Buying a Chicago-Area Home With a Private Well and Septic? Here's What to Check Before You Close

Drive far enough out from the city, toward the bigger lots in the north, west and south suburbs, and you start finding homes that aren't on village water or sewer. They run on a private well and a septic system. After 25 years in real estate, I can tell you these homes can be wonderful: more land, more privacy, no water bill. But a well and a septic system are two big pieces of the house that a regular home inspection doesn't really cover, so you want to know how to check them before you're locked in.

Your well water is your responsibility

With city water, the utility does the testing. With a private well, it's on you. The Illinois EPA puts it plainly: if you have a private well, regular testing is your responsibility. (Illinois EPA: Well Water Testing)

The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends testing a private well for bacteria (a total coliform test) and nitrate/nitrite every year, and for metals every 3 years. (IDPH) A purchase is the perfect moment to do it, because it's the one time you can still negotiate.

Two things worth knowing from the Illinois EPA:

• Coliform bacteria in a well are a sign that surface contamination got in. The fix is usually disinfecting the well and retesting.
• Nitrate is a common contaminant in Illinois groundwater, and well water above the federal limit should never be given to infants under 6 months old. Boiling doesn't help; it concentrates nitrate.

IDPH also notes that testing for things like VOCs, pesticides or PFAS is done by commercial labs and can be expensive, and that IDPH can help you decide whether it makes sense for your area.

Who does the inspection depends on the county

This is where buyers get tripped up, because every county handles it differently.

• Cook County. The Cook County Department of Public Health offers a well and septic evaluation for home sales. Its request form says the evaluation won't be done if the application and payment arrive less than 10 working days before closing, and water results can take 10 working days after the visit. They don't dig up or probe the septic tank, and they need the water on and the home occupied for the septic part. (Cook County Public Health request form, PDF)
• McHenry County. The health department offers Sale of Property evaluations for the well (including a coliform and nitrate water test) and for the septic system, typically used for real estate sales and refinancing. (McHenry County Environmental Health applications)
• Kane County. The Kane County Health Department says it does not conduct well and septic inspections for home sales or mortgage transactions. (Kane County Health: Water Well) There, you hire licensed private contractors and a lab.

If you're buying in another county, call the local health department early and ask what they do and how long it takes.

The septic: don't just take "it's fine" for an answer

A septic system is buried, so you can't judge it by looking at the yard. Kane County's guidance for homeowners is to pump septic tanks every three to five years. (Kane County Health) As a buyer, ask the seller for pumping receipts and any permits, and find out where the tank and the field are before you dream up a pool or an addition.

County records can help too. McHenry County, for example, keeps permit records for wells and septic systems going back to February 1, 2003. (McHenry County Public Documents)

Fit it all inside your inspection window

Here's my biggest piece of advice: order the well test and septic evaluation the day your offer is accepted. Between scheduling, the lab, and county turnaround times like Cook County's 10 working days, it's easy to run out of inspection period. If something comes back wrong, a licensed contractor's estimate gives your attorney something real to negotiate with.

Sellers: get ahead of it

If you're selling a home on a well and septic, pull your pumping receipts, permits and any recent water test before you list. Buyers feel a lot better about a house when the answers are already in the folder.

Buying or selling a home with a well and septic anywhere in Chicagoland? Call or text me at 312.882.9797. You get full service at a 1% total commission, and I'll help make sure nothing about the water or the septic surprises you at closing.

This article is general information, not legal or environmental advice. Check with your local health department, a licensed contractor and a real estate attorney about your specific property.