Home inspection: the well and septic are not on the list
Myth: the home inspection covers the well and the septic system.
Fact: Home inspection standards in Illinois list what the inspector checks in the plumbing [1]. That is the water supply and distribution inside the house, the drains, waste and vent pipes, the water heater, fuel storage and the sump pump [1]. A private well and a septic system are not on that list [1].
An inspector may add other services to the written contract [1]. Read its list of systems before you sign, and see what the inspector looks at in an Illinois home inspection.
Well water: looking fine is not a test
Myth: if the water looks, smells and tastes fine, it is safe to drink.
Fact: Well water can look fine and still fail a test. The Illinois EPA says some contamination shows by sight, taste or smell, but "many of the most serious problems can only be detected through laboratory testing" [5]. It also says private well owners have the main responsibility to test their own water [5].
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) names two tests [4]:
- Coliform bacteria. A positive result means the sample may have been contaminated by surface water or waste [4].
- Nitrate. IDPH says nitrate in groundwater usually comes from farm fertilizer, livestock waste or septic systems [4].
With no coliform and nitrate under 10 milligrams per liter as nitrogen, IDPH says the water may be considered safe to drink based on those results. It says to test the well every year after that [4].
Disclosure report: only what the seller knows
Myth: the seller would have to tell me about any well or septic problem.
Fact: The Illinois disclosure report asks only about what the seller is aware of [2]. Three of its lines cover this:
- Line 10: material defects in the well or well equipment [2]
- Line 11: unsafe conditions in the drinking water [2]
- Line 14: material defects in the septic, sanitary sewer or other disposal system [2]
Each line begins with "I am aware of" [2]. A problem nobody has found yet is not on the form. Here is what an Illinois seller must tell a buyer.
Septic evaluation: more than pumping the tank
Myth: checking a septic system means pumping the tank.
Fact: A septic evaluation in Illinois has its own state form. The IDPH Private Sewage Disposal System Evaluation Form checks [3]:
- the inlet and outlet baffles, the water level, and the tank's walls and ceiling
- the sludge and scum layers, which together should be under 33 percent of the tank's designed liquid level [3]
- the date the tank was last pumped
- the distribution box, the pump, its float switch and its alarm, where the system has them
- the seepage field: where it is, how big it is, signs of discharge or soggy ground, dead or missing plants, and trees growing into it
The check for discharge or soggy ground is done when there has been no rain in the 48 hours before [3]. Repairs can only be done by a licensed Private Sewage Disposal Installation contractor, or by the homeowner on their own primary single-family home [3]. IDPH licenses these contractors and has a contractor search on its page [9].
County health departments: help in Will and Grundy
Myth: only a private company can check a well and septic.
Fact: County health departments do this work too.
- Will County. The Will County Health Department inspects water wells and wastewater systems [6]. Its Well and Septic Survey costs $200, paid in advance, and the report takes 7 to 10 working days [7]. The seller or the seller's representative fills in the first section of the request [7].
- Grundy County. The Grundy County Health Department suggests that buyers have a licensed contractor inspect the well or septic system [8]. It says to get any records on file, an inspection of the parts that can be reached, and a lab result from a water sample [8]. The Grundy County Health Department gives out sterile sample bottles at its office for no fee, and says coliform and nitrate tests generally cost about $35 to $40 [8].
Timing example: a Will County house on a well
Timing is easiest to see in an example. Say you go under contract on a Monday for a Will County house with a private well and a septic system. That is an example, not a real home.
Say the seller requests the Will County survey that Monday. At 7 to 10 working days, the report comes between the next Wednesday and the Monday after that, with no holiday in between [7]. A water sample has to reach the lab within 30 hours of being taken, and IDPH says samples should arrive no later than a Thursday [4]. So both are asked for on day one.
How to check a well and septic when you buy in Illinois
- Find out what the house uses Ask whether the house has a private well, a septic system or both, and read lines 10, 11 and 14 of the seller's disclosure report [2].
- Ask for the records on file The Grundy County Health Department says to get any information on file about the system [8]. Ask the seller for permits and past inspection reports.
- Test the well water Test for coliform bacteria and nitrate, with a sterile bottle from the county health department [4][8]. Get the sample to the lab within 30 hours [4].
- Have the septic evaluated Use a licensed Private Sewage Disposal contractor, or in Will County ask the seller to request the Health Department's survey [7][9]. The state form lists what gets checked [3].
- Read every result in time The Will County survey takes 7 to 10 working days [7]. Read every result before the inspection period in your contract ends.
What it means if you buy in Illinois
If the house you want has a private well or septic system, treat them as their own inspection. Test the water, have the septic evaluated, and read the results before your inspection period ends [3][4][8].
Shopping for a home with a well or septic? The two steps below are where to start.
