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Well Water Testing · Lovilia, IA

Water testing in Lovilia

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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Lovilia · Monroe County

Well Water Testing in Lovilia

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.

Lovilia is an 1853 Monroe County coal town of older homes above worked-out mine ground. Housing here runs to early-1900s coal-era frame homes with postwar and later additions, across the town core laid out in 1853 and the country-mine ground around it.

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

Well water in Monroe County

Monroe County-specific private well statistics were not found. Iowa DNR guidance covers it: test for coliform bacteria and nitrate annually, test for arsenic at least once, and ask the local county health department about free basic testing available through the Grants to Counties Well Testing Program. The Iowa Geological Survey says Mississippian bedrock yields smaller amounts of poorer quality water in central and southeastern Iowa, so a drilled well in this area can differ a lot from one in north-central Iowa.

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

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

Water tests available in Lovilia

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.

Lovilia 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 Lovilia

  • 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 Lovilia: 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.
Can Monroe County well water differ from other parts of Iowa?
Yes, in general. The Iowa Geological Survey says the Mississippian aquifer gives good water mainly in north-central Iowa and smaller yields of poorer quality water in central and southeastern Iowa. We found no Monroe County measurements, so that is a regional statement. A test of your own well shows what you actually have.
Lovilia was a coal town — what does that mean for an inspection here?
It means the ground history is part of the picture. Monroe County carried some of Iowa's heaviest underground mining, with country mines working near Lovilia into the early 1900s; an O'Brien Mine dust explosion near town on March 30, 1953 killed two men. Iowa runs a subsidence program through the Mines and Minerals Bureau and the DNR publishes a mine map, so an address check is a sensible records step. Foundations are worth reading for differential movement and repeat-patched cracks, and a crack is not subsidence when ordinary clay shrink-swell explains it.
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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