By
Tony Leys for KFF Health News.
Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service Collaboration

Allison Roderick has a warning and a pledge for rural residents of her county: The water from their wells could be contaminated, but the government can help make it safe.

Roderick is the environmental health officer for Webster County in north-central Iowa, where a few thousand rural residents live among sprawling corn and soybean fields. Many draw their water from private wells, which are exempt from most federal testing and purity regulations. Roderick spreads the word that they aren't exempt from danger.

More than 43 million Americans rely on private wells, which are subject to a patchwork of state and local regulations, including standards for new construction. But in most cases, residents are free to use outdated wells without having them tested or inspected. The practice is common despite concern about runoff from farms and industrial sites, plus cancer-causing minerals that can taint groundwater.

"You're cooking with it. You're cleaning with it. You're bathing in it - and, nowadays, there are so many things that can make you sick," Roderick said.

Federal experts estimate more than a fifth of private wells have concentrations of contaminants above levels considered safe.

Like many states, Iowa offers aid to homeowners who use well water. The state provides about $50,000 a year to each of its 99 counties to cover testing and help finance well repairs or treatment. The money comes from fees paid on agricultural chemical purchases, but about half goes unused every year, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Roderick, who started her job in 2022, aims to spend every penny allotted to her county. Last spring, she snared an extra $40,000 that other counties hadn't used. She promotes the program online and by mailing piles of postcards. Traveling the countryside in a hand-me-down SUV from the sheriff's department, she collects water samples from outdoor spigots and sends them to a lab.

When she finds contamination, she can offer up to $1,000 of state grant money to help with repairs, or up to $500 to cap an abandoned well.

Experts urge all users of private wells to have them tested at least annually. Even if wells meet modern construction standards and have tested clean in the past, they can become contaminated as the water table rises or falls and conditions change above them. A faulty septic system or overapplication of fertilizer or pesticide can quickly taint groundwater.

Too many residents assume everything is fine "as long as the water is coming out of the tap and it doesn't smell funny," said Sydney Evans, a senior science analyst for the Environmental Working Group, a national advocacy organization that studies water pollution.

The main concerns vary, depending on an area's geology and industries.

In Midwestern farming regions, for example, primary contaminants include bacteria and nitrates, which can be present in agricultural runoff. In rural Nevada and Maine, arsenic and uranium often taint water. And, throughout the country, concerns are rising about the health effects of PFAS chemicals, widely used products also known as "forever chemicals." A recent federal study estimated at least 45% of U.S. tap water contains them.

Filters can help ensure safety, but only if they're selected to address the specific problem affecting a home's water supply, Evans said. The wrong filter can give a false sense of safety.

Evans said people who wonder about possible contaminants in their area can ask to see test results from wells supplying nearby community water systems. Those systems are required to test their water regularly, and the results should be public, she said: "It's a great place to start, and it's free and easy."

She also said people who rely on private water wells should ask local health officials about eligibility for help paying for testing and possible repairs or filters. Subsidies are often available but not publicized, she said.

A study by Emory University researchers published in 2019 found that all states have standards for new well construction, and most states require permits for them. However, the researchers wrote, "even in states with standards for water quality testing, testing is typically infrequent or not conducted at all."

Some longtime rural residents live in homes that have been in their families for generations. They often know little about their water source. "They'll say, 'This is the well my grandfather dug. We've used it ever since, and no one's had an issue,'" said David Cwiertny, director of the University of Iowa's Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination. They might not realize impure water can harm health over time, he said.

Some states require inspection and tests of private wells when properties are sold. Iowa doesn't mandate such measures, although Webster County does. It's a good idea for homebuyers anywhere to request them, said Erik Day, who oversees the private well program for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. He also recommends asking for a technician who can run a flexible scope down the well to visually inspect the inside.

Day estimated fewer than 10% of Iowa's private well owners have them tested annually, even though testing can be free under the state grant program.

In Webster County, Larry Jones recently took advantage of free well testing at a weathered ranch house he bought west of Fort Dodge, in a subdivision bordering a large soybean field. Jones lives next door to the 54-year-old home, and he is refurbishing it as a place for his relatives to stay.

Roderick, the county health official, sampled water from the well and found it was tainted with bacteria. She offered Jones $1,000 from the state grant to help get it fixed. He added a few thousand dollars of his own and hired a contractor.

"It's an investment for the future," he said. "You're talking about your family."

The old well was made with a 2-foot-diameter concrete casing sunk vertically in sections about 60 feet into the ground. A smaller plastic pipe ran down the middle of the casing to water at the bottom. A pump pulled water up through the smaller pipe and into the home.

Lynn Rosenquist, who owns a local well-repair business, told Jones the well probably was original to the house and likely met standards when it was built. But at least one chunk of concrete had broken off and fallen in.

Repairs took two days of heavy work by Rosenquist and his brother, Lanny, who are the third generation of their family to maintain wells. The brothers used a backhoe and small crane to remove much of the concrete casing. They replaced it with a narrower, PVC pipe, which they sealed with a cement mixture to prevent seepage from the surface. When finished, they "shocked" the system with a bleach solution, then flushed and tested again.

Such modern construction is less prone to becoming tainted, Roderick said. "If it's not sealed airtight, bacteria can get in there and it's just gross," she said.

Grossness is not the only thing Roderick considers. Besides E. coli and other bacteria, she tests for nitrates and sulfates, which can exist in farm or lawn runoff or come from natural sources, and for arsenic and manganese, which can occur in rock formations. She plans to add tests for PFAS chemicals soon.

She collects the water in small plastic bottles, which she mails to a lab. She enters information about each well into a state database. If the tests turn up contaminants, she advises homeowners of their options.

Roderick said she enjoys the routine. "I've met so many people - and I've met a lot of dogs," she said with a laugh. "I love the feeling that I'm really helping people."


Tony Leys wrote this article for KFF Health News.


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By Mitzi S. Morris for the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Indiana News Service reporting for the Indiana Capital Chronicle-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service Collaboration

As Indiana anticipates slow population growth in the coming years, small cities and towns in rural Indiana are pushing forward with projects to attract residents and businesses to their communities.

Growth over the next four decades is projected to be lower than it was in the decade between 2000 and 2010, according to Matt Kinghorn, senior demographer at the Indiana Business Research Center. More than 70% of Indiana's counties are expected to lose residents over the next 30 years, many of which are rural and also lost population in the 2020 census.

"And the counties that are growing quickly are generally taking population from other areas of the state. So it's not an overall net increase," said Matt Greller, chief executive officer of Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (AIM).

But small Hoosier communities aren't going down without a fight.

Local businesses, organizations and governments are applying for grants, investing in quality-of-life projects and supporting small businesses to draw new citizens and spur economic growth.

"For a community to have the amenities that folks want these days, whether it's broadband or trails or a vibrant Main Street, you've got to have a coalescing of people to make that happen," Greller said.

Going after grants

Grants are crucial in helping small cities and towns in Indiana launch and complete initiatives. Community foundations, state entities and federal sources all play a role in funding local projects.

For example, Boonville in Warrick County is working toward Indiana Accredited Main Street (IAMS) status after completing the Aspiring IAMS 1-year Program.

"(Indiana Accredited Main Street) opens the door for more grant money, which is the key to doing just about anything that you want to do of significance. If you can't get grants, then you've got to do fundraising, and it's pretty hard to raise a million dollars in a town like Boonville," said Jim Miller, executive director of Boonville Now. His group promotes the city's downtown.

The city even hired a firm with a grant researcher dedicated to ensuring community leaders know about every possible funding opportunity.

"The idea was, 'Let's pay this company $50,000 a year, and we'll be looking at $100,000, $200,000, $300,000 grants per year.' Then it pays for itself," Miller said. "I've got spreadsheets of probably 20 things that they're working on."

Miller employs Placer.ai, a location analytics software, to track foot traffic in the city, then uses the information to apply for grants. Janelle Amy, executive director of Main Street Corydon, a Nationally Accredited Main Street community, also plans to use Placer.ai data to attract local investment.

Indiana University Southeast (IUS) is "able to send some reports for us to be able to measure and see how many pings on these phones were coming through and being able to see those heavy spikes whenever we have those larger festivals, especially in our downtown, hoping that we're able to see that data year after year to see, 'Are we seeing continued growth? Should we focus our efforts elsewhere?'" Amy said.

Another grant source, the state-funded Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI), has given hundreds of millions of dollars to economic growth projects across the state. The READI program is not in the current version of the state budget, according to Greller.

"I hate to see that go away because it's such an innovative thing that set apart Indiana, certainly in the Midwest and maybe the rest of the country. It is having a real impact on some of these rural communities," he said.

Quality of life investment

For small Hoosier cities and towns to survive, Greller said municipalities must be willing to fund projects that meet their residents' needs, particularly when it comes to quality of life.

"We live in a world where we all want lower taxes," said Greller. "But there are studies after studies that show once a government decides to make a formal investment in a community in a meaningful way, that typically has a snowball effect."

Miller said increased property tax values helped Boonville accomplish several quality-of-life projects.

"We've been able to take advantage of that and issue bonds to be able to build a new pool and to completely renovate the splash pad and the playground area and the basketball courts and things at City Lake," he said.

But property taxes are in the crosshairs at the Legislature.

Greller emphasized investment in city and town parks as a key driver of economic growth in rural Indiana.

"(Smaller parks) drive things like community events, farmers markets, summer concert series, hot rod festivals or whatever it is that wants to come to an individual community. Those kinds of investments have done well and created good returns over the years," he said.

Miller said Boonville is also focusing on historic preservation with the Mt. Liberty Baptist Church and School restoration project. In Corydon, the town is building a skate park and increasing walkability by connecting downtown to Rice Island Park.

"Being able to expand that further out ... we've opened up a whole other level for people to be able to visit our downtown and hopefully shop and support and live here as well," said Amy.

Attracting businesses and residents

When big employers leave small Hoosier cities and towns, residents often go with them. Corydon is looking to draw a new industry after Tyson Foods' closure last year affected nearly 370 employees.

New Gov. Mike Braun's campaign included a plan targeting rural Indiana, and the current state budget proposal includes a tax credit to attract qualified private sector investors to raise and invest flexible capital into rural communities and help rural businesses to sustainably expand their operations.

Greller said Gas City went through a similar situation as Corydon when the area was hit hard by the downturn in automobile manufacturing jobs.

"They pivoted. They made some strong investments in their community. They've seen an uptick in growth and population. They just built the performing arts center, which is a sign of things improving in those kinds of communities," he said.

In Boonville, two new establishments - a restaurant with catering service and a cigar lounge - recently opened in the historic district, according to Miller.


"What we're trying to concentrate on is bringing in more small businesses because we do have some empty spaces on the square and around the square," he said. "We don't have any more land to be able to give a bigger industry that wants to come in."

Thanks to city grants, Boonville entrepreneurs can apply for money to enhance building facades and revolving loan funds to make other improvements or start a business. Corydon also has a facade program funded in part by the Harrison County Community Foundation and a community collaboration fund created from a state grant.

"We were able to offer up to $5,000 to our downtown business owners for whatever initiative they needed at that time. So it could be purchasing new inventory, helping them with their marketing, Just whatever we could do to give them an additional boost to keep them here and hopefully support their initiative moving forward," Amy said.

Programs like Make My Move and Choose Southern Indiana offer remote workers incentives for relocation within the Hoosier State. However, Greller questioned how emerging return-to-office policies will affect these initiatives in the future.

"I'm interested to see what happens in some of these communities that have had success attracting those folks into their areas," he said.

Amy viewed new housing developments in Corydon and Harrison County over the past year as a sign of residential growth.

"I know of at least three additional apartment complexes within the Corydon area that are very close to downtown," she said. "And new subdivisions have been populating as well in Corydon and beyond."

Pushing past reality

Despite the efforts of small cities and towns in Indiana to remain independent, Greller said some areas that thrived on historic economic drivers may need to have some tough conversations.

"We have some small communities that were there because there was a grain elevator 150 years ago or there was a railroad stop 150 years ago. Does it make sense for the viability of the region they're in to continue to exist as an incorporated area? Maybe we ought to look at merging with other forms of government for the greater good," he said.

Federal funding cuts are also a concern regarding infrastructure projects and other initiatives in small municipalities.

"Many communities are fortunate to receive Economic Development Administration, (U.S. Department of Agriculture), Small Business Administration and other types of federal funding. I do believe that economic growth could be threatened if funding commitments from these federal agencies are halted abruptly," said Darrell Voelker, executive director of the Harrison County Economic Development Corporation.

To persist, Greller said small Hoosier cities and towns must get creative and maximize opportunities to ensure sustainability and longevity.

"We're going to have to take a close look at ourselves and make sure we're running as lean and efficiently as possible to make sure we have resources to invest in these types of programs," he said.


Mitzi S. Morris wrote this article for the Indiana Capital Chronicle.


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Indiana lawmakers paused action this week on a bill which aims to prevent crashes caused by dangerously overgrown rural intersections after concerns arose about liability.

The bill originated after Riley Settergren, 17, died in a 2017 collision at a Hancock County intersection.

Jay Settergren, his father, testified Monday before lawmakers, urging stronger rules to prevent similar tragedies.

"Just days before his senior year, Riley was taken from us by a piece of farm machinery that could not see at an intersection because it was obstructed by corn," Settergren recounted. "They had to move out further into the road. The truck Riley was a passenger in was struck. Riley was killed instantly."

The current proposal would mandate property owners or renters near rural intersections clear all vegetation or obstacles above three feet, ensuring drivers can see approaching traffic. However, farm groups oppose the measure, citing liability risks and potential loss of productive farmland.

After Riley's death, his family created a foundation honoring their son, placing caution signs at intersections statewide to alert drivers to the risks near farmland. Riley's father stressed to lawmakers while signs help, permanent visibility improvements require enforceable legislation.

"We need to move to the next level," Settergren urged. "We need help to pass this putting responsibility on the landowners and the lessees to make sure that they are maintaining their corners, and their crops, and their properties."

Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie, said legislators intend to amend House Bill 183, shifting emphasis away from strict sightline triangles, toward maintaining existing road right-of-ways.


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The future of a big carbon capture project in the Midwest was thrown off balance after a new South Dakota law was adopted. Rural property owners made a big push for the policy and their organizing is getting noticed.

South Dakota's governor just signed a bill prohibiting eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines. It is in response to a proposed line where the company behind it has not secured all the voluntary land agreements it needs. Worried landowners found sympathetic ears in the Legislature.

Sarah Jaynes, executive director of the Rural Democracy Initiative, said outcomes like these reflect the mindset of smaller communities when big projects come their way, potentially affecting their way of life.

"Rural people are not in the habit of fighting things," Jaynes pointed out. "They're in the habit of taking a close look at what's proposed for their communities after decades of exploitation."

She is referring to corporations outsourcing jobs from rural areas, as well as agricultural firms wanting to add larger animal feedlot operations. Jaynes noted the decline of local news outlets is likely playing a role in how communities are responding. Without access to key information, residents are enhancing their coordination to have a bigger voice.

The multistate carbon pipeline is proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions, which wants to capture ethanol plant emissions and store them underground. It touts economic and environmental benefits but some skeptics see it as a power grab, especially if objecting landowners are forced to let it run along their property through eminent domain.

Jaynes explained in a broader sense, rural residents are not confined to narratives about what they care about.

"They want to make sure that they have clean air and water and access to nature," Jaynes emphasized. "They want to take care of their land."

Such sentiments have surfaced in polling from the Rural Democracy Initiative.

As for the Summit project, the new law might lead to a legal challenge. Summit has won permit approval in other states and is trying again in South Dakota. But the uncertainty, along with the land restrictions, could make it harder to begin construction. The governor insists the action will not kill the project, calling it an "opportunity for a needed reset."


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