Support OneGreenPlanet
Have you ever stopped to ponder just how safe your tap water is? In an ideal world, we would all have access to fresh, clean water. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Even though the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency, sets the standard for public drinking water, the regulation of the law is less than perfect and it does not apply to homes that use private wells. While the quality of your drinking water likely does not come close to the levels of toxicity of the water in cities like Flint, Michigan, it is something to keep in mind. Water is an essential part to all our lives and access to clean water is something we all should have.
There are several ways that contaminants can make their way into our water, such as through our pipes (copper and lead), nitrates and nitrites (fertilizer run-off), pesticides, animal agriculture, and more. You may not be able to see these contaminants, but luckily, you can test for them. The easiest way to test your water is by purchasing a home water testing kit. Don’t wonder whether or not your water is contaminated — find out with these home water testing kits.
First Alert WT1 Drinking Water Test Kit
Don’t stress over your drinking water! This First Alert WT1 Drinking Water Test Kit has got you covered. According to the product description, this kit tests your water for EPA standards of bacteria, lead, pesticides, hardness, nitrates, pH, and chlorine and requires no additional laboratory testing. It is also the #1 rated kit on Amazon A kit includes one bacteria test vial, one lead/pesticide test packet, one nitrate/nitrite test packet, one pH/hardness/chlorine test packet, and a user’s manual. You can pick up this water testing kit for about $11.
Test Assured Drinking Water Test Kit
Don’t take risks — find out if there are harmful elements hiding in your water with this Test Assured Drinking Water Test Kit. This 10-in-1 kit tests for lead, bacteria, pesticides, iron, copper, alkalinity, pH, hardness, chlorine, nitrates and nitrites — and you don’t need to send it to a lab to learn the results. Each test is calibrated to EPA standards for each element and is made in the USA. Plus, if you’re not satisfied, the company has a 100 percent money back guarantee! You can pick up this handy kit for about $30.
Watersafe WS425W Well Water Test Kit
If your water comes from a private well, test it with this Watersafe WS425W Well Water Test Kit! This water testing kit delivers laboratory results for EPA recommended levels of contaminants like copper, iron, lead, chlorine, nitrates and nitrites, bacteria, fertilizer, pesticides, hardness, and pH. According to the product description, this kit delivers fast, accurate results — and the product has an average rating of four out of five stars from 470 reviews. You can pick up this kit for about $25.
HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester
This HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester is cost-efficient and it accurate thanks to its advanced microprocessor technology! This simple home water test kit features a large, easy-to-read LCD screen that tells you the overall quality of your water by testing levels dissolved solids (TDS), which is any salt, metal, or mineral in the water. The lower the TDS, the purer the water. According to the product description, this can be used to test drinking water, water filtration and purification, hydroponics (test your nutrients), aquariums, RO/DI systems, pools and spas, and more. Customer reviews are generally favorable, though some reviews have noted that their water tester was not properly calibrated by the manufacturer. You can pick up this affordable water tester for $14.25.
Digital Aid Professional Quality Water Test Meter
This Digital Aid Professional Quality Water Test Meter gives you a professional quality water tester at an affordable price! Ideal for any water, this meter tests the total dissolved solids (TDS) in your water, meaning it picks up on and salt, minerals, or metals — just turn it on and drop it in a glass of water! It is also a great way to tell when it’s time to change your water filter. Amazon reviewers are fans of how easy it is to use. You can pick up this water test kit for around $24.
PurTest Home Drinking Water Test Kit
Find out how safe your drinking water is with this PurTest Home Drinking Water Test Kit! This fast and easy test can detect the presence of 11 different contaminants, like lead, bacteria, pesticides, chlorine, copper, iron, iron, hardness, alkalinity, pH, nitrates, and nitrites. Best of all, you don’t need to send it to a lab! According to the product description, this water testing kit is a U.S. Consumer Product Award Winner and Amazon reviewers love how easy it is to use. You can pick up this kit for $25.99.
Watersafe WS425B Drinking Water Test Kit
Live in the city? Test your drinking water with this Watersafe WS425B Drinking Water Test Kit! This kit was specially developed for testing city water, delivering professional lab results in your home. Like other Watersafe products, this kit tests for EPA recommended levels of contaminants like copper, iron, lead, chlorine, nitrates and nitrites, bacteria, fertilizer, pesticides, hardness, and pH. Amazon reviewers love how easy this kit is to use and you can purchase this for about $20.
HealthyWiser TDS Meter
Don’t stress over how to use your home water test kit! This HealthyWiser TDS Meter makes it all so easy — just drop the meter in a glass of tap water, turn it on, and wait for the results! According to the product description, this professional-grade meter provides accurate readings for total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, and temperature for drinking water, aquariums, hydroponics, and more. You can pick up this simple kit for about $20.
Watts Premier 173006 All-In-One Water Test Kit
Is your drinking water safe? Find out with this Watts Premier 173006 All-In-One Water Test Kit. According to the product description, this kit includes two tests each for chlorine, chloride, pH, total alkalinity, hardness, nitrate, nitrite, iron, sulfate, hydrogen sulfide, and copper. It also includes one test each for lead, pesticides, and bacteria. Each test is color-coded for ease of use and delivers results within minutes. Amazon reviewers are happy with the results, but recommend thoroughly reading the instructions before beginning. You can pick up this kit for about $40.
YKHENGTU Water Quality Test Meter
Like other EDS-style tester meters, this YKHENGTU Water Quality Test Meter tests your drinking water, aquarium, and pool water for hardness, conductivity, temperature and total dissolved solids. According to the product description, this pen delivers an automatic read within 5 seconds with an accuracy rate as low as 2 percent. Amazon reviewers are very happy with the accurate results this test delivers. You can pick this up for about $14.
Lead image source: Oksana Yurlova/Shutterstock
thank you Popular Science!
You really ought to have the simple water test on here. it\’s great. the name is tap score and they have a website too where you can order a kit mytapscore.com
good for people who want a real lab analysis. it\’s pretty quick and easy and i found it very helpful.