For the most part, well water is safe to drink, but a private well is not regulated by the federal government or most states, so testing it is your job. Bacteria is the one most likely to make you sick, and it has no taste, color or smell. Here is the safe line for each health item on a well test, how often each one turns up in the tests my customers send in, and why boiling kills bacteria but leaves nitrate, arsenic and lead behind.
Test water hardness with a strip from Lowe's, Home Depot or Amazon: dip it, hold it level about 15 seconds, and match the color to the chart on the bottle. 7 grains per gallon (120 mg/L) or more is hard, and that is where I recommend a water softener; over 10.5 grains (180 mg/L) is very hard. Divide mg/L by 17.1 to get grains. For an exact number, use a certified lab test or your city's Consumer Confidence Report.
You can test your water's pH at home with a strip kit (about $25) or a digital pH meter, and a certified lab test is the most accurate. The hardware-store strip kits only read down to about 5, so below that you need a meter or a lab. Here is how I rank the three tests, how to take the sample, and what your number means: below 7 is acidic, at 6.0 and up plain calcite works in any size tank, and below 5.5 it takes calcite with FloMag mixed in.
For the most part, well water is safe to drink, but a private well is not regulated by the federal government or most states, so testing it is your job. Bacteria is the one most likely to make you sick, and it has no taste, color or smell. Here is the safe line for each health item on a well test, how often each one turns up in the tests my customers send in, and why boiling kills bacteria but leaves nitrate, arsenic and lead behind.
Water Testing What Do Your Water Test Results Mean? A Diagnostic Guide Match each number on your lab report (or each symptom in your home) to ...
Test water hardness with a strip from Lowe's, Home Depot or Amazon: dip it, hold it level about 15 seconds, and match the color to the chart on the bottle. 7 grains per gallon (120 mg/L) or more is hard, and that is where I recommend a water softener; over 10.5 grains (180 mg/L) is very hard. Divide mg/L by 17.1 to get grains. For an exact number, use a certified lab test or your city's Consumer Confidence Report.
You can test your water's pH at home with a strip kit (about $25) or a digital pH meter, and a certified lab test is the most accurate. The hardware-store strip kits only read down to about 5, so below that you need a meter or a lab. Here is how I rank the three tests, how to take the sample, and what your number means: below 7 is acidic, at 6.0 and up plain calcite works in any size tank, and below 5.5 it takes calcite with FloMag mixed in.
