Webster County hopes to test 30 percent of private wells throughout the county this fiscal year, thanks to a grant from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

According to Allison Roderick, environmental health officer, Webster County was given $45,454 in grant funding to provide private well water testing, well closure and plugging, cistern plugging, well reconstruction and renovation, shock chlorination, and well assessments.

The grant, which is funded by pesticide dealer fees, fertilizer sales fees, and pesticide registration fees, will provide more funding for private well services than has been provided in the past.

“Unlike public water supplies, private wells are not subject to the same stringent regulations and testing requirements enforced by the EPA,” said Roderick. “Some contaminants are colorless and odorless, so without annually testing your private well, you may not know if it has been contaminated.”

Private well water testing will continue to be provided to private well owners for free. Well closures and plugging was previously funded up to $500 and now will be funded up to $700. Cistern plugging was $300, now up to $400. Well reconstruction and renovation which was previously funded at $1,000 is now up to $2,000. Shock chlorination was paid at $300 and is now up to $400, and well assessments were $500 and are now up to $600.

According to Roderick, the funding isn’t just handed over to counties to use at the beginning of the fiscal year, but instead certain services must be provided and a claim submitted to the state for reimbursement.

“Well testing is not required unless a property is being transferred per Webster County ordinance 2023-03,” said Roderick. “However, it is strongly recommended and encouraged to protect not only yourself and your family, but our environment and groundwater.”

According to Roderick, the county has approximately 2,000 wells and in the 2024 fiscal year, she collected samples for about 10 percent of them.

“This was down from the approximate 20 percent in 2023 due to the increase in eligible reimbursement fees,” said Roderick. “We did not know if there would be reallocation of funds from other counties, so we tried to be conservative with the grant dollars so we could help more people with expenses that are grant eligible other than just the testing.”

However, after speaking with Iowa Health and Human Services, additional funding is being provided, and Roderick has set a goal to test at least 30 percent of all wells in Webster County.

To request private well testing, log on to WebsterCountyIA.gov or call Roderick at 515-227-7156.