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.
Roland is a small Norwegian-settled farm town of older frame homes north of Ames. Housing here runs to older frame farm-town homes, across the town core.
Questions about a Roland home? · Call or text (563) 517-7815
Well water in Story County
About 74% of Story County is row-crop land, and Iowa DNR notes that shallow wells may contain high nitrate. DNR recommends testing every private well at least once a year, with coliform bacteria and nitrate each year and arsenic at least once.
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.
Roland 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
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.
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 Roland: what happens at the sale
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.
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.
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.
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)).
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.
Does farmland around Ames affect well water?
About 74% of Story County is row-crop land, and Iowa DNR notes that shallow wells may contain high nitrate. DNR recommends testing nitrate and coliform bacteria every year. The State Hygienic Laboratory says water above 10 mg/L nitrate should not be used for infant formula or juice. Test before a baby drinks the water.
Do you cover Roland?
Yes — northern Story County is squarely in range. Older frame stock and slow-draining till make services, foundations and grading the recurring findings, and every home gets the Iowa radon conversation.
What does a positive coliform or E. coli result mean?
Per the State Hygienic Laboratory, absent coliform and E. coli means the water is bacterially safe. Present total coliform means unsafe with potential health concerns. Present coliform and E. coli means unsafe with serious health concerns, because a pathway from a waste source such as a septic tank or feedlot may exist. Short term, boil water for one minute or use a known safe source, then find and fix how bacteria are entering the system. A coliform result is a lab indicator of a possible sanitary defect, such as a loose cap or poor drainage at the wellhead.
Is nitrate in well water dangerous for infants?
Yes. The State Hygienic Laboratory says nitrate above 10 mg/L as N may pose a serious health hazard for infants, and such water should not be used in infant formula or juice. Infants fed it can develop methemoglobinemia, or blue baby syndrome, a life-threatening illness. Boiling does not remove nitrate. Shallow wells and poorly located, built or maintained wells are more likely to have nitrate, so annual testing is the way to know. A nitrate test is the only way to learn whether the water at a home with young children is below the 10 mg/L limit.
