While we have no evidence to support the notion that Arsenic Quick Test Kits will function properly with juice as the test specimen rather than water, we have used the kits extensively and know that the color of the juice ought not affect the results since the test pads react with ‘arsenic gas’ liberated from the sample inside the reaction vessel and not the actual water sample.

Note: We contacted the makers of Arsenic Quick Test Kits about the effectiveness of their Arsenic Quick Test Kits with juice as samples and will most certainly share any definitive information we learn.

Getting back to the topic of using Arsenic Quick Test Kits, at first the process may sound a bit complex — but trust us when we say it really does not take a rocket scientist to perform the testing. Hence the reason why a number of people, including folks at the USEPA and other high profile government (as well as non-profit) agencies, have recommended this kit as a viable and useful field testing option when faced with situations where a water source may contain inorganic arsenic as a contaminant.

At this point you may find yourself asking, “Wait, didn’t you say the test liberated arsenic gas?”

Yes, Arsenic Quick Test Kits do liberate small amounts of arsenic gas in the test vessel but the amounts generated should not pose a problem as long as the testing takes place in an area with proper ventilation. In other words, open a window, test in the garage w/ the door open or perform your testing outdoors.

Arsenic Quick Test Kits do not require typical controlled laboratory environments in order to yield quality results.

What about the science projects?

So glad you asked! Depending on where you live, Lisa, and how many bodies of water you have access to for sampling purposes, you could have quite a few really cool science projects for your daughter to work on.

A company called Water Safe manufactures a test kit called the Science Fair Project Test Kit which gives young (or old!) experimenters the ability to test up to 10 bodies of water for the following important drinking water parameters:

Bacteria	None
Lead	Below 15 ppb
Pesticides	Below 3ppb (atrazine), Below 4ppb (simazine)
Nitrite	Below 1.0 ppm
Total Nitrate/Nitrite	Below 10.0 ppm
pH	6.5 to 8.5
Total Chlorine	Below 4 ppm
Total Hardness	50 ppm or less

Do other options exist for more testing? Of course they do… but the WaterSafe Science Fair Project Test Kit offers a good sampling (8 parameters for 10 bodies of water) of tests for a reasonable cost — around $80. If that option does not suit your budget, WaterSafe also makes the same kit in a smaller size that tests up to 4 bodies of water for the same water quality parameters for around $40.

Got bigger testing plans?

If you believe you will want to perform long-term testing and will need 25 to 50 tests per water quality parameter, SenSafe manufactures a par of kits called the Well Driller Standard and Well Driller Master test kits which both come with plenty of testing supplies to keep testing projects of longer duration well-stocked.

But, did you know that in many states, once a well receives the official ‘OK’ from a certified lab, they do not have to get check again — possibly EVER? Most states do NOT require well owners to have their water tested once it passes an initial test and all responsibility for illness, death or disease caused by the consumption of water from that well falls on the shoulders of the well owner.

As a general rule, Health Officials and Water Quality Professionals ‘suggest’ that well owners test their own well water (or have it tested) at least once a year.

Why do health officials and organizations suggest well water testing on a yearly basis?

The level of water in the aquifer where a well draws its water from changes frequently with large amounts of rainfall or extended periods of drought. As it changes it possibly picks up new contaminants that form when certain types of rock either get exposed to oxygen or, in some cases, water for the first time in a long time.

As an example, Free Dissolved Arsenic can enter an aquifer after igneous (volcanic) rock gets covered back up by water after exposure to oxygen during a previous period of drought. A well owner would not know of a potentially harmful arsenic level in their well water unless they tested for arsenic periodically.

Want more information on arsenic in drinking water and arsenic in water test kits? Take a look at www.ArsenicQuick.com.

Can Well Owners Test Their Own Well Water Accurately and Easily?

Absolutely! Innovations in test strip technology from companies like Industrial Test Systems, Inc. (SenSafe) have made at-home well water testing as simple as dipping a strip in a sample of the well water, removing it, waiting a few seconds for colors to develop, and then comparing the color(s) of the test pad(s)/area(s) on a provided color chart.

A great example of such a simple, do-it-yourself, at-home well water test kit goes by the name of Well Water Check Home Test Kit and it contains (2) tests for Iron, (2) tests for Total Hardness, (2) tests for pH, and (2) tests for Nitrogen/Nitrite as Nitrogen. (see below)

Well Water Check Home Test Kit

For those who want to dig a little deeper into the quality of their well water, the WaterWorks^TM 9-Way Test Kit quickly and accurately reports results for pH, Total Alkalinity, Nitrate/Nitrite as Nitrogen, Total Hardness, Free Chlorine, Total Chlorine, Iron, and Copper. (see below)

WaterWorks^TM 9-Way Home Well Water Test Kit

Still looking to test a few more parameters? The COMPLETE Water Test Kit offers well owners the ability to quickly and accurately test for Bacteria, Nitrates, Nitrites, Hydrogen Sulfide, Total Hardness, Total Alkalinity, Total Chlorine, Free Chlorine, Chloride, Copper, Sulfate, Iron, and pH. COMPLETE Water Test Kit gives its users rapid, comprehensive water test results at an affordable cost — MSRP of around $25 USD. (see below)

COMPLETE Home Well Water Test Kit

And finally, for the well owner who wants to test their own well water as thoroughly as possible without having to buy electronic meters and/or send their well water out for certified laboratory analysis, you have the recently released Water Quality Test Kit. It may have a simple name, but it packs a powerful well water testing punch: 2) tests for Iron, (2) tests for Copper, (2) tests for Chloride, (2) tests for Nitrate/Nitrite as Nitrogen, (2) tests for Total Chlorine, (2) tests for Total Hardness, (2) tests for Free Chlorine, (2) tests for Sulfate, (2) tests for pH, (2) tests for Total Alkalinity, (2) tests for Hydrogen Sulfide, (1) Pesticide in Water test, (1) Lead in Water test, and (1) 48 Hour Presence/Absence test for Coliform Bacteria. If you’re looking for a do-it-all, do-it-yourself home water test that won’t break the bank, you should definitely take a long look at the aptly named Water Quality Test Kit — MSRP of around $34 USD.

Home Well Water Quality Test Kit

So there you have it, folks. . . Several fast, accurate and easy ways to test the quality of your water that won’t break the bank or require you to break out your old high school Chemistry book or borrow your son or daughter’s Chemistry book.

As usual, we suggest you visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water for a detailed list of acceptable contaminant levels in potable water. We have also taken the liberty of posting/linking both the Primary Drinking Water Standards and Secondary Drinking Water Standards on this site.