Arsenic testing available for private well owners
Private well owners in Iowa now may have their drinking water tested for arsenic at no cost through the Grants to Counties Program. On July 1, arsenic was added as an optional analysis to the minimum analyses for nitrate (including nitrite) and total coliform bacteria.The Hygienic Lab has been providing testing services to County Health Departments to assist private well owners through the Grants to Counties Program since its inception in 1987. In that year, the state legislature passed the Iowa Groundwater Protection Act that provided funds for private well owners to test their drinking water.
The Iowa Department of Public Health oversees the Grants to Counties Program through its Bureau of Environmental Health services.
Arsenic is naturally occurring throughout the state, but is known to be prevalent in north central Iowa. Inorganic arsenic has been linked to some agricultural and industrial sources and is classified by the National Toxicology Program and the EPA as a human carcinogen. Prolonged exposure to inorganic arsenic in water may increase the risk of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular and neurological disorders.
The American Cancer Society reports on its website that arsenic levels generally are higher in drinking water that comes from wells than in drinking water from a reservoir or lake.
Water from private wells is not regulated, and testing is not required as it is for municipal water systems. Laboratory testing is the only way private well owners can determine the levels of arsenic, coliform bacteria, nitrates and other contaminants in their drinking water.
The Hygienic Laboratory provides the arsenic speciation test, which separates different forms of arsenic and reports the individual concentration of each. Testing results help to determine the best treatment removal options.
Additional information about the program is available on the the Grants-to-Counties program page.
