How to Determine Iron in the Water

If taken in the right doses, iron is a healthy and beneficial element for important biological functions, like carrying oxygen to the blood. However, too much iron in your drinking water can cause ill health. Most water contains a small amount of iron, usually around 0.1 milligrams per liter. But if you suspect there's an excess of iron in your water supply, you should test it and consider getting a water filter or contacting your local public water official.

Things You'll Need

• Drinking glass

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Instructions

• 1

  Pour a glass of water and let it sit momentarily. Water with an excessively high iron content will often produce reddish brown particles that will settle at the bottom of the glass.

• 2

  Examine the color of the water. Clean drinking water is completely transparent, whereas water with high iron content may appear reddish-brown or yellow in color.

• 3

  Look at your household appliances that use water, including your bathtub, toilet and faucet. If you find brown or yellow stains on these objects, it might be a sign of high iron content. Another sign is that this gooey resin has an unpleasant odor.

• 4

  Test your pH level. You can buy pH testing strips at any pool, spa or pet store. If your pH level is below 6.5, you may have high amounts of iron in your drinking water due to excessive rust in the pipes or well (if you use well water). Because rust is oxidized iron, rusty pipes can be the reason for excess iron in your drinking water.

• 5

  Get an iron testing kit. These are also available at some pet stores, as well as pool and spa stores. Kits vary in price and operating instructions, depending on the brand you buy, so carefully read the directions that come with the package.