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How Is Water Quality Tested to Determine If it Is Safe for Drinking?

Drinking clean water is essential to staying healthy. Water tests can be conducted quickly and inexpensively and should be routinely performed to ensure your water is safe to drink. Municipalities often conduct periodic water tests; however, you may want to conduct your own tests more frequently.

  1. Send Samples to be Tested in Lab

    • The most comprehensive way to determine whether your water is safe for drinking is to send samples to a lab. You can find a certified testing lab by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 or visiting www.epa.gov/safewater/labs.

    Buy a Home Test Kit

    • Home test kits are available from a variety of retailers. You can purchase a test kit online or by visiting your local home improvement store. While these tests do not provide as accurate of results as a lab conducted test, they can give you an initial indication as to the general safety of your water.

    Other Considerations

    • Before conducting a test, you can determine the general safety of drinking water by considering the source and analyzing any potential problems in the area. Generally underground water sources will be safer than open sources; however, this is not always true. Cloudiness, smell, and taste can also give you a general idea of the quality of your water, but as a general rule you should test questionable water before tasting it.

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