Different types of water quality tests

There is a wide range of types of water quality tests used to help determine the safety of drinking water. These different types of tests help determine whether certain contaminants have entered the water and help determine if further treatment is needed. Here are some types of water testing methods:

Bacteria tests

There are a range of potential bacterial contaminants that can infect water. One of the most common and well-researched is the E. coli bacteria, which comes from sewage contamination and can lead to serious health problems when ingested. Bacteria testing is crucial in determining how safe the water is for drinking or for exposure to your skin.

Mineral tests

The list of available mineral tests can be very large. Some common and important mineral tests include chlorine, chloride, nitrate, nitrite, lead, copper, iron, zinc, potassium, and sodium. This wide range of mineral tests is necessary and relevant in determining water quality, as different areas or areas of terrain may have greater accumulations of certain types of minerals, thus showing what kind of mineral treatments the water actually needs to be purified.

pH test

What is the pH or acidity level? It is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. The more hydrogen ions in the water, the more acidic it is. Acidity affects the taste of water, but it can also affect how healthy water is consumed. Drinking water that is not neutral enough in terms of pH can make people sick!

Other types of tests

There are some basic water tests that are not related to chemical tests, such as conductivity, odor, sediment, and turbidity. These tests create a measure of more physical attributes of a water sample. Is it clear or cloudy with sand and silt? Does it smell like a swamp or does it not smell? How good is the transmission of electricity, and the evidence for this is the metal content?

Our water quality testing solutions can help a homeowner or businesses understand the quality of the water they are dealing with.

When should I test my water?

The answer to this question depends on several factors. The answer relates to your health and the health of your family, so you need to keep track of some key facts:

• Change in taste, color, or smell.
• Staining clothes.
• The proximity of your water source to septic systems.

Routine testing is also preferred as regular testing is valuable because it creates a record of your water quality, which helps in solving any future problems.

How often should I perform a water quality test?

• Test the water every year for total colonic bacteria.
• Nitrate, dissolved solids, and pH level each year.
• If you are expecting a new baby, it is preferable to test for nitrates in the first months of pregnancy.
• If you have problems with taste, smell, and staining, you should be tested for sulfates, chlorides, iron, and manganese every three years.

Sample collection

• Most providers of water quality testing services collect the data themselves.
• The coliform test should be collected using sterile containers and under aseptic conditions.
• Some procedures require water to run from an external faucet for several minutes before filling the sample containers.

Thanks to modern chemistry, we can detect thousands of chemicals in the water, even if they are in very small concentrations. The ever-growing list of available tests is enormous, and most methods require highly advanced laboratories. Thankfully, we don’t need to test for everything! A smaller set of more practical tests can better chemically predict water quality for monitoring purposes. The good news is that there are simple, tech-savvy types of tests that work with a tight budget.