Plenty of the most appealing properties in the valley sit outside municipal service, which means the home makes its own water and handles its own waste. That is completely normal here — it just adds a few steps to your due diligence.
Ask for the well log. It tells you the depth, the drill date and the flow rate at the time of drilling. A flow test during escrow tells you what the well does today, which matters far more in a dry year than what it did in 1978.
Water quality is a separate test from flow. A basic potability panel covers bacteria and nitrates; in parts of the valley it is worth adding arsenic and uranium. Treatment is usually straightforward once you know what you are treating.
For septic, request the last pumping record and schedule an inspection that includes locating the tank and evaluating the leach field. Douglas County records can also show the original permit and system size, which tells you how many bedrooms the system was designed for.
None of this should scare you off a property. It is simply the homework that replaces the utility bill you would look at in town.
Questions about your own situation? Send a note.