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Well Water Testing · Woodburn, IA

Water testing in Woodburn

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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Woodburn · Clarke County

Well Water Testing in Woodburn

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.

Woodburn is a small Clarke County town founded in 1868 when the railroad came through the eastern part of the county. Housing here runs to a small stock of houses from the railroad years after 1868, with later frame and postwar homes from a town that peaked at 467 residents in 1900, across the compact townsite of about 0.63 square miles and the farm ground and acreages around it.

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

Well water in Clarke County

We found no Clarke County well-quality figures in the pages we opened. State guidance still applies: the Iowa DNR recommends testing for coliform bacteria and nitrate yearly and for arsenic at least once, and points owners to their county health department for free basic testing under the Grants to Counties program. The Iowa Geological Survey's Dakota aquifer study, which did not name its counties in the text we read, found water generally fair to poor, with iron usually above the EPA recommended level.

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

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

Water tests available in Woodburn

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.

Woodburn 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 Woodburn

  • 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 Woodburn: 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.
Does Clarke County have special well-water problems?
We could not find Clarke County data, so we will not claim any. The Iowa Geological Survey's Dakota aquifer study, which covers a 16-county area it did not name in the text we read, found water quality generally fair to poor, with sulfate often above the 250 mg/L EPA recommended maximum. Testing your own well is the only way to know.
Woodburn peaked at 467 residents in 1900 and is much smaller now. What does that mean for an older house here?
A town that has shrunk often has houses that went through long stretches of light maintenance, so deferred upkeep is worth watching for throughout the building. Roof coverings and flashing, foundation cracking and settlement, rot at porch and window framing, older wiring and plumbing, and how the furnace and water heater have been kept up are the usual concerns. Outside town limits there are acreages, and a property with its own septic system needs the time-of-transfer inspection required by Iowa Code 455B.172, plus a look at the well. Clarke County is EPA Radon Zone 1, so a radon test belongs in the basement review.
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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