Another option that provides dependable results is the WaterSafe Well Water Test Kit. While some reviewers had trouble reading the test results or failed to see any change in test strip color, the company has a track record for replacing defective products. Fecal coliforms and E. coli are usually harmless. Water from … Only laboratory testing … The Importance of Private Well Water Testing Why Should I Test My Well Water? ", "Hard water affects appliances like your dishwasher, hot water heater and more. Contaminants Some water testing kits can detect a wide variety of common contaminants, such as lead, chlorine, copper, iron, and more. ", "Your results will include not only contaminant levels but also water treatment advice. The pH level tells you how acidic or basic your water is. The best way to start is to consult a local expert, such as the local health department, about local contaminants of concern. Nitrate is naturally found in many types of food. Take charge of your pool chemistry with this water testing kit for pools. Routine water testing is a simple and inexpensive measure you can take to ensure that your water … A nitrate test … This document contains information and guidance on home water testing. The presence of nitrate in well water also depends on the geology of the land around your well. In addition, other heavy metals like mercury and copper raise additional health concerns. Safe Home ULTIMATE Drinking Water Test Kit, The 8 Best Whole House Water Filters of 2020, Best for Lead: This water testing kit for lead, mercury, copper, and iron takes under 15 minutes to complete. In most cases, the presence of WQIs is not the cause of sickness; however, they are easy to test for and their presence may indicate the presence of sewage and other disease-causing germs from human and/or animal feces. The presence of nitrate in well water also depends on the geology of the land around your well. For homes connected to public water systems, contact your water supply operator, or MSDH's Bureau of Public Water Supply if you have concerns about your water … Because the body requires ample water… It provides insights into the presence of bacteria, nitrates and nitrites, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, and a guide to the total alkalinity, total hardness, and pH of your water. A well is said to have gone dry when water levels drop below a pump intake. Well Water Quality and Testing Private Well Water. It also includes an at-home test for coliform (bacteria) and instructions on how to complete it. Simple Water Tap Score Professional Home Water Test, Best for Pools: Thank about why you’re considering a filter, Step 3. Poolmaster 22260 5-Way Swimming Pool Chemistry Test, Best for Salt Water Pools: Well water can become contaminated at any time without your knowledge. Testing your private well's water quality on a regular basis is an important part of maintaining a safe and reliable source. Lead is a contaminant that causes concern, especially in the wake of community-wide health scares related to lead contamination in drinking water. The … MassDEP strongly encourages the use of certified laboratories for testing private drinking water. Many contaminants often have no taste, odor, or color. JNW Direct Water Total Hardness Test Strips, Baldwin Meadows 10-in-1 Drinking Water Test Kit Review, How to Use a Pool Test Kit to Check Water Quality, The 7 Best Radon Test Kits and Detectors of 2020, Asbestos Testing Kits for Do-It-Yourself Testing, How To Improve the Water Quality in Your Home. For lead, the test is of a pass/fail nature, which is the case for virtually all at-home lead water testing kits. You may need a PDF reader to view some of the files on this page. According to users, the test kit is easy to use and provides peace of mind if your lead is below the EPA limit. Test Your Well Water Every Year - It's Simple and Inexpensive. Test your water every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH levels. Nitrate in your well water can come from animal waste, private septic systems, wastewater, flooded sewers, polluted storm water runoff, fertilizers, agricultural runoff, and decaying plants. Water tests are often formulated specifically for various water sources, testing for the most common contaminants found in that type of water. ", Sydney Evans, Science Analyst, Environmental Water Group. Always use a state certified laboratory that conducts drinking water tests. The Health Metrics Heavy Metals test is an informative way to rule out or confirm the presence of lead and other metals. The EPA has set a limit of 15 ppb for lead in municipal water supplies and this testing kit will indicate whether your water contains lead above or below the 15 ppb threshold. And while everyone loves instant results, most people receive their results within 10 days of submission. TotalCare Brochure. If time isn’t a concern, consider a kit that you send out to a testing facility, as those options are often more comprehensive. Reviewers say this test kit is simple, straightforward, and provides users with laboratory-grade results. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rules that protect public drinking water systems do not apply to individual water systems, such as privately owned wells. It tests for copper, iron, lead, nitrates, nitrites, bacteria and also toxins from fertilizers or pesticides—a common concern for well water. Reviewers that have taken advantage of personalized recommendations from the Tap Score team have found the experts to be helpful and this service is what really sets apart this water testing kit for homes. It also takes less time to process the results when compared to other test kits on this list. Safe, clean drinking water is the most essential building block to a healthy life. Other testing kits require you to mail a submission into a laboratory. Construction, risk assessment, and location issues must be assessed before testing is considered. Health Metric Heavy Metals Test Kit, The 8 Best Reverse Osmosis Systems of 2020, Best for Well Water: Understanding the risk associated with the quality of your well water is important. This well water testing kit covers all the bases to give you peace of mind regarding the quality of your well water. However, if you want the results quickly, an at-home kit will give you answers immediately. (Please see Water-related Diseases and Contaminants in Private Wells for a list of additional germs and chemicals in drinking water wells and the illnesses they cause.). ", "The EPA doesn’t regulate private wells, so it's important to test well water. Saving Lives, Protecting People, Water-related Diseases and Contaminants in Private Wells, Well Water Information Based on Where You Live, State Certified Drinking Water Laboratories, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases (DFWED), Choosing Home Water Filters & Other Water Treatment Systems, Step 2. The water level in a well depends on a number of things, such as the depth of the well… Nitrate in your well water can come from animal waste, private septic systems, wastewater, flooded sewers, polluted storm water runoff, fertilizers, agricultural runoff, and decaying plants. A qualified groundwater professional familiar with microbiological water quality (may be a water well system contractor, hydrogeologist, or microbiologist) can determine if your water well system needs cleaning by conducting an anaerobic bacteria test, a coliform test, or other biofouling indicator tests that can indicate an accumulation of debris in the well. At a minimum, check your well every spring to make sure there are no mechanical problems; test it once each year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH levels. Water testing kits are an easy way to gain valuable insight into the quality of the water you rely upon for drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry, and more. So when you mail your sample in, you can have confidence in the quality of analysis performed. Some contaminants in drinking water have been linked to cancer and toxicity, posing a risk to human health. is the well open at the surface, allowing animals or fecal contamination to enter the water? A WQI test is a test that measures the presence and amount of certain germs in water. ", "This easy-to-use kit gives you information on 10 different containments. This mail-in water testing kit will screen your sample for more than 100 different contaminants utilizing a network of EPA, ISO and ELAP laboratories. Private well water samples can be submitted to the State Lab through the local health department. The test results are returned to the local health department within three (3) weeks. If you have a private well, the Department of Health strongly recommends that you test your water for bacteria and nitrate at least once per year. How to keep your water … While the generator will typically display a reading for the salt level of the system, if you suspect a problem, you may want to begin your troubleshooting by checking the salinity of your pool water and comparing to what the display on your salt chlorine generator states. A purveyor of one of life’s most essential elements, Erica has tried reverse osmosis systems, water ionizers, and gravity filtration pitchers to stay hydrated and keep healthy! If you know what substance you’re testing for, you may want to go with the latter option, but if you want to know generally what’s in your water, a broader kit is probably the way to go. Only through testing can you be assured of a continued supply of clean, safe water. Performing water testing on well water is particularly important, since the EPA doesn’t regulate private wells and bacteria along with nitrites, nitrates, and hydrogen sulfide can easily affect your water source. Public drinking water is regulated, but it’s the responsibility of private well owners to make sure their own water is safe. Sample Acceptance Policy (Word) Private Well Water Safety and Testing; Test Guides. For more information, visit one of the links below or contact your local health department or the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. Contact your local health or environmental department, or the EPA to find out if any VOCs are a problem in your region. If you have a salt water pool, you enjoy the silky, smooth water thanks to the power of a salt chlorine generator. According to Rick Andrew of NSF International’s Global Water Program, the primary contaminants found in drinking water are lead, arsenic, bacteria (coliform), cysts and viruses, chlorine, chloramine, chromium, fluoride, nitrates and nitrites, PFOA and PFOS, Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). If the total coliform count is high, then it is very possible that harmful germs like viruses, bacteria, and parasites might also be found in the water. To help you find the best solution for your needs, here are the best water testing kits available now. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. ", You can opt-out at any time. Testing for mineral content, chemicals or other contaminants should be done through a private laboratory. Erica Puisis is a writer specializing in interior design. Watersafe Well Water Test Kit, Best for Homes: The EPA and CDC recommend yearly testing of private wells. Some VOCs to ask about testing for are benzene, carbon tetrachloride, toluene, trichloroethelene, and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). Just be sure that you follow the directions and only immerse the strip in 1 inch of water. Health or environmental departments, or county governments should have a list of the state-certified (licensed) laboratories in your area that test for a variety of substances. White Paper: 700,000 people could be exposed to unhealthy drinking water from private wells in Massachusetts. These water hardness test strips are best suited to giving you an approximate range of your water hardness. A major benefit of the Tap Score water testing kit is the fact that your analysis includes water treatment advice and the support of a team of water engineers and experts. These harmful germs can cause diarrhea, dysentery, and hepatitis. The test results allow you to properly address the specific problems of a water … If the nitrate level in your water is higher than the EPA standards, you should look for other sources of water or ways to treat your water. VOCs are industrial and fuel-related chemicals that may cause bad health effects at certain levels. The parent company to Safe Home is Environmental Laboratories, which is one of the largest EPA-certified drinking water labs in North America. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. The Domestic Well Testing Act (ORS 448.271) applies to the sale or exchange of real estate with a domestic well.A domestic well is used for purposes like drinking, cooking, washing, or bathing. The kit tests for chlorine, bromine, pH, acid demand, and total alkalinity. An elevated level of nitrate is often caused by septic systems, manure storage areas, feedlots, or farm fields near the well… The company states that it is not affiliated with any water treatment companies and provides objective advice on how to tackle troublesome contaminants or improve the general quality of your water for drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry and more. El Paso County Public Health Laboratory performs water potability testing for private well owners and for community water systems required to meet Colorado Primary Drinking Water Regulations. For more details, see our, Safe Home Drinking Water Test Kit at Amazon, Health Metric Heavy Metals Test Kit at Amazon, Health Metric Well Water Test Kit for Drinking Water at Amazon, Simple Water Tap Score Professional Home Water Test at Amazon, Poolmaster 22260 5-Way Swimming Pool Chemistry Test at Amazon, AquaChek 561140A Salt Water Swimming Pool Test Strips at Amazon, JNW Direct Water Total Hardness Test Strips at Amazon, Best Overall: See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more. View this information in a Printable PDF . As an individual water system owner, it is up to you to make sure that your water is safe to drink. Users did comment on the fact that since the results are provided within a range only, it is not as specific as laboratory testing. While there is one lead test included in the kit, you can test for the other three metals twice and receive quantified results for the presence of these metals. This is a sampling service for private water wells only. The Water Systems Council wellcare® water testing information page offers additional guidance on well water testing and understanding your water analysis report. Test your well water every year for nitrate, and always test the water for nitrate before giving it to an infant. Many other users have been very happy with the quick results from these testing strips and the affordable price. EPA offers information regarding the importance of testing private wells and guidance on technologies that may be used to treat or remove any contaminants. Approximately 20,000 new wells are drilled each year. Water Testing Order Water and Radon Air Test Kits Online *** We must receive your sample within 30 hours of collection. Wondering whether your home has hard water or if it has gone ‘soft?’ Understanding this can help you assess whether or not your water softener is working properly or if you need to take other precautions to ensure a longer life for appliances like your dishwasher, hot water heater and more. This kit is on the pricey side, but it provides the in-depth testing that you can rely on when making big decisions about the safety of your water supply and what type of home water filters to invest in. However, spend time identifying potential problems as these tests can be expensive. It is important not to confuse the test for the common and usually harmless WQI E. coli with a test for the more dangerous germ E. coli O157:H7. If you’re concerned about the safety of your drinking water, a water testing kit is an easy way to find out if there are contaminants in the water. Fecal coliform bacteria are a specific kind of total coliform. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Test your well water at least once a year for bacteria and for other contaminants every 3-5 years. Collecting a water sample for testing isn't as easy as turning on the tap. ", "Use these strips if you suspect any issues with your salt chlorine generator. Others just test for one or two contaminants and are usually less expensive. If you suspect other contaminants, test for those too. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. These microbes typically do not make you sick; however, because microbes that do cause disease are hard to test for in the water, “total coliforms” are tested instead. If you suspect other contaminants, you should test for those as well. Which VOCs to test for depends on where you live. Nitrate is a common contaminant in Illinois groundwater. Health Metric Well Water Test Kit for Drinking Water, Runner-Up, Best for Well Water: This mail-in water testing kit will screen your sample for over 200 contaminants and provide in-depth results. In fact, well … This well water testing kit covers all the bases to give you peace of mind regarding the quality of your well water. Use AquaChek Salt Water Swimming Pool Test Strips to ensure that your system is functioning properly and your pool has the proper salinity. Please remember that if your test results say that there are germs or chemicals in your water, you should contact your local health or environmental department for guidance in interpreting the test. Well Water Quality Testing Services DHEC's Private Well Program and the EA Laboratories perform analytical testing of water from residential wells for a fee. AquaChek 561140A Salt Water Swimming Pool Test Strips, Best for Water Hardness: E. coli is part of the fecal coliform group and may be tested for by itself. Well water testing If you own a private well, you are responsible for testing your own water. The pH level of the water can change how your water looks and tastes. Public water is the best option for drinking water because it is regularly monitored and managed by a certified water … Water source First, you’ll want to figure out what type of water you’re testing — is it from a well or public water supply, or is from your pool or faucet at home? The kit tests for 6 in-organic substances, 12 physical properties, 32 toxic metals, 20 semi-volatile organic compounds, and 130 volatile organic compounds. The Poolmaster 5-Way Swimming Pool Chemistry Test covers all the essentials you need for routine monitoring and maintenance of your pool. ", "This kit tests for lead, mercury, copper, and iron—all in under 15 minutes. If you have a private water supply (a private well), your local Board of Health has jurisdiction over it. Learn about your water quality through affordable, confidential testing and become empowered to make decisions about system maintenance and water treatment! Public Water Test … Some people have critiqued the chlorine test for making it difficult to determine free chlorine versus total chlorine. ", "The kit tests for chlorine, bromine, pH, acid demand, and total alkalinity. Using this kit is simple, as it comes with easy-to-read strips that provide ranges for each tested contaminant. This roundup was written by Erica Puisis, who has been researching strategies to improve everyday life and health, including water testing and filtration options, for more than three years for The Spruce. Private well owners are responsible for the safety of their water. Public Water Inspection & Water Quality Testing. This kit contains the essentials you need to affordably monitor your pool chemicals in between trips to the pool store for more in-depth testing. However, high levels of nitrate in drinking water can make people sick. Once you know what contaminants are in your water, you can find a certified treatment solution to address your specific water quality concerns.”, Rick Andrew, NSF International’s Global Water Program. These total hardness test strips from JNW Direct will help you understand your water hardness in moments. Since some contaminant testing … Consider how the filter fits your home, lifestyle, and budget, A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment Technologies for HouseHold Use, Drinking Water Treatment and Sanitation for Backcountry & Travel Use, Information for Public Health & Medical Professionals, Water, Sanitation, & Environmentally-related Hygiene, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, There are known problems with well water in your area, You have experienced problems near your well (i.e., flooding, land disturbances, and nearby waste disposal sites), You replace or repair any part of your well system, You notice a change in water quality (i.e., taste, color, odor). Many state and federal authorities recommend private wells be tested at least once a year to ensure the continued safety of the water. Coliform bacteria are microbes found in the digestive systems of warm-blooded animals, in soil, on plants, and in surface water. These tests could include testing for lead, arsenic, mercury, radium, atrazine, and other pesticides. Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our Yet, despite the importance of testing your water, only half of Pennsylvania wells have ever been tested. Other germs or harmful chemicals that you should test for will depend on where your well is located on your property, which state you live in, and whether you live in an urban or rural area. These kits generally use either test strips submerged into a water sample or drops that react with various contaminants if present. Well water testing is a must if you live in a home with a well. For one of the most comprehensive water testing kits on the market, consider the Ultimate kit from Safe Home. A private well should be inspected by a public health professional before testing … If not, it’s a small investment to make in order to know that you need to have a more in-depth analysis done and implement steps to improve your water quality and reduce exposure to lead. Unlike municipal water, which has been tested and filtered of dangerous substances, there's no one watching that well water but you! The goal of the Virginia Household Water Quality Program is to improve the water quality and health of Virginians with private water … This may include local by-laws or regulations for periodic water testing at the well owner's expense. Domestic Well Testing Act . Performing water testing on well water is particularly important, since the EPA doesn’t regulate private wells and bacteria along with nitrites, nitrates, and hydrogen sulfide can easily affect your water source. The responsibility of private well owners to make sure their own water is the case for virtually all at-home water. 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