You Can Test Your Water at Home

You can test your water at home for quality and safety. There are basic tests that you can do yourself, or you might need to send water samples to a professional laboratory. Here’s how you can test your water at home:

Look:  Does your water for any unusual color, odor, or particles that you can see floating or encased in the ice cubes. These could indicate potential issues.

Smell:  Smell your water compared to a bottle of purified water to check for any unusual odors, which can be a sign of contamination.

Taste:  A lot of people say they have already tasted their water and that is why they are on this page. Unusual tastes may indicate issues with your water.

Simple test:  You can purchase an inexpensive TDS meter online and determine if there are things in your water that are not water. Water that is close to pure will conduct very little electricity and water that is on the contaminated side will conduct a great amount of electricity. The TDS meter will have instructions on how to read the results. I recommend comparing your tap water to your current drinking water source, be in fridge filter, pitcher or bottle. If your tap water and filtered drinking water are similar you might want to consider a different filtration option.

Read your local water quality report: If you live within the boundaries of a water district there should be a water quality report available online. The report should give you an idea of where your water comes from and how it is filtered. You can also see the chemicals that are in your water, the results of tests for these chemicals and how the water district is attempting to remove them. The EPA has water quality standards represented by the Maximum Contaminant Level column. There should be definitions for the acronyms. Read about the MCLG and PHG and find them in the columns of the report.

Download my free check list for testing your water here.

Download my guide for finding your water quality report here.

EPA drinking water standards: https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/drinking-water-regulations-and-contaminants

If you are on a well, click here for more information.

Regular Testing: Depending on your location and water source, it’s a good idea to test your water regularly, especially if you notice any changes in taste, color, or odor.

Remember that the specific tests you need may vary depending on your location, water source, and concerns.

Shoot me an email or leave me a comment if you have questions.

Reference

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Drinking Water Regulations and Contaminants. Retrieved October 30, 2023, from https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/drinking-water-regulations-and-contaminants