Northern Missouri
Rural Mercer County homes may rely on wells and septic
Buyers of rural Mercer County property should check whether a home uses a private well and onsite septic, since those systems bring their own records, upkeep, and permits.
Outside Princeton and the small towns, a rural Mercer County home may use a private well for water and an onsite septic system for wastewater. That changes what you check before buying.
For a private well, ask where the water comes from, when it was last tested, and whether any treatment system is in place. Missouri DNR and Missouri’s health department publish guidance on wells and private drinking water.
For septic, ask what kind of system serves the home, whether it was permitted, and whether it is sized for the current use. These checks are routine in farm country, but they are easy to overlook if you are used to city utilities.
References
More from Mercer County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 15, 2026.