H o m e W a t e r T e s t i n g

Regardless of your water source, here are two 

situations that may require testing:

Do you suspect lead may be in some of your 

household plumbing materials and water service 

lines? 

Most water systems test for lead as a regular part of 

water monitoring. These tests give a system-wide 

picture, but do not refl ect conditions at a specifi c 

household faucet.

If you want to know if your home’s drinking water 

contains unsafe levels of lead, have your water tested. 

Testing is the only way to confi rm if lead is present or 

absent.

Some faucet and pitcher fi lters can remove lead from 

drinking water. If you use a fi lter to remove lead, be 

sure you get one that is certifi ed to remove lead by NSF 

International. 

For more information, visit www.epa.gov/safewater/

lead, or call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 

1-800-426-4791.

Are you considering a home water treatment unit?

Find out what is in your water and what you might want to 

remove before contacting potential dealers. Be informed 

so you can make the right decisions. To help you, please 

visit: www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/faq.html#hwtu and 

www.epa.gov/safewater/wot.

Should I Have My Water Tested? 

The answer to this question depends on several factors. It 

concerns your health and the health of your family, so you 

need to know some basic facts. 

In addition to illness, a variety 

of less serious problems 

such as taste, color, odor and 

staining of clothes or fi xtures 

are signs of possible water 

quality problems. Other 

things to think about include 

the nearness of your water 

well to septic systems and the 

composition of your home’s 

plumbing materials. 

This fact sheet provides 

information to help you decide whether or not to have your 

water tested, and if so, suggested tests for your situation.

Public Water Systems

When you turn on the tap, where does the water come 

from? If you pay a water bill, you are purchasing water 

from a public water system, where your water is monitored, 

tested and the results reported to the 

federal, state or tribal drinking water 

agencies responsible for making sure it 

meets the National Primary Drinking 

Water Standards. Your water company 

must notify you when contaminants 

are in the water they provide that may 

cause illness or other problems. 

Most people in the United States 

receive water from a community water 

system that provides its customers with 

an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer 

Confi dence Report. Normally, you will receive it with 

your water bill once a year in July. The report contains 

information on contaminants found, possible health effects, 

and the water’s source. If you do not receive a report, 

contact your water company for this information. 

Private Water Supplies

If your drinking water does not come from a public water 

system, or you get your drinking water from a household 

well, you alone 

are responsible 

for assuring 

that it is safe. 

For this reason, 

routine testing 

for a few of the 

most common 

contaminants 

is highly recommended. Even if you currently have a safe, 

pure water supply, regular testing can be valuable because 

it establishes a record of water quality. This record is 

helpful in solving any future problems and in obtaining 

compensation if someone damages your water supply. 
The following items will help you determine when to test 

your private drinking water supply.

How frequently should I test?

Test water every year for total coliform bacteria, 

nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH levels, 

especially if you have a new well, or have replaced 

or repaired pipes, pumps or the well casing. 

Do you expect to have a new baby in the 

household? 

Test for nitrate in the early months of a pregnancy, 

before bringing an infant home, and again during 

the fi rst six months of the baby’s life. It is best 

to test for nitrate during the spring or summer 

following a rainy period. 

Do you have taste, odor and staining issues? 

Test for sulfate, chloride, iron, manganese, 

hardness and corrosion, and every three years. If 

you suspect other contaminants, test for these also. 

Have you had a chemical or fuel spill or leak 

near your water supply? 

Test your well for chemical contaminants, such 

as volatile organic compounds. Tests can be 

expensive; limit them to possible problems specifi c 

to your situation. Local 

experts can tell you about 

possible impurities in your 

area.

Is someone in your

household pregnant 

or nursing an infant? 

Are there unexplained 

illnesses in your family? 

Do you notice a change in 

water taste, odor, color or 

clarity? You may need to 

test more than once a year.

Do you know who can test your water? 

Often county health departments will help you 

test for bacteria or nitrates. If not, you can have 

your water tested by a state certifi ed laboratory. 

You can fi nd one in your area by calling the 

Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 or 

visiting www.epa.gov/safewater/labs.

Collecting Samples

Most testing laboratories or services supply their own 

sample containers. Use the containers provided and 

carefully follow the instructions given for collecting, 

preserving and handling water samples. Samples for 

coliform bacteria testing must be collected using sterile 

containers and under sterile conditions. Some procedures 

require that water runs from an outside tap for several 

minutes before fi lling the sample containers. Laboratories 

may sometimes send a trained technician to collect the 

sample or to analyze the sample directly in your home. 

Ask if this service is available, since you may obtain better 

samples and more reliable test results.

Offi ce of Water (4606) www.epa.gov/safewater EPA 816-F-05-013 May 2005 

WHEN TO TEST YOUR WATER

Conditions or nearby activities Recommended Test

Recurrent gastro-intestinal illness Coliform bacteria

Household plumbing

contains lead

pH, lead, copper

Radon in indoor air or region is 

radon rich

Radon

Scaly residues, soaps don’t lather Hardness

Water softener needed to treat 

hardness

Manganese, iron

Stained plumbing fi xtures, 

laundry

iron, copper, manganese

Objectionable taste or smell Hydrogen sulfi de, 

corrosion, metals

Water appears cloudy, frothy or 

colored

Color, detergents

Corrosion of pipes, plumbing Corrosion, pH, lead

Rapid wear of water treatment 

equipment

pH, corrosion

Nearby areas of intensive 

agriculture

Nitrate, pesticides, coliform 

bacteria

Coal or other mining operation 

nearby

Metals, pH, corrosion

Gas drilling operation nearby Chloride, sodium, barium, 

strontium

Odor of gasoline or fuel oil, and 

near gas station or buried fuel 

tanks

Volatile organic 

compounds (VOC)

Dump, junkyard, landfi ll, factory 

or dry-cleaning operation nearby

VOC, Total disolved solids 

(TDS), pH, sulfate, chloride, 

metals

Salty taste and seawater, or a 

heavily salted roadway nearby

Chloride, TDS, sodium