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Well Water Testing · Union, IA

Water testing in Union

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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Union · Hardin County

Well Water Testing in Union

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.

Union is a small Hardin County farm town of older homes laid out in 1868. Housing here runs to late-1800s and early-1900s frame homes dating from the 1868 layout and the 1874 incorporation, with postwar additions, across the compact town grid and the Hardin County farm ground around it.

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

Well water in Hardin County

Private wells in Hardin County are the owner's responsibility to test. Iowa DNR recommends that all private well owners test at least annually, with coliform bacteria and nitrate checked each year, and arsenic tested at least once. DNR also notes that nitrate, arsenic, and other contaminants occur naturally in some aquifers, and that shallow groundwater is more exposed to surface contaminants. DNR says weak natural protection of an aquifer is a reason to test more often. Published county-level well results were not found for Hardin County, so testing your own well is the only way to know what is in it.

County facts checked October 2026 against: iowadnr.gov, iowadnr.gov, services.shl.uiowa.edu, hhs.iowa.gov.

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

Water tests available in Union

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.

Union 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.

Private wells and water systems around Union

Union, IA water testing: clear water flowing from a faucet into a sample bottle at a Iowa basement utility sink
Coliform bacteria: Iowa DNR recommends testing every year →
White hard-water scale on a shower door in a 1970s Iowa bathroom (Hardin County, Iowa)
Nitrate: EPA limit 10 mg/L, highest risk to infants →
Union, IA water testing: muddy ground around a well casing after heavy rain in Iowa summer
Arsenic: Iowa DNR says test at least once →

How far a well must be from common hazards in Union

  • 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 Union: 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.
Is there a program that helps Hardin County residents get well water tested?
Iowa's Private Well Grants Program, run through county health departments, aims to provide free water testing to residents whose main drinking water comes from private wells. The State Hygienic Laboratory directs residents to contact their county sanitarian to find out if the county participates and whether funding remains. Funding may be limited, so ask the county office first.
What should Union buyers know about the ground their foundation sits on?
That it holds water. Union is in Hardin County, on the transitional ground where the long, low-relief Iowan Surface meets the younger Des Moines Lobe till to the northwest — flat country, and till like that drains slowly. In practice that means grading, downspout discharge and sump performance carry more weight in the report than they would on a sloping southern-Iowa lot, because there is nowhere for the water to go except down against the wall. Staining, efflorescence and rust lines in the basement or crawlspace record past water, and a working sump pump with a discharge that carries water away from the house rather than back into the footing drain is the thing to confirm. Footings on newer work should sit below the frost depth the local building department requires.
Does Iowa offer free or low-cost private well testing?
Yes. Iowa's Private Well Grants program, also called Grants to Counties, is run through Iowa HHS with DNR technical help. It provides free water testing for private well owners. The listed analytes are bacteria/E. coli/coliform and nitrate annually, plus arsenic and manganese every 3 years. A county health specialist collects the sample, so you start by contacting your county health department and asking to take part in the program. Testing is the only way to know whether a well's water is safe, and a baseline result helps a buyer judge the water at a home with a private well.
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, and a home inspection of the wellhead looks for visible defects like a loose cap or poor drainage.
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