an early settlement that lost the county seat to Leon in 1853, was incorporated in 1875 and sits on Iowa Highway 2. Housing here runs to houses from the early settlement decades through the 1900 peak of 367 residents, with a smaller stock of postwar and later homes, across the older blocks of the original county-seat townsite and the Iowa Highway 2 corridor.

Decatur homes are inspected by a local partner in our Iowa network.  ·  Call or text (563) 517-7815

Well water in Decatur County

The Iowa DNR recommends yearly coliform bacteria and nitrate testing and at least one arsenic test for every private well, including those in Decatur County. The Iowa Geological Survey's water atlas for Decatur County dates to 1967, so a current lab test of your own well is the reliable guide.

County facts checked October 2026 against: iowadnr.gov, iowadnr.gov, igs.iihr.uiowa.edu, igs.iihr.uiowa.edu.

Home inspection in Decatur →  ·  Water testing in Iowa, explained →

Water tests available in Decatur

Bacteria

Shows whether surface water or waste is reaching the well.

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. Compare your lab results with these values.

Decatur 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

When to test your water

  • Every yearColiform bacteria and nitrate, the basic safety checks for a private well.
  • At least onceArsenic and manganese. Iowa DNR's testing list repeats arsenic every 3 years.
  • Before a baby drinks the waterNitrate. Water above 10 mg/L as nitrogen should not be used for infant formula or juice.
  • When you buy a homeA full baseline while you can still ask questions or negotiate.
  • New well or well workWhen a well is new and after service on the well or pump.
  • After a flood or power outageIf flood water was near or reached the well, or an outage dropped the water pressure.
  • When taste, color or smell changesA change in the water is a reason to test.
  • Near a fuel tankVOCs, plus DRO for diesel and fuel oil. Iowa DNR names gasoline among the VOCs some wells are susceptible to, and Iowa's well rules list 100 feet between a well and a liquid fuel storage tank other than propane.
  • City water in an older homeLead. Iowa DNR says homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder.

Based on: Iowa DNR private wells, Iowa DNR testing frequency, Iowa DNR why test, Iowa DNR floods, State Hygienic Laboratory, 567 IAC 49.

How to get it done

  1. Choose your testsPick the water testing you need in the free instant quote.
  2. Pick a timeBook online. The quote takes about 30 seconds.
  3. Get certified lab resultsA certified laboratory analyzes the water and reports each result.

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How far a well must be from common hazards in Decatur

  • 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 Decatur: 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.
My home is on city water in Iowa. Is water testing still worth it?
Often, yes. Lead in drinking water comes mainly from service lines and home plumbing. Iowa DNR says a water system cannot control the materials used in home plumbing. Your utility sends a Consumer Confidence Report each year. Under the federal Lead and Copper Rule, utilities sample selected homes, those more likely to have lead plumbing. Iowa community water systems had to prepare a lead service line inventory under the federal rule, and it must be publicly available. DNR expects homes built after 1988 to have service lines made of something other than lead. To learn what your service line is made of, ask your water utility. DNR also notes that utilities are not required to offer lead testing on request. EPA says testing is the only sure way to know whether harmful amounts of lead are in your water.
Is there a state report on groundwater in Decatur County?
Yes, an old one. A 1969 Iowa Geological Survey report on Wayne County cites a 1967 Decatur County water atlas, Water Atlas No. 2, as the first in a series on south-central Iowa. It is more than 50 years old, so a current test of your own well is far more reliable.
Decatur was the first Decatur County seat but lost that role in 1853. Does that mean older houses to be careful about?
It means some houses and outbuildings here may be very old, and age is the main concern, not the history. Original stone, brick or poured foundations, sagging floors and rooflines, old chimneys, the condition of siding and windows, and how roof water is handled are the things to watch. Older additions often tie into the original structure in odd ways, so those joints are worth a look. Decatur County is EPA Radon Zone 1, so a radon test belongs in the basement review, and a private septic needs inspection before transfer under Iowa Code 455B.172.
Does a septic system have to be inspected when an Iowa home is sold?
Yes, in most sales. Iowa Code 455B.172(11) requires a private sewage disposal system serving a building to be inspected before any transfer of ownership, and the county recorder will not record the deed without the inspector's report or a binding acknowledgment to inspect when weather prevents it. Only a DNR-certified time-of-transfer inspector may do it. Exemptions in the statute include transfers where the system was installed not more than two years earlier. An inspection is valid for two years. Because septic and well separation distances matter for water quality, a buyer of a home with both gets a fuller picture by testing the water alongside the septic report.
Does a septic system have to be inspected when an Iowa home is sold?
Yes, in most sales. Iowa Code 455B.172(11) requires a private sewage disposal system serving a building to be inspected before any transfer of ownership, and the county recorder will not record the deed without the inspector's report or a binding acknowledgment to inspect when weather prevents it. Only a DNR-certified time-of-transfer inspector may do it. Exemptions in the statute include transfers where the system was installed not more than two years earlier. An inspection is valid for two years. Because septic and well separation distances matter for water quality, a buyer of a home with both gets a fuller picture by testing the water alongside the septic report.
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