Knowledge is Power
HOUSEHOLD WATER TESTING
Why should I have my water tested?
There are many reasons to test your water. For homeowners the Environmental Protection Agency recommends you test your private well annually. Even if you are not experiencing any current problems, routine testing establishes a history to help resolve issues you may have in the future. If you are considering buying, it is an important part of your home inspection to know the water is free of contaminates. In addition if there is a loan associated with the purchase the financing company may have requirements to show acceptable drinking water.
What do I test my water for?
What to test your water for depends on your specific situation. If you are on a public water system, “city water”, a good place to start is with your Consumer Confidence Report. This is an annual water quality report that includes all the testing performed by the municipality. If there is something you want additional information on you can analyze. If you have a private well the EPA recommends testing for total coliform bacteria and nitrates every year. We recommend testing for arsenic because it is high here in southeastern Michigan. If you have concerns about your water, call us and we can help you determine what testing is appropriate.
I have been drinking my water for years and I am fine, it is clear and tastes good why should I test?
Unfortunately most contaminates have no taste, odor or color. You would not know by drinking it that there is anything wrong. Also most contaminations happen over time therefore, you may have built up immunity to the issue where it could make someone else sick.
Should I get reverse osmosis or other filter?
There are hundreds of filtration systems available and no single filter that will correct every water problem. For example, you can filter out minerals and still have bacteria. If your water needs treatment, it should be treated for your specific problem. Every layer of filtration is one more place for bacteria to collect. Furthermore, filtration systems require maintenance and should be tested to ensure they continue to function properly.
Should we just drink bottled water?
Tap water is regulated by the EPA and bottled water by the FDA. The EPA has stricter regulations, inspections standards and disclosure rules. Bottled water is not necessarily safer and costs thousands times more than tap water. Bottled water also has a huge impact on the environment. In the US we use 50 billion water bottles a year, most that end up in landfills. In a lot of cases bottled water is really just filtered tap water in a bottle. If taste is factor in most cases a carbon filter can improve the taste.
What do I do if you find contaminates in my water?
Most of the common elements we test for can be treated or filtered out. AquaTest does not sell or endorse any one product over another. We can put you in touch with the experts who can help find a solution for your specific issue.
I am ready to test my water. How do I do that?
Consider your specific situation and if you want to test for the basic or more comprehensive package. You can also add on individual tests as needed. If you are unsure call us. We are glad to help you determine what best meets your needs. You will need a collection kit from us to submit samples. You can stop by the lab anytime for a kit or order on line and we will be glad to mail you bottles and directions how collect your samples.
PLEASE NOTE: We can not accept samples unless they are in proper laboratory containers.