If your private well is not working properly, a component of the well is broken, or it is potentially allowing contamination of the groundwater, it should be repaired or reconstructed.
Safety Hazard
There are many potential safety hazards that can come from wells with broken components or wells that are not up to today's code. A couple examples would be someone falling into the well, or contaminated surface water leaking into the well. Wells should be repaired or brought to code
whenever possible.
Cost-Sharing Program
There is a cost-sharing program through the county Environmental Health Department that can help you pay up to $1,000 for approved materials or labor for repairing your well. You must contact the Sanitarian at 641-849-7372 or by email ahead of time to be eligible for cost-sharing, regardless if you repair the well yourself or hire a contractor.
The cost-sharing program requires documentation, so you must retain all receipts and paperwork related to the well repair process in order to get reimbursed. Additionally, the Iowa DNR 542-1519 Well Reconstruction Record Form (PDF) must be completed once the well repair is finished.
Repairing the Well
If you decide to repair the well yourself, you must contact the county Sanitarian at 641-849-7372 a minimum of 48 hours ahead of time and schedule an appointment. The Sanitarian must visit the property and supervise the well repair.
*It is highly suggested that you hire a well contractor to do any work on your well, unless it is something simple like replacing a well cap.
Hiring a Contractor
If you hire someone to repair the well, he or she must be a certified well contractor in the state of Iowa. The Iowa DNR maintains a list of certified well contractors The Sanitarian reserves the right to reject any repair done for reimbursement that was not done by a certified well contractor.
Regulations
Any work done on your well must meet compliance standards as stated in Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 49 Nonpublic Water Supply Wells