Ames, Iowa — A study from Iowa State University shows that only five to ten percent of the 230-thousand private well owners in the state test their water annually.
Iowa State Extension Water Quality Program Manager Catherine DeLong says one of the barriers to testing is a misunderstanding of what quality well water should be.
Bacteria, nitrates, and arsenic are the most common contaminants, and have all been detected in Iowa wells. DeLong says testing regularly is important because the impact of the contaminants don’t immediately show up when people drink the water.
Nitrates and arsenic in drinking water have been linked to cancers, cardiovascular issues, and birth defects.
