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- Coliform Bacteria
Missouri county well guide
Well Water in Howard County, MO: Testing, Contractors and Rules
About 96 households in Howard County, 2% of the county, rely on a private well. Nobody tests that water unless the owner does.
of households on a private well
Share on wells, county vs state
3licensed contractors serve the county
24 mito the nearest certified lab, Engineering Surveys & Services
Nostatewide test required when a home is sold
Wells are the exception in Howard County: about 96 households, under 2% of the county, are on a private well. Being in the minority means less local help, so this page gathers what applies.
Local rules for wells in Howard County
The rules that apply in Howard County are set at the state level in Missouri. New wells must be tested before use, and nothing is required at sale. Some counties and townships add permits or setbacks of their own, so check locally before drilling. The state's own recommendations are below.
At a glance
Water test for a new wellRequired
No permit for the owner, but the well must be built by a Missouri permitted well installation contractor to the 10 CSR 23-3 standards for its drilling area (Missouri has 13 drilling areas with different minimum casing depths, grouted casing, 50 ft from a septic tank and 100 ft from a lagoon or drainfield), and the contractor must disinfect the well, take a water sample for bacteria after construction and file a well certification report with the Missouri Geological Survey within 60 days. The State Public Health Laboratory's New Well Series (pH, fluoride, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, iron, manganese and lead) is the usual chemistry check on a new well.
Water test when a home is soldNot required statewide
No statewide requirement. The Missouri seller's disclosure asks only whether the water supply is a private well and whether the seller knows of problems. FHA, VA and USDA loans normally require a bacteria, nitrate and lead sample from a certified lab before closing.
What the state recommends
The Department of Health and Senior Services recommends testing a private well every year for coliform bacteria, and every few years for nitrate, pH, hardness, iron, manganese, lead and copper (the State Public Health Laboratory's minerals, nutrients and metals panel covers all of these plus arsenic and uranium). Add radon and radium in the Ozarks, lead and cadmium in the Old Lead Belt and Viburnum Trend mining districts, sulfate and chloride in deep northern wells, pesticides in shallow Bootheel wells, and test again after flooding, well work or a change in taste, color or smell. Karst wells and springs in the Ozarks should be retested after heavy rain.
Free or low-cost testingAvailable
No free program, but the cheapest state lab in the country: the State Public Health Laboratory tests a private well or cistern sample for total coliform and E. coli for a $10 handling fee. Pick up the kit from your local public health agency or district health office, collect the sample and hand it back for the lab's free statewide overnight courier. Chemistry panels cost more and are ordered through the same agency or the Bureau of Environmental Epidemiology (573-751-6102).
Getting your water tested near Howard County
The nearest certified lab is Engineering Surveys & Services in Columbia, about 24 miles from the county center. Mail-in kits fill the gap for anything it does not run.
1 certified labs within 40 miles
Licensed well contractors serving Howard County
Licensed help in Howard County includes AAA Pump Co and Rieschick Drilling Co and 1 other. Every listing was matched to the Missouri license list; the "verify" link on each profile opens the state lookup.
3 licensed contractors
AAA Pump Co
Verified license
License 004014 Active
- Geothermal
- Pump Installation
- Pump Repair
- Well Abandonment
- Well Drilling
- Well Repair
Rieschick Drilling Co
Verified license
License 006736 Active
- Geothermal
- Pump Installation
- Pump Repair
- Well Abandonment
- Well Drilling
- Well Repair
Weston Well Service
Verified license
License 002626 Active
- Pump Installation
- Pump Repair
- Well Abandonment
- Well Drilling
- Well Repair
Well depth and water chemistry
Well depth and water chemistry in Howard County follow the rock underneath it. Typical wells here run 300 to 480 feet; the median of 37 domestic wells certified to the Missouri Geological Survey since 2000 is 400 feet. Contaminants worth testing for in this part of Missouri include coliform bacteria (the most common failure statewide, worst in ozark karst wells and springs after rain), nitrate (shallow wells in farm country, the bootheel and northern missouri).
Typical well depth
300 to 480 feet; the median of 37 domestic wells certified to the Missouri Geological Survey since 2000 is 400 feet
Contaminants to test for
- Coliform bacteria (the most common failure statewide
- Worst in Ozark karst wells and springs after rain)
- Nitrate (shallow wells in farm country
- The Bootheel and northern Missouri)
- Hardness (dolomite across the Ozarks)
- Iron and manganese (glacial till
- Alluvium and Bootheel sands)
- Radon and radium (locally in the Ozark aquifer)
- Lead
- Cadmium and zinc (Old Lead Belt
- Viburnum Trend and Tri-State mining districts)
- Sulfate
- Chloride and sodium (deep bedrock wells in northern and western Missouri)
- Arsenic (locally)
- Pesticides (shallow Bootheel and river-bottom wells)
- PFAS near airfields and industrial sites
Neighboring counties: Cooper County, Randolph County, Boone County, Saline County.
What well work costs in Howard County
Basic bacteria and nitrate test$25 to $75lab fee, homeowner sample
Full panel lab test$150 to $400metals, VOCs, radiologicals
Well inspection$250 to $550flow, pressure, visual, water test
Submersible pump replacement$1,200 to $4,500parts and labor
Pressure tank replacement$400 to $1,200installed
Whole-house treatment system$800 to $6,000softener, iron filter, UV, RO
New well drilled$5,500 to $25,000about $25 to $65 per foot
Shock chlorination$80 to $300or about $20 as a DIY job
National ranges from published 2025 to 2026 contractor pricing. Local quotes vary with depth, access and materials.
Questions Howard County well owners ask
How many homes in Howard County are on a well?
About 96, or 2% of households, based on Census housing data and state well surveys. The share is highest outside the towns with public water.
Where is the closest certified lab to Howard County?
Engineering Surveys & Services in Columbia, about 24 miles away. Call first to ask whether they accept homeowner samples.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Howard County?
No permit for the owner, but the well must be built by a Missouri permitted well installation contractor to the 10 CSR 23-3 standards for its drilling area (Missouri has 13 drilling areas with different minimum casing depths, grouted casing, 50 ft from a septic tank and 100 ft from a lagoon or drainfield), and the contractor must disinfect the well, take a water sample for bacteria after construction and file a well certification report with the Missouri Geological Survey within 60 days. The State Public Health Laboratory's New Well Series (pH, fluoride, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, iron, manganese and lead) is the usual chemistry check on a new well.
What does a well test cost near Howard County?
A bacteria and nitrate test runs $25 to $75 at most certified labs; a full panel with metals is $150 to $400. Mail-in kits cost about the same as walking in.