For IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Iowa City, Iowa — Iowa private well owners in select counties can now receive free home water testing kits through a new research initiative. The program is designed to assess arsenic risks in drinking water and improve public health outcomes. 

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in Iowa's underground rock and soil deposits. Because arsenic is colorless, tasteless, and odorless, it cannot be detected without testing. Even in very low levels, long-term exposure to arsenic has been linked to cancer and other serious health risks. 

New research from the Iowa Integrated Network for Science, Information, and Geospatial Health Tracking (INSIGHT) program at the University of Iowa seeks to better understand arsenic levels in private drinking water wells. Because of Iowa's diverse geology and landforms, arsenic levels vary considerably across the state. 

"Where you live has a big impact on your exposure to arsenic in drinking water," says David Cwiertny, director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination (CHEEC) and Iowa INSIGHT lead. "Expanding arsenic testing in at-risk counties can support prevention strategies to improve public health outcomes."

North central Iowa has some of the highest rates of private wells exceeding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency arsenic limits. Several counties have limited arsenic testing data, including Benton, Cedar, Floyd, Jones, Mitchell, and Plymouth. This is especially concerning because these counties border areas with unsafe arsenic levels. 

To help fill monitoring gaps, Iowa INSIGHT is providing free at-home test kits to eligible private well owners. Understanding arsenic levels in private wells can help homeowners make informed decisions about protecting their drinking water, including the use of treatment systems that effectively remove arsenic. 

Learn more and request a test kit at iihr.uiowa.edu/arsenic-private-well-water.

ABOUT IOWA INSIGHT: Iowa INSIGHT launched on July 1, 2026, and is dedicated to understanding the impacts of exposure to environmental contamination on human health. The initiative is a partnership between CHEEC and IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering (IIHR), working collaboratively across the colleges of engineering and liberal arts and sciences to bring together complementary expertise in environmental monitoring, biomonitoring, data science, and community engagement. 

For more information, visit iihr.uiowa.edu/iowa-insight.

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