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Mitchell County sanitation office to charge $40 for water tests after state grant cut
Summary
Mitchell County sanitation staff told supervisors the state reduced the FY27 grant and lab prices rose; the county will charge a $40 processing fee for local water tests starting July 1 to cover lab costs and preserve core services.
Mitchell County’s sanitation director told the Board of Supervisors on June 16 that a reduction in state grant funding and increases in laboratory fees will force the county to begin charging residents for drinking-water tests.
“As of July 1st, we will be charging $40 for a water test,” the sanitation director said, explaining that the county’s FY27 contract with the state is smaller and that lab processing costs rose. The office has been reimbursed about $159.50 per test by the grant in the past, but the new award and price increases mean the county can no longer subsidize additional services it previously provided.
The sanitation update listed operational details and recent activity: about 95 water tests have been completed so far this year and the office expects roughly 130 by the end of the fiscal cycle; three wells were plugged in the previous quarter; the office has received 15 septic-system applications (seven already installed); and the county signed a three‑year intergovernmental agreement with the Iowa DNR for annual pumper inspections.
The sanitation director said the state-funded FY27 grant allocation dropped to $30,000 for Mitchell County—about $15,000 less than prior funding levels—and that the contract’s per-county cap and an approximate 6% laboratory price increase mean the office must trim services. “With the cut being so heavy, we will now be charging $40 for a water test to be taken here in the county,” the director said, adding that shipping costs will still be covered by the county and that residents can still submit tests directly to labs if they prefer (they would pay lab fees and shipping).
The director also described a reallocation of duties with the public health department: the county’s sanitation office will focus on private wells, septic permitting and inspections, and nuisance complaints, while the public health department will assume radon and lead testing, education and mitigation responsibilities.
Board members and staff discussed the change in funding and emphasized the need to make the reason for the fee clear to residents. The sanitation director asked supervisors to refer public questions to the sanitation office so staff can explain the state funding cut and the new policy.
The county noted that residents may still obtain test results and radon maps by visiting the sanitation office.
The county did not provide a formal schedule of exemptions or hardship waivers during the meeting; residents with questions were directed to contact the sanitation office.
