How to Test Your Water
Municipal reports test at the plant, not your tap. Lead, copper, and bacteria enter after treatment through pipes. Testing at the tap is the only way to know what you drink.
Lab mail-in kits
SimpleLab (Tap Score): ISO 17025 certified, results in 5-7 days. Essential City Water ($90) covers lead, copper, chlorine, hardness. Essential Well Water ($180) adds bacteria, nitrates, metals. PFAS add-on $120.
Key requirement: ISO 17025 or equivalent accreditation. Do not use uncertified services.
DIY test strips
Best for: quick screening of hardness, chlorine, pH. $10-$25 for 100 strips. Accuracy is +/- 30-50%.
Brands: Varify (17-in-1), Health Metric, JNW Direct. Colorimetric dip-and-compare.
Limitations: cannot detect PFAS, VOCs, or specific heavy metals at low concentrations. If strips show elevated lead, confirm with lab test.
When to test
New home: test before you trust the tap.
Pre-1986 home: lead solder and pipes likely. Test annually.
Well water: annually at minimum. After flooding, construction, or ag activity.
After filter install: verify the filter works as claimed.
Taste/odor change: sudden changes indicate contamination or pipe degradation.
Sample collection tips
First draw: collect water sitting in pipes 6+ hours overnight. Captures lead leaching.
Flushed: run 2-3 min, then collect. Shows main supply quality.
Do both: the difference tells you if contamination is pipes or source.
Use lab containers: sterile and preservative-treated. Do not use your own bottles.