Iowa law requires that local boards of health regulate the private wells within their jurisdiction. To do this most counties hire or assign an environmental health specialist (EHS) to provide this regulatory program. These EHSs contract with the Department to issue a state well construction permit for new private wells. They also adopt ordinances dealing with well construction and well plugging. They are responsible to enforce the local and state regulations ensuring the private wells are properly constructed, renovated and plugged. The Department of Public Health provides grant money under the Grants-to-Counties program to help the counties with these duties.

The counties provide:

• Well permitting
• Assistance with well plugging
• Advice and assistance with well renovation
• Well water testing services

Wells intended to serve twenty five (25) or more people or fifteen (15) service connections are considered to be a public water supply and must obtain construction permits only from WS Engineering Section (WSE) . A public well is defined as having 15 or more service connections or serving 25 or more people for 60 or more days in a year.