How Do I Test My Home Water

Fill a clear container with water.
How do i test my home water. First find a see through container like an empty plastic water bottle. These tests give a system wide picture but do not refl ect conditions at a specifi c household faucet. 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. Chapter 9 of the book discusses the importance of testing your own water how to do it and what to test for.
That s also a good idea if your home was built before lead free pipes were mandated in 1986. Every water supplier is required to offer a consumer confidence report ccr to provide information about the quality of the water in your area check online on the epa website and search for you local water system provider or check the website of your city s water provider to see the report. Even if your. The water bottle test may work well as a basic assessment but it isn t the most accurate way to determine your water hardness level.
Water may look crystal clear in your glass but that doesn t mean there aren t micros. A home water test kit helps you discover what s in your drinking water. For lead the test is of a pass fail nature which is the case for virtually all at home lead water testing kits. How to test your water.
Testing is the only way to confi rm if lead is present or. This report will contain the average. Follow these steps to put your water to the test. I do suspect my water contains plenty of bacteria even if the tests proved that it does not contain harmful coliform bacteria and the water quality may change over time.
A hard water kit includes test strips and a color chart. If you want to know if your home s drinking water contains unsafe levels of lead have your water tested. We ve already discussed the infinite possibilities for contaminants in water sources. All it takes is a clear water bottle and a some pure liquid soap.
I can say though that based on these test results i will drink this water quite confidently after basic treatment should i ever need to. Following please find an excerpt from my book the prepper s water survival guide. There s a simple way to see if your home has hard water without having any test performed. For that a more sophisticated hard water test is required.