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Well Water Testing · Melcher-Dallas, IA

Water testing in Melcher-Dallas

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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Melcher-Dallas · Marion County

Well Water Testing in Melcher-Dallas

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.

Melcher-Dallas is two merged coal towns with two separate historic cores in one city. Housing here runs to early-1900s coal-era housing in two distinct cores — Dallas established 1855 and incorporated 1911, Melcher established 1913 — with postwar additions, across the Dallas core, the Melcher core, and the coal ground between and around them; the two towns merged into one city in 1986.

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

Well water in Marion County

Marion County has no county-specific private well results in the sources we reviewed, so general Iowa guidance applies. The Iowa DNR lists coliform bacteria and nitrate as annual tests and arsenic as a test every 3 years, with at least one arsenic test for every well. The Iowa Geological Survey describes Mississippian bedrock as giving smaller yields of poorer quality water in central and southeastern Iowa, but we did not confirm which Marion wells draw from it.

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

See all Melcher-Dallas inspections →  ·  Water testing in Iowa, explained →

Water tests available in Melcher-Dallas

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.

Melcher-Dallas 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.

Well water around Melcher-Dallas, Marion County

Melcher-Dallas, IA water testing: water main valve cover in a street in a small Iowa town in summer
Arsenic: Iowa DNR says test at least once →
Fire hydrant on a quiet street in a small Iowa town in spring green (Marion County, Iowa)
E. coli: a sign of fecal contamination →
Melcher-Dallas, IA water testing: well cap in the foreground, dairy barn and farmhouse behind it in rural Iowa in winter snow
VOCs: fuels, solvents and degreasers →

How far a well must be from common hazards in Melcher-Dallas

  • 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 Melcher-Dallas: 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.
What does the state say about water from bedrock wells in central Iowa?
The Iowa Geological Survey says the Mississippian aquifer, limestone and dolomite with some sandstone and gypsum, produces much smaller yields of poorer quality water in central and southeastern Iowa than in the north-central part. That is regional, not a Marion County measurement, so the only way to know a specific well is to test it.
Why does Melcher-Dallas need to be treated as two towns in one?
Because it is. Dallas was established in 1855 — originally called Ohio, for the Ohio-born miners — and incorporated in 1911; Melcher was established in 1913; the two merged into a single city in 1986, and Merger Day is still celebrated each May. That leaves two separate historic cores with different platting, different street-era utilities and different housing vintages inside one municipality, so a comparison drawn from one side can mislead you about the other. Add the coal history — 18 mines within a 20-mile radius, mines closing in 1952 — and the Iowa DNR mine map is worth a look by address.
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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