17 named for lead itself on the list.
Per the state list or a state web page. Call to confirm.
Located outside Iowa but on its list.
USGS estimate for Iowa.
How many labs test for lead in Iowa
17 labs on Iowa's official drinking-water lab list are certified to test for lead. All 17 are named for lead on the list. The Iowa list does not say which labs take samples from homeowners, so call a lab before you send one. 10 are located outside Iowa.
The list is published by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) - Environmental Laboratory Certification Program. List version on file: Date Generated: 11/14/2026 (LabCert, live database). Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC).
Iowa labs certified for lead
| Lab | Location | Lead certification | Public samples | Cert. expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Water - Belleville | Belleville, IL | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 11/1/2027 |
| Ames City Lab | Ames, IA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 10/1/2027 |
| Culligan Analytical Laboratory | Rosemont, IL | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 12/1/2028 |
| EMSL Analytical -Cinnaminson | Cinnaminson, NJ | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 2/1/2027 |
| Eurofins - Chicago | Tinley Park, IL | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 5/1/2028 |
| Eurofins - Lancaster | Lancaster, PA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 3/1/2028 |
| Eurofins - South Bend | South Bend, IN | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 11/1/2027 |
| Foundation Analytical Laboratory | Cherokee, IA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 6/1/2028 |
| Microbac Laboratories - Newton | Newton, IA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 2/1/2028 |
| Midwest Laboratories | Omaha, NE | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 5/1/2027 |
| Pace Analytical - Mt. Juliet | Mt. Juliet, TN | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 6/1/2028 |
| Pace Analytical Services - Minneapolis | Minneapolis, MN | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 6/1/2027 |
| Pace Analytical Services - Peoria | Peoria, IL | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 9/1/2027 |
| QC Analytical Services | Le Claire, IA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 10/1/2026 Date on list has passed |
| State Hygienic Laboratory - Ankeny | Ankeny, IA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab | 4/1/2028 |
| Cedar Rapids Utilities Laboratory | Cedar Rapids, IA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | 6/1/2028 |
| Des Moines Water Works Lab | Des Moines, IA | Named on the official list | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | 3/1/2028 |
How the Iowa list marks public samples (whole list). Not stated in the list. Iowa DNR's program page says private well owners can get free testing once a year through the Grants to Counties program, which "is run by your county health department."
Before you send a sample, call the lab to confirm it is currently certified for the exact test and method, that it accepts samples from homeowners, and how to collect and ship them. Status can change between list updates.
Why test for lead in Iowa
On a private well, lead almost always comes from the metal the water touches on its way to your glass, and corrosive water decides how much. Read our lead explainer.
About 494,022 people in Iowa used private wells in 2015, by the USGS estimate of people on domestic self-supplied water. [1] Federal limits are written for public water systems, not private wells, so testing is up to the owner.
For tests that depend on your home (farms nearby, old plumbing, a new baby), use the which-tests checklist. When results arrive, check your numbers against EPA's limits. State guidance, county data and every lab: Iowa.
Other tests in Iowa
Iowa DNR LabCert - List of Certified Labs (Drinking Water program) + Find a Lab analyte search + Lab Details.
Official source