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Well Water Testing · Russell, IA

Water testing in Russell

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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Russell · Lucas County

Well Water Testing in Russell

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.

Russell is an 1867 trackside Lucas County town of older homes in coal country. Housing here runs to late-1800s trackside frame homes with postwar additions, on a stock that has shrunk since 2000, across the town that developed along the tracks from 1867 and the Lucas County farm ground around it.

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

Well water in Lucas County

No Lucas County private well statistics were found. Iowa DNR guidance applies: coliform bacteria and nitrate annually, arsenic at least once, with free basic testing available through the Grants to Counties Well Testing Program by contacting the county health department. A 1969 Iowa Geological Survey report on neighboring Wayne County describes several south-central Iowa counties as chronically short of good-quality water, which shows why checking a rural supply matters, though that report does not name Lucas.

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

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

Water tests available in Russell

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.

Russell 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 Russell

  • 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 Russell: 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.
Why is it worth testing a rural well in Lucas County?
The Iowa DNR says testing tells you what is in your water, and recommends bacteria and nitrate checks every year. A 1969 state geological report on a neighboring county called south-central Iowa chronically short of good-quality water, and said rural domestic supplies were hard to obtain in many places. That is old and regional, so treat it as background only.
What is the difference between settlement and subsidence in a Russell basement?
Settlement is the foundation finding its bearing in soil that moves — on drift-plain clay that means seasonal shrink-swell, and the cracks tend to be thin, stable and often stair-stepped in block. Subsidence is the ground itself dropping into a void, and Lucas County was mined underground from the 1870s coal boom onward. The distinction matters because the fix is different. The crack pattern, width, offset and whether movement is current are what matter, and a structural engineer is recommended where the evidence points that way rather than guessing. The Iowa DNR mine map is worth checking on the address.
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.
Who do I call to get my well tested?
Call your county environmental health department and ask for the county sanitarian (environmental health specialist). DNR says local county health departments can help but you must contact them to start testing. Under the grant guidance the county health specialist must collect the samples, and the sanitarian can also help interpret results. DNR keeps a county contact spreadsheet that ISU Extension links to from its drinking water page. A lab result from a properly collected sample is what turns a guess about well water into a documented answer.
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