Certified labs by state
Iowa
In Iowa, private wells are overseen through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources private well program, with county environmental health staff helping residents arrange testing and services. Iowa guidance especially emphasizes nitrate, bacteria, arsenic, and manganese testing for private wells, and Iowa HHS says the entire state is at high risk for radon in homes.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Certifies drinking water labs
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources
- Official certified lab list
- Official page →
- Free or low-cost testing
- Iowa's Private Well Grants Program provides free testing for bacteria/E. coli/coliform, nitrate, arsenic, and manganese through county environmental health offices, and DNR lists subsidized services such as shock chlorination, assessments, plugging, and reconstruction/renovation.
Official resources in Iowa
Main state page for private well oversight, guidance, county coordination, and related well services.
Official Iowa testing recommendations, free Private Well Grants details, and steps for getting samples collected.
Search tool residents can use to find Iowa-certified laboratories, including drinking-water labs.
University of Iowa public lab page explaining what private well owners should test and when, plus county-program links.
State health portal with Iowa private-well data for arsenic, coliform bacteria, nitrate, and private-well services.
Key facts for Iowa
- Iowa DNR is the certifying authority for Safe Drinking Water Act laboratories in Iowa. (Iowa DNR)
- Iowa DNR says private well users should test annually for coliform bacteria and nitrate. (Iowa DNR)
- Iowa DNR recommends arsenic every 3 years, and SHL says at least once during the well's lifetime. (Iowa DNR; SHL)
- Iowa's Private Well Grants Program provides free testing for bacteria/E. coli/coliform, nitrate, arsenic, and manganese. (Iowa DNR)
- Iowa DNR says shallow aquifers and shallow karst bedrock regions can have high nitrate and bacteria problems. (Iowa DNR)
- Iowa HHS says the entire state of Iowa is considered at high risk for radon gas in homes. (Iowa HHS)
What to do next
- Start with your county environmental health office to request Private Well Grants testing and help interpreting results.
- If your well is shallow, in karst, recently repaired, or your water changed in taste, odor, color, or sediment, test more than the minimum schedule.
- If county collection is unavailable, use the Iowa DNR LabCert search to choose a certified drinking-water laboratory.
Helpful guides
- How to choose a state-certified drinking water lab
- What to test your private well water for (and how often)
- How to collect a well water sample without ruining the test
- How to read a water test report: MCLs, units and flags