Environmental Health Office

THE WELL PROGRAM

The well program in Union County consists of well permits for new wells and water well testing, abandonment and rehabilitation.

WELL PERMITS

Application for permit to drill new wells can be obtained at the County Environmental Health Office located at 1701 Commerce Road in Creston, Iowa.  Fees for well permits are $75.  When the application process is complete, the County Environmental Health Specialist conducts a site evaluation for the well location and issues the permit.  Well permit is required when wells are drilled more than 20 feet deep.

Since rural water is now readily available to property owners in the County, there is not much call for water wells.  However, there has been more interest for heat pump wells.  The need arises for homeowners to obtain more efficient energy source.

Download Application for Private Well Construction Permit

GRANTS TO COUNTIES

Funds are still available to assist property owners to plug or renovate existing wells in the county.  Property owners in the county can receive 75 percent cost share up to $200 for each well plugged and up to $600 for wells renovated.

Requests can be made at the County Environmental Health Office located at 1701 Commerce Road in Creston, Iowa.  Property owners can also contact this office by phone at 641-782-7803 in Creston.  The Environmental Health Specialist will investigate and locate wells.  An estimate of materials and instruction for plugging or renovation will be provided to the homeowner.

Winter or early spring is a good time for plugging wells because this is off season of the busy workload of most homeowner.  Winter time is beneficial because of frozen ground offer a better access to abandoned wells.

The property owner can obtain services of well contractor, pump installer, well plugger or do the work themselves with the inspection of the County Environmental Health Specialist or Sanitarian.  Well drillers or pump installer can plug or renovated well if they are certified by the State of Iowa.  A new program is being offered this year to certify contractors to plug wells larger than 18 inches in diameter.

Workshops are being offered by Iowa Department of Natural Resources this year.  Please contact the County Environmental Health Office for schedule of workshops.  After classroom instruction, contractor can take a test to be certified.  Fee for this test will be $50.  After passing a written test, the contractor can be certified to plug wells for a fee of $250 for a two-year certification period.

Another program available to homeowners through the Grants to Counties is water well testing.  A homeowner can request a water well test of their drinking water.  The County will collect sample from your well at no cost to the homeowner.  You can make requests at the office listed above for Creston.

Sample of water collect is tested for nitrate and coliform bacteria.  The County Environmental Health Specialist will collect the sample and obtain some background information about the well from the homeowner.  When the results are process, the home owner will be notified and offered steps and some information to maintain safe drinking water.

Citizens or property owners in Union County can contact Louis Boeckman, County Environmental Specialist in Creston if they are interested in any of these programs.  Services can be done most times of the year.