Should You Have Your Water Tested?
Prepared by:
Gregory D. Jennings and Ronald E. Sneed
Extension Specialists
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Published by: North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Service
Publication Number: AG 473-2
Last Electronic Revision: March 1996 (JWM)
Most water in North Carolina is suitable for drinking and other home uses.
There are, however, circumstances which can lead to contamination of water
supplies. The question of whether or not to test your water is a serious one
which concerns the health of you and your family. The purpose of this fact
sheet is to give you general guidelines to follow when deciding to test your
home water quality.
Half of North Carolina residents are served by public water supplies (more than
15 connections or 25 people served by the same water source). The other half
receive water from private systems, most of which are wells. Public water
supplies are regularly tested for such contaminants as pathogenic organisms,
radioactive elements, and some toxic chemicals regulated by federal and state
standards. Municipal water supply systems will provide water quality reports
upon request. Even if you have public water, it is possible to have
contamination due to contact with pipes or inadequate water treatment
facilities.
Private Water Supplies
If you have a private water supply, you alone are responsible for assuring that
it is safe. Routine testing for a few common contaminants is strongly
recommended, especially if your well is located near some pollution source.
Even if you have a safe water supply now, regular testing is wise because it
establishes a water quality record. This record will be valuable in the future
if your water quality is damaged by some activity near your well.
Routine testing of private water supplies should follow these general
guidelines:
- Test for coliform bacteria, nitrate, pH,
and total dissolved solids (TDS)
every year. The best time to test is during the spring or summer
following a rainy period. These tests are also recommended after
repairing or replacing a well, pump, or plumbing system.
- Test for sulfate, chloride, iron, manganese, lead, and hardness every
three years.
In addition to routine testing, you may have special circumstances which make
contamination of your private water supply more likely. If any of the
following situations applies to you, consider having your water tested:
- You live near a dump, landfill, factory, or dry cleaning operation:
Test for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pH, total dissolved solids,
chloride, sulfate, and metals.
- You live near an old underground storage tank or your water smells like
gasoline:
Test for petroleum components and volatile organic compounds.
- You live near a mining operation:
Test for iron, manganese, aluminum, corrosivity, and pH.
- You live near a gas-drilling operation:
Test for chloride, sodium, barium, and strontium.
- You live near seawater or a heavily salted roadway and your water tastes
salty:
Test for chloride, total dissolved solids, and sodium.
- You live in an area of intensive agriculture:
Test for pesticides commonly used near the well, bacteria, nitrate, pH,
and total dissolved solids.
- You are expecting a new baby:
Test for nitrate early during pregnancy and just after the baby is
born.
All Water Supplies
Whether you have a public or private water supply, have your water tested if
the following situations are applicable to you:
- You are planning to purchase a new home and wish to evaluate the water
quality:
Test for coliform bacteria, nitrate, lead, iron, hardness, pH, sulfate,
total dissolved solids, corrosivity, and other parameters depending on the
proximity to potential contamination sources.
- Your water leaves scaly residue and soap scum and decreases the cleaning action
of soaps and detergents:
Test for hardness. If a water softener is needed to treat hard water,
test for iron and manganese, which decrease the efficiency of cation
exchange softeners, before purchasing treatment equipment. Test for lead
after purchasing a water softener.
- Your water appears cloudy, frothy, or colored:
Test for color, turbidity, and detergents.
- Your plumbing contains lead pipe, fittings, or solder joints:
Test for pH, corrosivity, lead, copper, cadmium, and zinc.
- Your plumbing fixtures or laundry are stained, or plumbing shows signs of
corrosion:
Test for pH, corrosivity, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc.
- Your water has an odd taste or smell:
Test for hydrogen sulfide, pH, copper, lead, iron, manganese, zinc,
sodium, chloride, coliform bacteria, corrosivity, and total dissolved
solids.
- Family members or guests experience gastrointestinal illness:
Test for coliform bacteria, nitrate, and sulfate.
- You wish to monitor the performance of home water treatment equipment:
Test for the specific water quality problem being treated at the time of
installation, at regular times after installation, and if water quality
changes noticeably.
Water Quality Laboratories
If you determine that your water should be tested, contact a reputable water
quality laboratory to discuss prices and procedures. Private laboratories are
listed in telephone books. Your County Extension Office can provide you with a
list of certified water quality laboratories in North Carolina. You may also
contact your County Health Department about testing your water. Water
treatment equipment companies and plumbing supply stores may offer free water
testing. Check any water quality problems identified by these companies with
an independent laboratory before investing in treatment systems or new
plumbing.
Most laboratories supply their own sample containers and provide detailed
instructions for sample collection. The instructions must be followed
carefully for a meaningful water quality assessment. Keep a record of all
water test results as a reference for future testing. Changes in water quality
over time may indicate a problem you can address before it becomes more
serious. Take previous water test results with you when visiting a private
laboratory, County Health Department, or County Extension Office to discuss the
status of your water quality.
Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30,
1914. Employment and program opportunities are offered to all people
regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. North
Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
AG 473-2
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