So anyways, an independent environmental monitoring group in the Chesapeake Bay area (Chesapeake Bay Foundation) announced that results of recent water quality testing indicate definite improvements in the bay’s overall condition.

With its crab population rebounding and water quality slightly better, the Chesapeake Bay is showing signs of improvement, the region’s leading environmental group says, but the estuary remains seriously impaired and needs a strict pollution “diet” to ensure its restoration.

The Annapolis-based Chesapeake Bay Foundation upped the estuary’s overall health score by three points in its latest “state of the bay” report, while warning that it remains in critical condition, barely above a failing grade.

“That the bay is getting better is a huge development, but sadly not the whole story,” William C. Baker, the foundation’s president, said in a release accompanying the report. “Dead zones, fish kills and water contact advisories are constant reminders of how far we still must go.” ( source )

Got a body of water in your area that you’d like to keep an eye on? The Chesapeake Bay Foundation probably uses quite a few advanced tools such as multi-parameter meters to measure a wide range of critical water parameters but in all honesty, sometimes using simple tools such as a TDS Meter or Eco-Check, a very popular product which tests for nitrates, nitrites, hardness, total alkalinity, and pH all with a single dip of a test strip and typically costs less than $14.00 for a bottle of 25 tests.

Drastic changes in basic water quality parameters sometimes serve as warning signs that other, more serious water quality problems exist.

Eco-Check 5-Way Test Strips

TDS Meters for Water Quality Testing

]]> http://test-for.com/blog/2010/12/chesapeake-bay-getting-better-but-still-far-from-good/feed/ 0 http://test-for.com/blog/2010/12/finding-a-certified-water-testing-laboratory-in%e2%80%a6/ http://test-for.com/blog/2010/12/finding-a-certified-water-testing-laboratory-in%e2%80%a6/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:03:19 +0000 Water Testing Blog http://watertestingblog.com/?p=3393 Do you wonder what terrible contaminants may or may not lurk in your water? Have you tried to find a reputable water testing company in your area and had no luck? If so, then you and ‘Joyce B’ should get together for coffee because the two of you have the same trouble right now…

“I have searched for hours. How does one find a water testing company? We live in Northern Colorado and can find no information on this. It’s very frustrating.”

Yes, Joyce, we agree. The internet has become so cluttered with nonsense that finding valuable resources such as reputable water testing companies has turned into a truly annoying adventure.

Thankfully the United States Environmental Protection Agency has put together a way for people to locate certified water testing laboratories in their State of residence. For you, Joyce, the EPA’s web site directed us to the following pdf file which lists State Certified Drinking Water Labs in Colorado.

For all you other folks interested in locating a certified water testing lab in your area, take a look at the EPA’s State Certification Officers for Drinking Water Laboratories. By each name you will find a link to that particular state’s web page with links to its approved drinking water testing laboratories.

Do we have to use a lab to test our water?

We strongly advocate using a certified drinking water testing laboratory in situations where the water has not gotten tested in a long time or people have good reason to suspect contamination of some sort. That does not mean, however, that people ought not perform spot check testing on the quality of their drinking water using at-home drinking water test kits made by reputable companies like SenSafe and WaterSafe because sometimes a drastic change in an easily monitored water quality parameter (i.e. pH, alkalinity, heavy metals, etc.) can indicate the presence of a much larger and potentially much more dangerous problem.

I need to find out about the testerORP/Redox for using at the pool

And finally, what did they have to say?

Could you explain what could be tested at the pool’s water by tested ORP/Redox (ORPTester 10 model)? How often do I have to conduct the tests?

Thank you,

Ella

Thank you, Ella, for bringing up the topic of ORP Meters and what they test. Many people have heard of ORP Meters, but not many understand a whole lot about them.

Rather than get into a discussion about gaining and losing electrons that would bore everyone to tears, we will instead sum up ORP Meters’ usefulness by saying that they measure the effectiveness of oxidizers (i.e. chlorine, bromine, non-chlorine shock, and hydrogen peroxide, etc.) in the water.

For you more technical types out there, in a chemical reaction an oxidizing agent will take electrons away from other compounds/elements in the mixture and a reducing agent will donate electrons to the other compounds/elements.

Many automatic chemical dispensing systems rely upon ORP testing units to determine how much and when to add chemical sanitizers to pools.

Frequency of testing?

Whether it has to do with chlorine testing or testing for pretty much ANY pool water parameter, if your pool falls in the category of ‘public’ you will want to consult with your local health department… as regulations vary by locale.

What testing is required for public pools?

This also varies by location so once again you will want to consult with your local health department.

Oh, and before we forget, some health departments may not recognize ORP testing as a definitive way of measuring sanitizer levels. Also, simply measuring the sanitizer level in a swimming pool will not tell you everything you need to know in order to make sure the water stays safe.

Pool water parameters typically tested?

Sanitizer (i.e. free & total chlorine) levels, pH, total alkalinity, calcium or total hardness, stabilizer (cyanuric acid) levels, TDS, and water metals (i.e. iron & copper).

As we said before, you will want to check with your local health department to see what parameters they want you to test and how often they want you to test them.

Taylor K2006 Test Kit

eXact Micro 7+ Pool Testing Meter

]]> http://test-for.com/blog/2010/09/question-about-orp-and-pool-water-testing/feed/ 0 http://test-for.com/blog/2010/08/directions-for-getting-rid-of-algae-in-a-swimming-pool/ http://test-for.com/blog/2010/08/directions-for-getting-rid-of-algae-in-a-swimming-pool/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:30:19 +0000 Test For Admin http://pool-water-testing.com/pool-testing-blog/?p=524

In an earlier posting we promised to give you some real-world advice regarding how to clean up algae problems in pool water. We have personally, and successfully, used the following instructions more times than we care to remember and feel safe saying that they will work for pretty much anyone as long as their pool filter, pump and other equipment functioned properly.

1. Brush pool surfaces -– Algae will usually first appear on the walls and bottom of the pool as a slimy coating and as long as it remains attached to a surface of some kind, any chemical used to treat he algae infestation will have a difficult time doing its job. Brushing all pool surfaces puts algae into suspension with its vulnerable underbelly exposed so the chemical shock treatments can completely and quickly penetrate the algae bloom.

2. pH Reduction -– Some people dispute the value of this step, but chemically speaking MOST of your chlorine-based granular/powder shock treatments work more effectively in a poll with a pH level in the range of 6.8 to 7.0. One should OBVIOUSLY test the pH level in their pool prior to adding any chemicals to raise or lower the pH.

   Also, check for other critical water parameters such as alkalinity, stabilizer, calcium hardness, etc. at this time, too. If you want your pool shock treatment (in the next step) to work as effectively and quickly as possible, you MUST have your water properly balanced first.

   Need a test kit? Take a look at Taylor-Test-Kits.Com.

   

3. Shock the Pool -– At this point you should add chlorine shock treatment (unless you use a biguanide sanitizer system!!!) to your pool water at a rate of roughly one pound of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water. NOTE: Not all shocks come in the same strength so you will have to read the directions on your package(S) carefully before use!

   Your pool will most likely get a little cloudy at this point due to dead algae floating around. You pool’s filter, if operating properly, will take care of this problem shortly.

   

4. Algae Treatment or Phosphate Removers -– Now that you have killed the algae blooms, you may also want to remove the nutrients that allowed the algae to flourish in the first place. Without phosphates, future algae will not have a chance to grow.

   Need a test kit to determine whether or not your pool contains phosphates? Take a look at the Phosphate Test Strips manufactured by Pool Check.

   

5. Swimming Pool Clarifier -– Once dead, the algae will float around in your water making it appear cloudy… until your filter has a chance to remove it. Adding the proper dosage of pool water clarifier will speed up that process and leave you with crystal clear pool water as long as you remember to backwash your filter each time it gets clogged up with dead algae.

An important thing to remember about cleaning up algae problems: Your pool filter will have to work a lot harder than it normally does as it filters out the dead algae floating around in the pool after the shock treatment does its job. You may have to backwash several times before your pool returns to its normal condition.

For all you people with DE Filters, depending upon how long ago you last cleaned the fingers/grids in your filter you may want to do so before and after this massive filtering effort. You will want to use a DE filter cleaner for the task.

Need a new or longer backwash hose so you can direct your chlorinated waste water stream away from your flowerbeds, neighbor’s lawn, etc.? InTheSwim.Com carries backwash hoses in 25′, 100′ and 100′ lengths.

Seems like a really stupid question, but trust us when we tell you that thousands of people ask that question each swimming season. Either that or they ask a similar question: “I put algaecide in my pool but I still have a green pool. Why?”

For the most part the term ‘algaecide’ masks the true purpose of algaecides which is actually to help prevent algae from appearing in the first place, not kill it once it has arrived.

Yes, you read that correctly. Algaecides actually work to keep algae from blooming and turning your pool green. Therefore, logic dictates that algae ought to go into the pool BEFORE the first signs of algae… Slimy pool surfaces and yellow/brown/green ‘stains’ appearing in the pool.

So, to answer the question directly, no, you most likely cannot use algaecide to clear up an algae problem. you can, however, use algaecide in conjunction with proper sanitizers to keep algae from showing up in your pool in the first place.

So what can you do if your pool already HAS an algae problem? The kit pictured above (Algae Attack Pool Chemical Value Pack) can help in cases like that. It has all the necessary components to take care of the most stubborn algae issues.

As a general rule, properly balancing the water and then delivering a healthy dose of shock (chlorine or non-chlorine) usually gets pools back on the right track. Some brushing of walls and other pool surfaces required, of course.

We will try to get more detailed instructions for getting rid of algae posted in the next few days, but no promises… we may get pre-occupied w/ swimming by accident.

Water Quality Test Kit for 15 Parameters
Regularly $40, Now Just $32.00

Everyone loves a bargain, right? Well if you have waited to purchase a test kit for drinking water because you could never find one on sale, well, you no longer have a reason to wait.

FilterWater.Com recently dropped the price of Sensafe’s most popular test kit for drinking water quality, an easy-to-use test kit that tests for 15 critical water quality contaminants and does not require users to mix powders, crush tablets, or have a degree in chemistry to figure out the directions.

Considered by some the most complete do-it-yourself Water Quality Test Kit on the market, this water test kit tests up to 2 water sources for 15 critical water quality parameters and allows you to quickly and easily test your drinking water and/or check to see if your water filter does a good job.

In this particular drinking water test kit you will find the only available USEPA Approved Free Chlorine Test Strip as well as color-coded, visual, on the spot tests for 13 other parameters. The bacteria test kit, however, requires 48 hours, just as it does in kits manufactured by all other companies.

In total, the Water Quality Test Kit contains the following:

• Free Chlorine – 2 tests
• Total Chlorine – 2 tests
• Chloride – 2 tests
• pH – 2 tests
• Total Alkalinity – 2 tests
• Total Hardness – 2 tests
• Nitrate – 2 tests
• Nitrite – 2 tests
• Iron – 2 tests
• Sulfate – 2 tests
• Hydrogen Sulfide – 2 tests
• Copper – 2 tests
• Lead – 1 test
• Pesticide – 1 test
• Bacteria – 1 test

Included with the kit you will receive a chart so that you can compare your results to USEPA recommended levels is included.

And remember…

Despite the great price on this home drinking water test kit, no at-home testing can ever take the place of having a certified water testing laboratory such as National Testing Labs analyze your drinking water if you have serious reason to suspect contamination.

As the beginning of Summer 2010 approaches and more people flock to local swimming pools in an effort to cool off, the risk of waterborne illness from parasites increases. Recreational Water Illnesses (RWI’s) typically occur when people do not practice simple hygiene before and during their pool visits.

In the event of a recreational water illness most people immediately blame pool operators for allowing sanitizer levels to fall. Many of those same people, however, forget that germs and bacteria enter the pool on people and that if people stopped introducing harmful germs and bacteria to pool water, sanitizer levels would probably not drop to dangerously low levels and allow germs to wreak havoc.

Another thing to remember about chlorine, bromine and other sanitizers: They will not work as effectively if other critical water parameters such as pH and total alkalinity levels have drifted out of acceptable ranges. So even if sanitizer levels test correctly and in the right ranges, high/low values for other water parameters may render those sanitizers partially or totally ineffective at killing germs and bacteria.

What sort of ‘nasties’ can a person expect to find in swimming pools as a result of poor swimmer hygiene habits?

The most common are caused by the germs Cryptosporidium (crypto), Giardia, E. coli and Shigella. Once these parasites gain entry to the pool they can cause swimmers to experience a variety of infections ranging from skin, ear and eye to gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses that can quickly put a damper on summer fun.

How widespread are these pesky pool parasites? Research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found nearly one in ten public swimming pools in a major metropolitan city tested positive for Crypto and Giardia, the parasites responsible for causing most of the outbreaks of diarrhea among swimmers in the United States. Diarrhea is one of the most common illnesses related to swimming and is spread when disease carrying germs from human or animal feces get into the water and are accidentally swallowed by unsuspecting swimmers. ( source )

So as you can clearly see, harmful bacteria and germs in pool water should concern EVERY swimmer and EVERY swimmer should do their part to reduce the number of germs and bacteria they could potentially bring to a pool party.

For a list of things you, your family, and hopefully all other pool patrons can do to reduce the risk RWI’s in your favorite pools, check out a recent article on The Water Testing Blog entitled Myth: Chlorine Kills All Germs and Bacteria in Water.

What about testing? Can the average person test for the presence of harmful bacteria before entering the pool? Yes, WaterSafe manufactures a bacteria test kit specifically designed for use in pool & spa water to detect harmful bacteria species such as Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, E.coli, species of Salmonella, Shigella, Enterobacter, Klebsiella and many other Coliform and non-Coliform bacteria.

While the kit will not distinguish between bacteria types or give quantitative results, it will let you know if water tested contains more than 1,000 cfu/mL. People should avoid swimming in pool water containing levels greater than 1,000 cfu/mL.

OK, so you COULD go and eat a value meal at some fast or semi-fast food restaurant for five dollars (plus tax)… or you could take advantage of a great price on Pool Check 3 Way Test Strips that you know you will need this pool season.

What do they test for? So glad you asked! Pool Check 3 in 1 Test Strips test for Free Chlorine (0-20ppm), Bromine (0-40ppm), Total Alkalinity (0-360ppm), and pH (6.0-9.0).

Right now on the National Safety Products web site you can get a bottle of 50 strips for just five bucks… which works out to just 10 cents a test.

You KNOW you will need these things at some point this pool season so why not pick up a few bottles right now and not have to worry about running out later this Summer and having to pay MORE for the same product; simply because retailers know you’ll have to pay whatever they ask at that point.

Order some Pool Check 3 in 1 Test Strips today… or for those of you who don’t like using test strips and prefer to use a more traditional test kit, you will find those on Taylor-Test-Kits.Com.

On another note…

Happy Friday, everyone! Weekend’s almost here!

Voted one of the “Most Valuable Products for 2008!” by Aquatics International Magazine, the Lamotte Color Q Pro 7 tests for seven critical pool and spa water parameters: Free Chlorine, Total Chlorine, Bromine, pH, Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid.

It comes with either TesTabs or liquid reagents and has a 6-month manufacturer’s warranty.

Below you will find a table which lists each water quality parameter the meter can test along with the meter’s associated detection limits.

The Lamotte Color Q Pro 7 offers convenient pool or spa-side water testing without the need for color matching or look up charts and conversion tables. It provides direct readings for Free Chlorine, Total Chlorine, Bromine, pH, Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid and by doing so eliminates all guesswork.

A naturally occurring reddish metal that appears in rock, water, soil, sediment and in the air, copper has unique physical properties which make it perhaps one of the most commonly used and important metals. You can find copper in pennies, as part of electrical wiring systems, and in plumbing. You can also find it used in some pesticides and algaecides.

As humans we require a minute amount of copper to live, but as with anything, too much copper in a short period of time and prolonged exposure to excess copper can have detrimental effects on our health.

For that reason health officials suggest testing your drinking water for copper, and other things obviously, on a semi-regular basis… especially if you live in an older home, in an area that has older water delivery lines, or if you have well water.

How can you test for copper?

Previously you would have to use a test kit that used drops, tablets, powders, etc. or have your water tested by a water testing laboratory. As usual we suggest that people use water testing labs if they have serious reason to suspect drinking water contamination and that owners of wells have their water tested by a certified water testing lab at least once a year, for occasional testing needs you can use copper test strips such as the John’s Copper product manufactured by SenSafe.

If you think you may have a need to test your water for copper, then you may also want to test for other metals such as iron, manganese, mercury, and lead.

A test kit such as the Well Driller Master Test Kit has all those tests and more.

Arsenic Mini Test Kit

Manganese Test Kit

Water Metals Check

Well Driller Test Kit

Mercury Test Kit

Ida’s Iron Check

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