Hello, Marilyn, and thank you for your inquiry. The SenSafe Water Quality Test Kit contains the following:

• 2 Alkalinity, Total
• 1 Bacteria,Coliform in Water
• 2 Chloride
• 2 Chlorine, Free
• 2 Chlorine, Total
• 2 Copper, Total
• 2 Hardness, Total
• 2 Hydrogen Sulfide
• 2 Iron
• 1 Lead
• 2 Nitrate/Nitrite, as Nitrogen
• 1 Pesticide
• 2 ph
• 2 Sulfate

The kit does not contain tests for manganese but that kit is available on its own. We do carry a manganese test as a standalone kit, though.

Regarding magnesium, that value is included in the total hardness reading given by the total hardness test included with the SenSafe Water Quality Test Kit. Note: The test gives a sum of calcium hardness and magnesium hardness levels, not individual concentrations.

And finally, regarding performing testing for the purpose of determining the quality of your water so you can figure out the best treatment option, if you suspect that your water has potentially significant problems and/or health risks, then home water test kits should serve as a preliminary tests only and you should probably use the services of a certified water testing laboratory before investing in a water filtration system.

If you do not wish to use the services of a local water testing laboratory (which your local health department could help you locate), then companies like National Testing Laboratories offer mail-in water testing services that provide results from a certified water testing laboratory usually within 10 business days.

Hello, Dan, and thank you for your inquiry. At this time we do not know of an at-home water test kit capable of detecting vinyl chloride, but we do know that National Testing Laboratories offers mail-in water testing services that include vinyl chloride detection. Links to two of their capable products to follow:

WaterCheck City Standard

and...

WaterCheck City Deluxe

Note:  NTL typically sends water test results back to its customers via email in approximately 10 business days.

What is Vinyl Chloride and How Does It Get Into Drinking Water?

Vinyl chloride is a colorless organic gas with a sweet odor. It is used in the manufacture of numerous products in buildings and construction, the automotive industry, electrical wire insulation and cables, piping, industrial and household equipment, medical supplies, and is depended upon heavily by the rubber, paper, and glass industries.

In other words, you can find potential sources of vinyl chloride all around you, but thankfully industry USUALLY keeps a close eye on its supplies and tries hard to minimize leaks of vinyl chloride into the environment.

National Testing Labs 30 Parameter Test Kit w/ Laboratory Testing

National Testing Labs 83 Parameter Test Kit w/ Laboratory Testing

National Testing Labs 103 Parameter Test Kit w/ Laboratory Testing

Flooding, whether extensive or localized, may compromise water quality in drinking water wells.

What if my well never got submerged by flood waters?  Even though your well may not have undergone severe flooding itself, you should not assume that it will provide safe, clean drinking water.  When floods occur, contaminated surface water may indirectly find its way into the aquifer (underground water source) from which your well draws its water.

Under normal circumstances, surface water creeps slowly downward through the ground and as it does so it undergoes a sort of natural filtering by the elements it passes through.  When floods occur, that filtration process may get bypassed altogether, as in cases where a damaged wellhead tapping into the aquifer allows contaminated surface water to shoot rapidly downward into aquifer by way of a compromised water well.

After flood waters recede, check your water supply to see if any of the following conditions exist:

• Has the quality of your water changed (odor, color or taste)?
• Did the flood waters come close to your water source?
• Did your well actually get flooded?

If your particular situation meets any of the above criteria and you suspect that the quality of your drinking water may have gotten compromised, you should seriously consider taking the following steps:

• Immediately stop using the well water for human consumption and use only bottled or boiled water for things like drinking, cooking, and washing.
• At the very least have your well tested for coliform bacteria and should the test come back positive, definitely have your well disinfected.  Then test, again, to make certain the disinfection process worked.

WaterSafe City Water Test Kit

COMPLETE Water Quality Test Kit - 13 Parameters

COMPLETE Water Test Kit w/ Lead & Pesticide Tests

Thank you, B.L., for your inquiry.  The  WaterWorks Total Hardness Test Strips (480008) CAN get used to test pool water.

Importance of Water Hardness in Swimming Pools

Pool owners should test for water hardness for several reasons including:

• Soft water (low hardness) can act in a corrosive manner and 'pull' elements out of pool surfaces resulting in liner damage and/or pitting of pool surfaces.
   
• Hard water (high hardness) will not allow other chemicals such as chlorine tablets and powders or pool water balancing chemicals to dissolve in the water.
   
• Very hard water may leave tough-to-remove calcium deposits on pool surfaces.
   
• Improper water hardness balance in pool water can result in other chemicals not functioning properly.

What is Difference Between Calcium Hardness and Total Hardness?

Total hardness readings include concentrations of calcium as well as magnesium where as calcium hardness readings include only dissolved calcium concentrations.

What is Considered Hard Water and What is Considered Soft Water?

For drinking water, tap water and well water purposes:

• Very Soft Water: 0 - 40 ppm total hardness
   
• Soft Water: 40 - 120 ppm total hardness
   
• Hard Water: 120 - 425 ppm total hardness
   
• Very Hard Water: Greater Than 425 ppm total hardness

Grains per Gallon vs. Parts per Million

Depending upon where you look, water hardness gets reported as grains per gallon (GPG) or parts per million (PPM).

To convert between the two measurements, simply divide your parts per million value by 17.5 to get grains per gallon or multiply your grains per gallon value by 17.5 to get parts per million.

Thank you, Robert, for the inquiry. At this time we carry two kits that contain MOST of the items in your list. See below for details:

COMPLETE Water Quality Test Kit includes tests for:

• Iron: 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 ppm (mg/L) – 2 tests
• Copper: 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 ppm (mg/L) – 2 tests
• Chloride: 0, 250, 500 ppm (mg/L) – 2 tests
• Nitrate: 0, 2.0, 10, 20, 50, ppm (mg/L) (as N) – 2 tests
• Nitrite: 0, 0.2, 1.0, 1.5, 3.0 ppm (mg/L) (as N) – 2 tests
• pH: 2.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 12 – 2 tests
• Total Alkalinity: 0, 80, 120, 180, 240, 500 ppm (mg/L) – 2 tests
• Total Chlorine: 0, 0.2, 1, 4, 10 ppm (mg/L) – 2 tests
• Total Hardness: 0, 50, 120, 250, 425, 1000 ppm (mg/L) – 2 tests
• Free Chlorine: 0, 0.5, 0.2, 0.6, 1.5, 4.0, 10 ppm (mg/L) – 2 tests
• Sulfate: 0, 250, >500 – 2 tests
• Hydrogen Sulfide: 0, 0.2, 2.0 ppm (mg/L) – 2 tests
• Bacteria: presence / absence media for total coliforms 1 test

The Water Quality Test Kit includes tests for:

• 2 tests for Alkalinity, Total
• 1 test for Bacteria, Coliform in Water
• 2 tests for Chloride
• 2 tests for Chlorine, Free
• 2 tests for Chlorine, Total
• 2 tests for Copper, Total
• 2 tests for Hardness, Total
• 2 tests for Hydrogen Sulfide
• 2 tests for Iron
• 1 test for Lead
• 2 tests for Nitrate/Nitrite, as Nitrogen
• 1 test for Pesticides (Atrazine & Simazine)
• 2 tests for ph
• 2 tests for Sulfate

Neither kit includes a tests for Manganese, though.

Got larger or more frequent testing needs?

If you need to test more than one or two water sources for a range of water quality parameters, you may want to consider either the Well Driller Standard Test Kit or Well Driller Master Test Kit.

This free water test kit offer comes to you courtesy of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development through the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program with the Allegan Conservation District.

Why test for nitrates?

While not considered a substantial health risk in lower quantities and concentrations, as they occur naturally in many foods and get used to preserve and cure meat products, but concentrations in excess of 10 mg/L (1 mg/L = 1 part per million) in drinking water pose a health risk to young children under the age of 6 months old, expecting mothers, nursing mothers, and the elderly.

Why 10 mg/L?

The United States Environmental Protection Agency set the ‘action’ limit for nitrates in drinking water at 10 mg/L, meaning a public water system would need to immediately take steps to reduce nitrate concentrations in the water

Due to most water well contamination by nitrates and nitrites coming from surface runoff, shallow wells therefore stand the greatest chance of having higher than acceptable levels of nitrates and nitrites. Health officials and well water professionals typically suggest that all drinking water obtained from wells get tested annually for — at the very least — nitrates, nitrites, and coliform bacteria.

Also, if you just had a new well installed, or work done on your existing water well, you should have the water tested prior to using water from the well for drinking or cooking purposes.

For more information on the free water testing offer in Allegan County, Michigan, you can visit their web site www.allegancd.org or you can contact Ana at at 269-673-6940, ext. 5.

Source http://www.mlive.com/wayland/index.ssf/2016/04/free_water_testing_will_be_off.html

That's right, enter discount code  MIKE44  at check out to save yourself 12% regardless of order size!

Yep.  Mike's turning 44 in a few days and we want him to feel EVERY minute of it (and then some!), so MIKE44 will remain active until 4/19/16.

• Water Test Kit Store (www.WaterTestKitStore.com)

I hope he doesn't fire us for this...  Ha ha.  Happy Birthday, Mike!

Why test my well water?

Many potentially harmful well water contaminants have no taste, color or odor and may enter aquifers from which drinking water wells without notice. Municipal water supplies that draw from the same aquifers as local private water wells perform regular tests on their water (as mandated by law) so any changes would get noticed and corrected immediately where as no laws mandate testing of private wells… meaning private well owners would continue using contaminated water because they did not know of water quality issues.

How does well water contamination occur?

Despite the fact that wells draw their water from sources hundreds or possibly thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface, any source of contamination on the Earth’s surface can eventually makes its way into our subterranean water sources.

Potential sources of surface contamination that can trickle into our water supply include animal waste (pick up after your dogs, people!), wastewater from industry, sewer and sewage system overflows, tainted storm water runoff (don’t dump things into the sewers, people!), excessive fertilizer use in agriculture and on lawns, and in some cases pollutants come right out of Nature itself (examples: metals, arsenic, radon, uranium, etc.)

OK, so how do I get my water tested in McHenry County?

First, pick up a sterile water sampling container from one of the participating locations listed below. Then, return samples for testing on Tuesdays in April between 9 AM and noon at one of the same locations. Note: We suggest collecting your sample on the same day as you intend to drop it off for testing.

• Algonquin Township Office, 3702 Route 14, Crystal Lake, (847)639-2329
• Dorr Township Office, 1039 Lake St., Woodstock, (815) 338-0125
• McHenry County Dept. of Health, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock (815) 334-4585
• McHenry County Dept. of Health, 100 N. Virginia St., Crystal Lake (815) 459-5151
• McHenry Township Office, 3703 Richmond Road, McHenry (accepting samples from 8 AM to 4 PM Monday – Wednesday; and 8 AM to Noon on Thursdays) (815) 385-5605
• Nunda Township Office, 3510 Bay Road, Crystal Lake, (815) 459-4011
• City of Marengo, City Hall, 134 E. Prairie St., Marengo, (815) 568-7112
• Harvard Police Department, 201 W. Front St., Harvard, (815) 943-4431
• Richmond Township Office, 7812 S. Route 31, Richmond, (815) 678-0077
• Grafton Township Office, 10109 Vine St., Huntley, (847) 669-3328

Source: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160401/submitted/160409879/

What if I want my water tested… but I live elsewhere?

Not all discounted (or free!) water testing opportunities offered by departments of health and other agencies get publicized as much as they should so we recommend contacting your local health department directly to see what they may offer.

For those interested in performing water testing on their own well or tap water, we offer a wide variety of DIY water test kits in the Water Test Kit Store.

Lead in Water Test

Water Metals Test Strips

Total Iron Visual Test Kit

Total Copper in Water Test

Chromium in Water Test

Mercury in Water Test

]]> http://watertestingblog.com/2016/04/06/reduced-fee-water-testing-in-mchenry-county-illinois-april-1st-30th-2016/feed/ 0 http://watertestingblog.com/2016/04/04/lead-lead-lead-in-water-what-is-a-person-to-do/ http://watertestingblog.com/2016/04/04/lead-lead-lead-in-water-what-is-a-person-to-do/#respond Mon, 04 Apr 2016 13:38:58 +0000 http://www.watertestkitstore.com/blog/lead-lead-lead-in-water-what-is-a-person-to-do/ Each time we turn on the news or flip through articles in a news feed we see article after article about cities, villages and towns of all sizes 'suddenly realizing' they may lead contamination in their drinking water... but we see another problem:  Everyone's looking for someone to blame or hold accountable, but not enough folks offer the average citizen simple information on the situation.  We'd like to change that.

WaterSafe Lead in Water Test Kit

How do they know lead's in the water?

Simple testing for lead should take place on water distributed by public water systems on a regular basis.

How much lead in drinking water is harmful to me?

Pretty much all water quality experts agree that drinking water with lead concentrations of 15ppb (parts per billion) or more should not get consumed by pregnant women or children.

Drinking water that contains lead concentration up to15ppb should get filtered if native to the water supply or flushed with cold water if it comes from a building's plumbing, fixtures, faucets, etc.

Where did the lead come from?

OK, so we (now) know lead in drinking water not only exists, but that it definitely poses a larger threat to the general population than many people imagined.  So where did the lead come from?

• Banned in the mid-1980's and not widely used since before World War II, lead pipes ran through older buildings.
• Banned at around the same time as lead plumbing in homes, the solder used to connect copper tubing used in plumbing often contained high levels of lead.
• Older fixtures, fittings, and valves made of brass sometimes contained lead.
• If water mains and/or plumbing leading to a faucet contain lead, the possibility exists that bits and flakes of lead may break loose and get caught in the faucet's screen.
• For a long time water mains running from water treatment plants to homes, schools and businesses contained lead -- and some still do.
• Many drinking water fountains manufactured before the late 1980's contained lead components.

While the above methods by which lead may enter the tap water of a home, school, or business represent the most common sources of lead contamination, please keep in mind that other means of contamination may exist, as well.

How can I tell if plumbing in my older home is made of lead?

When scratched, a lead pipe will appear shiny at the location of the scratch while the rest of the pipe usually has a dull gray color.

SenSafe Heavy Metals Water Check

I have well water and PVC plumbing... so am I safe?

Not necessarily.  Lead occurs naturally in the environment so well water experts suggest periodic testing for lead in well water along with other critical water quality parameters.

If no 'events' threaten the integrity if a well, then many well water experts believe annual testing for critical water quality parameters (like dissolved lead) should suffice.

Is testing for lead in water expensive?

No, not really.  A basic DIY water test kit for dissolved lead in water from WaterSafe costs less than $15 and takes just a few minutes to perform.

BUT, should a basic test kit indicate the potential presence of dangerous levels of lead in your water, laboratory testing to determine the full extent of lead contamination will cost a bit more.

And if a simple test shows I have lead in my water?

If you test your water and get a positive result for lead, then we suggest having your water tested by a qualified water testing laboratory so that you can determine the extent of contamination and begin your search for the appropriate water treatment system.  Sites like Filter-Drinking-Water.Com, FilterWater.Com, and FiltersFast.Com offer selections of filters that efficiently reduce quantities of lead and other unwanted heavy metals in drinking water.

Manganese in Water Test

Arsenic in Water Test Kit

Cyanide in Water Test Kit