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Well Water Testing · Oakland Acres, IA

Water testing in Oakland Acres

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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Oakland Acres · Jasper County

Well Water Testing in Oakland Acres

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.

Oakland Acres is a tiny incorporated residential place of scattered homes and acreages on the Jasper County line. Housing here runs to scattered detached homes and acreage-style properties rather than a platted town core, most on private well and septic, across the handful of streets inside the town's roughly third-of-a-square-mile boundary and the surrounding Jasper County farm ground.

Questions about a Oakland Acres home?  ·  Call or text (563) 517-7815

Well water in Jasper County

Jasper County Environmental Health, in Newton, says well water testing should be completed once a year and that it has a grant covering most of the cost.About 69% of the county is row-crop land. The county page does not say which contaminants are tested, so ask the office when you call 641-792-3084.

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

See all Oakland Acres inspections →  ·  Water testing in Iowa, explained →

Water tests available in Oakland Acres

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.

Oakland Acres 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 Oakland Acres, Jasper County

Oakland Acres, IA water testing: old dry cleaner storefront on a Iowa main street in evening light
Arsenic: Iowa DNR says test at least once →
Glass of water with a faint oily sheen on a Iowa kitchen counter wider view (Jasper County, Iowa)
E. coli: a sign of fecal contamination →
Oakland Acres, IA water testing: rust-colored water filling a white bathtub in a newer Iowa home
VOCs: fuels, solvents and degreasers →

How far a well must be from common hazards in Oakland Acres

  • 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 Oakland Acres: 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.
Who handles well water questions in Jasper County, Iowa?
Jasper County Environmental Health, at 315 W 3rd St, Suite 150 in Newton, handles well water testing and well plugging, and its page says testing should be done once a year. Call 641-792-3084 to ask what is tested and how to arrange it. The Iowa DNR also advises arsenic testing at least once.
Do you inspect well and septic properties at Oakland Acres?
Yes, and most properties here have both. Oakland Acres is a very small incorporated place with no municipal utility grid behind it, so the private well calls for water testing and the septic system for its own separate evaluation by a licensed installer, and the house itself still has its service panel, supply lines, drain stacks, roof, foundation and grading. Outbuildings are inspected on request. Iowa sits in EPA Radon Zone 1, so a 48-hour radon test is worth adding while we are on site.
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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