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Water Quality Certifications
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Well Contractor Certification in Iowa

The DNR Well Contractor Certification program helps ensure that groundwater professionals in Iowa meet minimum levels of work experience and knowledge. This means that the individual performing well services understands the basic protections required by law and rule, and how their work impacts the safety of the drinking water supplies used by citizens, communities, and industry.

If a well owner hires anyone to perform well services, that individual must be a DNR Certified Well Contractor and must be on-site at all times any well service is taking place. If an owner performs their own well services, the owner must physically perform the work themselves - they cannot hire, pay, or barter with another individual or non-certified company to perform the actual well service. Owners must follow the same well laws and rules that professional certified well contractors follow.

In Iowa, all work that meets the definition of "well services" (as found in Iowa law and Iowa Administrative Code) must be performed by a DNR Certified Well Contractor, or by an owner. The term "well services" includes:

  • All well construction, reconstruction, renovation, and rehabilitation of both private and public water supply wells, including irrigation wells
  • All water well test holes and test wells, installation of dewatering wells, and all wells needed for groundwater monitoring and observation
  • Installation of vertical or horizontal ground heat exchange (GHEX) loop borehole systems
  • Installation and repair of all well pumping and distribution systems, including pressure tanks and pressure switches
  • Plugging of all types of water wells

Well services are complicated and detailed tasks that require highly trained individuals using specialized equipment to perform them competently and safely.

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Why Do We Certify Well Contractors?

Groundwater is a precious resource that can be found in abundance in most areas of Iowa. Certifying well contractors help ensures well services are completed in a manner that focuses on providing safe water sources and preserving those sources for future generations.

The protections are part of a set of uniform standards that the well industry helped create and are part of all well services that a professional certified well contractor provides. These services include well construction, pump installation, pump and pressure system repair, well renovation, well rehabilitation, water line installation and repair, and well plugging services.

There are minimum statewide standards and a requirement that a contractor plan and adapt your well services to the conditions found at your location and increase minimum standards when necessary to allow for greater protection. In some areas of the state, these additional protections are needed to ensure your drinking water starts out safe and remains that way for the useful life of the well.

DNR Certified Well Contractors are individuals who meet minimum work experience requirements in areas required for certification and have successfully passed state examinations demonstrating their knowledge of basic well services and state rules. They also must obtain continuing education to further their knowledge and skill sets. Certified Well Contractors are required to follow the DNR's well rules and contractor obligations. Well contractor certification is renewable for two year periods as long as the individual meets all eligibility requirements.

Certified Well Contractors are professionals who have a large investment in their tools, their continuing education, and their work experience. This allows them to perform the job in a manner that protects drinking water and the groundwater others depend on for their water source.

The type of well contractor certification an individual requires is based on the type of well services they want to offer. There are currently three levels of Certified Well Contractors in Iowa. They are Well Drillers, Pump Installers, and Well Plugger (a limited certification).

When choosing a certified well contractor, look for one who actively applies the standards, increases their knowledge and professionalism through continuing education, and has experience in providing successful outcomes in your local conditions.

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Do You Need Well Services?

Make sure you hire only DNR Certified Well Contractors. Using a non-certified well contractor creates additional expenses and requirements for both the well owner and the contractor. This ultimately increases the cost to both and creates additional liabilities for any inferior well services provided. If a non-certified contractor creates a groundwater hazard on your property, you, as the owner, are ultimately liable for all expenses to resolve the issue.

It's easy to find out if the individual working on your property is properly certified, look up their name on the Search Well Contractors page of IWIS based on the well services they are providing. If they are certified, their name will be on the list. If they are not certified, you shouldn't hire them - find a properly certified well contractor to perform your well services.

  • Well Drillers can drill new wells, renovate and rehabilitate old wells, and plug all types of wells
  • Pump Installers can install and repair pumping systems and water distribution systems, and plug all types of wells.
  • Well Pluggers can plug only Class 1 and Class 3 wells

Any contractor working without proper Iowa well contractor certification is breaking the law. Remember - Do it once and do it right!

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Well Contractor Rules and Regulations

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Well Contractor Certification Requirements

List items for Well Contractor Certification

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Types of Well Contractors

List items for Types of Well Contractors

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Iowa DIAL Requirements

In addition to DNR Well Contractor Certification, the State of Iowa requires that all Well Contractors register with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) and renew the registration annually. Anyone who performs water well related services are considered contractors under DIAL registration requirements. The DIAL requires all individual contractors and businesses performing “construction or service” work within Iowa to be registered, if the individual or business earns at least $2,000.00 a year from that work. For more information, please see DIAL's "How Do I Register as a Contractor?" webpage.

You can check to see if a contractor is currently registered with DIAL on the Public Search page of the Labor Portal.

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Well Contractor Resources

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