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

Thank you, Brad, for the inquiry.  At this point we know of no at-home water test kit exists that test for THM's (trihalomethanes) or other DBP's (disinfection byproducts).  Testing for those sorts of substances/compounds requires laboratory techniques and equipment.

With that said, companies like National Testing Laboratories offer mail-in water testing services that include tests for THM's. The most basic one we know of is called "Watercheck City-Check Basic" and you can read more about it in the Water Test Kit Store.

Results of testing carried out by National Testing Laboratories typically get emailed to customers about 10 business days after the lab receives samples for analysis.

What are THM's?

The term trihalomethanes describes a class of compounds in the disinfection byproduct family which get created when a disinfectant (example: chlorine in the form of hypochlorous acid) interacts with and/or neutralizes organic contaminants in water.

Scientists and health officials have determined that consuming water with elevated levels of THM's poses a threat to human health and therefore the EPA regulates the amount of THM's that public water supplies may possess.  If a water system's internal testing reveals higher than allowed levels of THM's the water system must immediately remedy the situation and in most cases must also report the failed tests to its customers within a specified period of time.

Filtering THM's Out of Drinking Water

Can home water filters remove or drastically reduce THM's in drinking water?  Yes, some do have that ability.  As an example, several of the home water filters in the Multipure product line have been tested according to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for the reduction of a number of potentially harmful drinking water contaminants including THM's.

During that testing Multipure’s Drinking Water Systems' Aquaversa, Aquaperform and Aquadome water filter systems effectively reduced concentrations of unwanted contaminants to less than or equal to the permissible contaminant limits for filtered water leaving the systems.

If you'd like to see the full list of potential drinking water contaminants Multipure filters remove or reduce, you can view that information here.

Good afternoon, Joe, and thank you for your question about the fluoride test we carry. The National Testing Laboratories test package for fluoride comes with sample collection and mailing supplies for a single water sample. Therefore, you would need one test kit for each sample that you wish to test.

• Wednesday, December 24th
• Thursday, December 25th
• Friday December 26th
• Thursday, January 1st
• Friday, January 2nd

Therefore if you have purchased a test kit recently you should plan the collection of your water sample and its subsequent shipping to NTL for analysis accordingly.

Why does this matter?

Several of the tests offered in the National Testing Laboratories water testing packages sold in our Water Test Kit Store have time and temperature requirements that if exceeded, will invalidate the test results.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to answer!

Today we received a question from ‘KuntreeBoy’ who asked, “I live outside of town and don’t have city water pipes coming to my house. We have used the same water well for better than 20 years now and now some article in the local paper says all of us need to test our water for fluoride, like the toothpaste? Why test for that stuff in well water? That gets added to city water by water companies I thought?”

KuntreeBoy has a very valid point: Many city water departments DO add fluoride to the water they distribute, er, sell to the public. They do so for the purpose of reducing tooth decay.

Many people object to the addition of fluoride to the public water supply and a good number of countries have gone so far as to BAN the addition of fluoride to the water supply. But, here in the United States, until the USEPA reaches a firm decision on whether or not fluoride poses health risks to US Citizens, well, regional and local water departments have the discretion to add fluoride or not add fluoride… as long as any added fluoride does not exceed concentration limits established by the USEPA.

KuntreeBoy asked about well water, though…

Fluoride occurs naturally in the environment and may show up in well water depending on where a person lives. In fact, we have read over the years that some areas of the United States have groundwater with fluoride levels IN EXCESS of those deemed safe by the USEPA.

So why test for fluoride if you have well water? Simple: Because it the chance exists that your well water may contain fluoride since it occurs naturally in many parts of the world, including the United States.

“Do you sell a complete well water test kit? I see you have several on the site. I want to test for arsenic and other heavy metals as well as bacteria. I do not know what else I need to test for though. If you do not have a complete test which do you recommend for a complete test? It is my personal well so no chlorine or other added chemicals. Thanks, Pam”

Regarding the matter of a ‘complete’ test kit for well water, we do not believe such an animal ‘truly’ exists… because one could ALWAYS think of more tests to perform — depending on the circumstances.

Technically speaking, literally HUNDREDS of possible tests COULD get done on well water… but most usually only need doing in rare and very unusual circumstances, as we implied previously.

Now, getting back to your question with a more real world perspective, the Water Quality Test Kit offers a good selection of normal tests for well water and also includes a lead in water, a (basic) pesticides in water test, and an arsenic in water test.

If looking for an even more comprehensive test for well water, then you may want to consider the WaterCheck Well-Check Water Test Kit from National Testing Laboratories.

Specifically: The Watercheck Well-Check Test Kit from National Testing Laboratories makes having your well water or spring water tested for bacteria (total coliform and e-coli), 19 heavy metals and minerals (including lead, arsenic and mercury), 6 inorganic chemicals (including nitrates and fluoride) and 5 physical factors (including pH and hardness).

Taking place on July 2nd, 2013 between 11 AM and 5:30 PM at Coronado Hall at the Taos Convention Center, the New Mexico State Departments of Environment and Health will provide free drinking water testing for the following water quality parameters:

• Dissolved Arsenic
• Electrical Conductivity
• Fluoride
• Iron
• Nitrates
• Sulfate
• pH

If interested in taking advantage of this great offer, the Department of Health asks that you follow these simple guidelines when collecting your water sample:

• Collect a sample approximately 1 liter in size and do so in a clean plastic or glass container.
   
• Refrain from using any container that once contained substances with strong or otherwise pungent odors. Also do not use containers that once contained chemicals like bleach, ammonia, lemon juice, etc.
   
• Make sure you collect the sample before the water goes through any sort of filtration, treatment, or softening system.
   
• Allow water to run for a few minutes before collecting the sample so that the water collected has not had time to sit stagnant in your plumbing for any period of time.
   
• If possible, collect your water sample right before heading down to Coronado Hall at the Taos Convention Center and do not allow the water to sit in a hot car for any length of time.

Curious as to why the Department of Health would offer such a full suite of testing for free? The answer involves their desire to get an idea of water quality all across the region without having to go out and drill/take a bunch of well samples themselves.

To help the Department of Health get the best overall water quality picture, if you can, please record your well’s depth, the water table level (if known), the material your well casing is made out of (i.e. iron, steel, PVC, etc.), and the distance from your well to the nearest septic tank and/or leech field area.

Interested in having your well tested… but not a resident of Taos County?

First, we suggest contacting your own local health department to see if they have any free or discounted water testing programs available. If not, then ask if they can recommend a qualified (certified) drinking water testing laboratory in the area. And finally, if neither of those options work, you may want to consider the mail-in water testing services of a company like National Testing Laboratories that manufactures the Watercheck Water Test Kit Packages.

Interested in performing spot checks on your well water quality?

Well water and health officials urge ALL private well owners to get their water thoroughly tested on an annual basis and immediately after natural disasters such as flooding or any other event that could cause a breach in wellhead integrity.

Those same folks ALSO suggest performing spot testing for critical water quality parameters (i.e. heavy metals, nitrates/nitrites, coliform bacteria, etc.) on a semi-regular basis… just in case… because the quality of water coming out of a well could change overnight and sometimes it can do so with no apparent change in taste, color, or odor.

Example: Heavy rains could raise the level of the water table and cause water in the aquifer to come in contact with exposed inorganic arsenic which then gets dissolved in to the water.

Common examples of VOC’s include toluene and benzene — both of which scientists have positively identified as carcinogens.

Over the past week or so we received numerous emails from readers asking how can they test for VOC’s and how can they remove VOC’s if detected in their water supply. In this blog article we will focus on testing for VOC’s in drinking water and in an article coming soon we will address the matter of reducing VOC concentrations in drinking water.

Testing for volatile organic compounds

Due to the complex nature and relatively low concentrations of these compounds typically found in drinking water, no simple at-home water test kits exist for volatile organic compounds. To test for them, the average homeowner has two choices:

1. Have water tested by a local water testing laboratory. You can usually obtain a list of qualified local laboratories by contacting your local Health Department or agency responsible environmental monitoring.
    
2. Send a water sample by mail to a company like National Testing Laboratories for analysis.

When dealing with volatile organic compounds one must always remember that even the most reputable certified water testing laboratory will not have the ability to test for all of the possible compounds that could end up in the water supply.

Literally, and we mean this, the current full list of volatile organic compounds contains thousands of chemicals… and the list grows larger all the time.

Therefore, most laboratories offer testing packages that include a number of the more commonly used (in industry, manufacturing, etc.) volatile organic compounds that could turn up in drinking water. As an example, National Testing Laboratories‘ line of Watercheck Testing Packages offers testing packages that include as many as 47 VOC’s.

Below you will find a list of contaminants reduced or removed by the Watercheck w/ Pesticides Testing Package offered by National Testing Laboratories, a kit we think very well suited for use by anyone who fears potential water supply contamination by industry, intention, agriculture, or accident:

Watercheck Testing Package w/ Pesticides — 103 Parameters

Do you know what scares us most? This list does not take into account several other ‘families’ of potentially dangerous drinking water contaminants… like radioactive isotopes.

Moral of the story

Whether we like it or not, water pollution exists and although the majority of United States citizens do have safe, clean drinking water pouring from their faucets, accidents happen, mechanical devices fail, incentives/bribes make some folks turn a blind eye to environmental violations, and sometimes… sh#t happens — like when runoff containing animal or human waste winds up in a lake that feeds people’s private water systems… or when that same contaminated runoff seeps down into aquifers where traces of the excrement multiply and wait to get pulled to the surface by a private water well… or when that same runoff lingers in a lake, pond or stream where its bacteria multiply and eventually drift towards a popular swimming spot…

Need we say more?

The option of testing for water quality exists for most of us and depending upon what you think you may want to test for, it may cost a lot less than you think. Contact the Water Testing Blog and we will do our best to help you find the perfect water test kit for your unique water quality situation — even if we don’t carry anything for it in our own Water Test Kit Store.

It’s your water, your health, and ultimately… your LIFE!

Thank you for your inquiry, Eddie, and congratulations to you and your wife on the new baby!

As for whether or not you can use your public water supply to dilute your child’s formula, that all depends on the amount of fluoride that your water treatment plant adds to the water it distributes.

We have read that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a recommendation against using undiluted water sources that contain fluoride concentrations at or above 0.7 mg/L (ppm) to make formula for infants 6 months of age or younger.

While fluoride does play a role in the development of healthy of a child, too much of a good thing can cause problems… like a condition known as ‘mild dental fluorosis’. Experts in the field describe dental fluorosis as visible changes to the enamel surface of the teeth.

Examples of dental fluorosis include:

• Very mild and mild forms of dental fluorosis — Teeth have scattered white flecks, occasional white spots, frosty edges, or fine, lacy chalk-like lines. These changes are barely noticeable and difficult to see except by a dental health care professional.
   
• Moderate and severe forms of dental fluorosis — Teeth have larger white spots and, in the rare, severe form, rough, pitted surfaces. ( source )

At this time the CDC states that symptoms of dental fluorosis develop only in the teeth of children 8 years old and younger and only before the teeth emerge through the gumline.

Why does dental fluorosis affect young children?

Scientists and health experts hypothesize that since a child drinks a lot more fluids (formula & water) when younger and smaller in size, the amount of fluoride they take in compared to their body mass puts their fluoride per pound level at a much higher concentration.

Think of this this way: If you add 1 gallon of blue dye to 10 gallons of water then the water will turn a dark blue color. This represents a small child consuming ‘normal’ amounts of fluoride. Now add that same 1 gallon of blue dye to 50 gallons of water and the water turns a much lighter shade of blue. This represents an adult or adolescent consuming ‘normal’ amounts of fluoride.

Ways to prevent dental fluorosis

Opponents of public water fluoridation immediately jump up and scream, “Stop adding fluoride to the water supply!” While that sounds like a quick fix, the battle of fluoridation of municipal water supplies has gone on for a long time so we highly doubt that it will end anytime soon — which means some public water supplies will continue to contain fluoride.

Therefore, the CDC suggests using low-fluoride water sources like bottled water when making formula bottles for infants. Check the labels on the bottled water, though, to make certain you use deionized, purified, demineralized, and/or distilled water.

For those not in favor of using bottled water, and we know a lot of folks out there who absolutely despise bottled water, by the way, we have found that a quality reverse osmosis water filter will do an excellent job of lowering fluoride levels in drinking water.

Certain undercounter and countertop water filters also do an excellent job of reducing fluoride levels in drinking water, but make sure the unit you select specifically states that it reduces fluoride levels. Not all undercounter and countertop water filters include a filter cartridge designed to reduce fluoride levels!

For a list of water filters specifically designed to target fluoride concentrations, we suggest you take a look at the Fluoride Filters page on FilterWater.Com

Thank you, Dee, for your inquiry and YES we believe that you can justify taking a few minutes out your already hectic schedule to test your water for (at least) the basic water quality parameters like coliform bacteria, heavy metals like lead and iron, pH & alkalinity, total hardness, etc.

We sincerely believe that KNOWING your water has the proper balance to keep you living a healthier, and dare we hope for longer, life makes spending 10 to 20 minutes every so often well worth ANYone’s time — especially if you have young children, elderly family, and/or individuals with compromised immune systems living with you.

Three water testing options

1. Local Water Quality Technicians — Having someone from a local water filtration company come out to test your water will save you the time it takes to test your water, yes, but prepare yourself for a sales pitch since they typically make their money on the water filters they sell, not the testing services they provide. Many an unsuspecting homeowner has purchased a water filter system that they did not need based upon the results of water test results provided by a water filter salesperson.

   Not saying ALL water filter salespeople stoop to that low level, but hard evidence points to the fact that many have in the past.

   Oh, and make certain the local water testing lab you select has the proper certifications to test drinking water.

   Watercheck Well Water Package

2. Mail-In Water Testing Services — It usually takes about 10 to 20 minutes to properly collect and pack up a water sample that then needs to get shipped via and overnight method guarantee that specific water quality characteristics and contaminant levels do not shift between the time of collection and testing.

   Companies like National Testing Laboratories offer a variety of water testing packages ranging from single tests for things like tannins and fluoride to comprehensive water testing packages that detect more than 100 metals, volatile organic compounds, DBP’s (disinfection byproducts), water characteristics, etc.

3. Perform the Testing Yourself — This option (more than the other two) will require you to get your hands wet, yes, but it also costs the least amount of money and makes it possible for you to test your water on-the-spot when/if it tastes funny, looks cloudy, smells bad, etc.

   Granted no at-home drinking water test kits exist for things like VOC’s and DBP’s, but you can easily test at home for other more common water problems like metals, coliform bacteria and total hardness in a matter of minutes.

   No matter which option you choose, just CHOOSE and rest easier knowing that unwanted contaminants have not slipped into your water supply.

   Remember: It’s Your Water, Your Health, and Ultimately… Your LIFE!

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