Next random topic: water testing

I'm interested in a comprehensive analysis of our water. It is provided by our city and I think it's pretty good, but want to know the details. Is there a home kit out there that works? Or do I need to send a sample off to a lab? If the former, what kit do I use? If the latter, what lab do I use?

TIA!

I was curious about this many years ago. As I recall, the only real answer is to send it to a lab along with a blank check. They can test for specific contaminants, but to test for all of them will be prohibitively expensive.

If it's a municipal supply, they should be required to publish test results, but I may just be making that up.

1988RedT2 wrote: If it's a municipal supply, they should be required to publish test results, but I may just be making that up.

Yes, municipalities are required to prepare and submit annual reports on water quality. These days, the reports are usually available on the city website.

For personal testing, there are private laboratories plus you may be able to get it tested through a county extension service or local university.

I couldn't find any link through Florida's extension website (solutionsforyourlife.com)

However, I was able to find water testing through the department of soil and water sciences. Click here for a checklist of what to include in the test sample. I would first communicate by phone or e-mail with the contact information in the top right hand corner of the page to clarify anything that you may need. They may also direct you to another testing method through extension that I have not found.

Here is the Submission form.

Found some good info on DIY options here:

http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/1420/is-there-a-good-way-to-test-water-quality-in-your-house

lol...there was a local company who put little baggies on everyones door in my neighborhood - in it was a small vile for placing a sample of your tap water, and a questionaire to fill out - name, phone number, water softener in the home yes/no etc. Details on the info sheet explained that this was an offer for a test of your city water, independednt of the EPA tests that are already mandated. Said it was free of charge, just hang the baggie back on the door and they pick it up. We should receive results in about 1 week.

Turns out, the "test" was free, but you had to pay a fee to receive the results, as well as sign up for a monthly monitoring service. You could cancel whenever you want, but you had to provide them with either a checking account number or a credit card number to get started. When you call to cancel, they stop billing the account on file...my experiences with these types of "businesses" is that they almost never stop charging you until you close whatever account is on file.

Long story short, once I figured out the angle (when the guy called me to sell me my results and tried to pitch me) I just kept him on the phone, kinda going back and forth abotu do I want to pay or dont I...probably tied him up for about 20 minutes, thereby keeping him from rapi...errr...calling other victi...errr....customers. He finally got fed up and just hung up...private number, go figure.

Anyway, just wanted to toss this out there in case the scam was going on in other cities.

Sears will test for hardness and some other things. Used to work at one in the appliance section and testing stuff was part of the job.

Go to Sears into the Appliance dept, find the oldest/most experienced person you can there and ask for the test vial, get a sample, bring it back and they will do it right there.

At least I had to as part of the job 3-4-ish years ago...

Comprehensive... hell no... but free and easy.

but, IIRC there might have been a "send it out" option for more testing... been too long...

4cylndrfury wrote: Anyway, just wanted to toss this out there in case the scam was going on in other cities.

I get a couple letters a year from some company that wants to test my water - the envelope and letterhead looks semi-official, they want people to think they're affiliated with the city and it's something they have to do.

What are you actually interested in testing for? Saying you want comprehensive testing is so vague as to be meaningless.

Call your local health dept. Mine does testing for a small fee. They check for e-coli, nitrates, nitrites, sulfides, and more.

When they call or knock on my door to offer me "free" water testing, it's suprising how fast they hang up/turn around, get in their car, and leave my block when I tell them I work for the city water department.

Thanks for the tips folks!