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Well Water Testing

 

Resources and FAQs

well water test kit health metric

It is estimated that more than 13 million households rely on private wells for drinking water in the United States. As the USEPA does not regulate or provide standards for individual wells, the owners of private wells are solely responsible for the safety of their water. 

However, getting water from a private well shouldn’t mean sacrificing your health. Although not regulated federally, private water sources can still be easily tested and compared to the EPA recommended limits. Testing your water quality on a regular basis is an important part of maintaining a safe and reliable source.

It is recommended to test your water a minimum of once per year, both at the tap and at the source. However, shallow well and surface water sources should be tested more frequently (i.e. seasonally), as they are more susceptible to contamination. Also, you may want to test more frequently if small children or elderly adults live in your house or if someone in your house is pregnant or nursing. These segments of the population are often more vulnerable to pollutants than others. 

Why Test Water Quality on a Regular Basis?

health metric well water test kit   To identify any existing problems

health metric well water test kit   To ensure the water is suitable for drinking

health metric well water test kit   To monitor changes over time

health metric well water test kit   To determine the effectiveness of a treatment system


The Health Metric Well Water test kits are made in the USA and calibrated to official EPA standards, making the results easy to compare and act upon accordingly. The tests are simple enough for anyone to use and most of the results will be ready within a few minutes.

 

 Helpful Resources and Downloads

 

For further information, a great resource for private well owners can be found on the official EPA webpage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hydrogen sulfide: 0-2 ppm pH: 2.0-12.0 Total Alkalinity: 0-500 ppm Total Hardness: 0-1000 ppm Manganese: <0.02 to="">1.6 ppm Nitrate: 0-50 ppm Nitrite 0-3.0 ppm
After thoroughly reading the instructions, the tests will take a total of 45 minutes to an hour to complete. The bacteria test requires 48 hours to develop the results.
The kit contains multiple test strips, each with different expirations printed on the strip. The test kit should be used in one year.
Wells should be tested at least once a year. No one can predict when the water quality will change due to rain, snowmelt, construction and other disturbances to the water supply.
No. The kit can only be used one. There is one bacteria test and two tests each for nitrate, nitrate, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, pH, total alkalinity and total hardness.
Some tests are for a single parameter. Some strips test multiple parameters on a single strip.
Two nitrite-nitrate strips, one bacteria test, two hydrogen sulfide tests, two 3-way strips (pH, alkalinity and water hardness) and two manganese tests.
Wells should be tested a minimum of once a year.
The test covers a range of <0.02 ppm="" to=""> 1.6 ppm. The increments are ,0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 1.0 and >1.6 ppm.
The test covers a range of 0, 0.3, 0.5 1 and 2 ppm.
The test reveals the presence of Coliform bacteria (including E.coli). It is not specific for E. coli coliform bacteria.
Yes. E. coli is one of the coliform bacteria.
The ideal incubation time is 48 hours at normal room temperatures. If you keep the vial around for a week or longer you may start to see the color change. But the test is invalid.
We are very sensitive to hydrogen sulfide. You notice the taste and odor quite easily. Rotten egg odor is the common description. In serious cases, your plumbing will corrode and leak.
The kit is manufactured in the USA.
Well water can be tested immediately from the faucet or after letting the water run a minute or so. Flushing the system before testing is especially recommended when testing for lead (Health-Metric Heavy Metals Test Kit).
The kit contains everything needed to perform the tests at home.
Yes. The test can be used with any drinking water source.
The most important thing to do is to read the instructions carefully and follow the test procedures. Most errors are caused by not following the test directions.
Bacteria contamination is not unusual. A water treatment professional can asses your well and recommend the most effective method to correct the problem.
The EPA maximum nitrate level is 10.0 ppm.
Yes.
The water hardness test provides results as ppm (mg/l) and grains per gallon.

 

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