Nitrates are of special concern to young children and women of child-bearing age. Bacteria can enter water following treatment in both the distribution system and house- hold plumbing networks. Coliform bacteria are used as in indicator of the presence of these organisms in water. Contact your public water system and describe any problems or suspicions you may have about your water. Contact State and local drinking water officials for information on water testing services.
Some government agencies provide such services to consumers free of charge.
Consult State-certified drinking water laboratories for information on testing procedures and their costs. Lab tests are generally substance specific or specific to a given class of contaminants. It is not likely that one test will cover all contaminants of concern to a consumer at any one time. Regardless of how or by whom testing is conducted, have test results explained by lab personnel or ask State or local drinking water officials for assistance. Concentrations of contaminants, if detected, for which testing has been conducted will be listed on the test result form.