Municipal Water vs. Well Water Testing
If you’re on a municipal water system, you should get an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your utility company. The CCR contains detailed test results for a variety of key factors that impact water quality and safety. Contact your utility company if you need help accessing the CCR.
If you get your water from a well, you’re responsible for having your water tested. A water test kit helps you stay informed about what’s in your water.
Why You Should Test Your Home Water
There are several reasons you might need to test the water you use for drinking, cooking, bathing, etc. Here are common reasons homeowners might test their water:
- You Get Your Water From a Well: If you have a private water source, such as a well, it’s up to you to monitor your water source and determine if there are contaminants in your drinking water. Regular testing over time lets you know if the water quality changes.
- You Suspect There Are Lead Components in Your Plumbing: Even if you receive a CCR, it doesn’t report on the actual condition of the water coming out of the taps in your home. For example, an older home that predates the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act might have lead pipes or might have lead in other components of the home plumbing system.
- You’re Considering a Water Treatment System: If you want to purchase a water filter or you’re wondering if you need a water softener, a home water test helps inform your purchase, allowing you to get the best filter or softener for the conditions you want to treat.
Other reasons for testing water might include:
- Your water develops an unexpected color, taste or odor.
- You notice deposits on fixtures or see that your laundry isn’t getting clean.
- You simply want to keep track of the quality of the water coming out of your taps.
How Often You Should Test Home Well Water
Conditions and requirements vary by location, but if your get your water from a well, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend testing well water at least once a year.
What to Test Well Water For
As part of annual well water testing the CDC recommends testing for:
- Nitrates: Nitrates can lead to health problems, particularly in infants. High levels might also suggest the presence of other harmful chemicals.
- Coliform Bacteria: The presence of coliform bacteria indicates a likely presence of disease-causing organisms in the water. In some areas, you might want to test for coliform bacteria every three months.
- High or Low pH Level: Water with a pH level that’s too high or too low can damage your pipes and, in some cases, allow metals from your plumbing system to enter your drinking water.
- Total dissolved solids (TDS): Dissolved solids are minerals, including sodium and calcium, which affect water taste and hardness.
Also consider testing when:
- Flooding occurs in your area.
- There’s a pregnancy or a new child in your home.
- You make changes to your well system.
- You notice unexpected wear or damage to your plumbing or water treatment system.
While these conditions are primary reasons to test well water, if you have concerns about any water source, you can consider them when deciding if and when to test your home water.
Where to Test Your Water
If you’re wondering where you should test your water, there are several options:
- You can purchase a test kit that lets you collect samples to send to an Environmental Protection Agency-certified (EPA-certified) lab for testing. Lab testing is the best way to test water quality since it provides the most accurate and comprehensive information.
- You can test your water yourself with an at-home water test kit. These kits are relatively quick and inexpensive, but don’t provide the accuracy or level of information that lab tests do.
- Your county might offer water testing.
- You can check with the EPA for certified test labs in your area.
Water Test Kit Description: What’s in a Water Test
The contents of water test kits vary by the factors the kit tests for and whether the kit is an at-home test or a kit you use to collect a sample for laboratory testing.
Do-It-Yourself Home Water Test Kits
Here’s a typical description of a water test kit for home use:
- Instructions tell you how to use the kit for each testing factor.
- Test strips have chemical (reagent) pads that react to specific factors like water hardness, the presence of nitrates, pH level, etc.
- A results chart helps interpret the test results.
- Some kits contain vials and reagents for checking lead and bacteria levels.
Water Test Kits for Laboratory Testing
A kit for lab testing has different components:
- Instructions give you steps for collecting samples correctly.
- Sample containers collect the water you’re testing.
- Packing and shipping information help you send the samples to a lab for testing. Some kits include postage-paid shipping materials.
- Some kits include home test strips for specific tests.
- The lab tests may be an additional charge after purchasing the kit.
Electronic TDS Meters
An electronic total dissolved solids (TDS) meter isn’t actually a kit, but it gives you everything you need to measure the level of minerals dissolved in a water sample:
- Instructions tell you how to use the meter and interpret the results.
- The meter itself has a built in display screen and a protective cap.
- Some meters test salinity and conductivity, as well as total dissolved solids.
How to Test Water at Home
Home water test kits make it simple to test water in your home. We’ll give you some general steps for using an at-home kit with test strips, but always follow the instructions that come with your kit.
Since many factors can influence the results of a DIY test, use it for pre-screening only. The controlled conditions of a certified lab are necessary for accurate results.
Testing Water With a Test Kit
Testing Your Home Water
Home DIY test kits make it easy and relatively inexpensive to check the condition and quality of your water. While using a kit that allows you to send a water sample to a lab is a more accurate testing method and gives you more detailed results, home test kits give you quick information that lets you pre-screen your water. Browse the water test kits on Lowes.com or visit your local Lowe’s where a Red Vest associate can help you find the right kit and give you suggestions for improving the quality of your water.