Though it seems like a relatively simple task, collecting a water sample for analysis actually takes a bit of finesse if you want the testing to come out right, as in accurate. Anyone can do it, though, if they follow some simple instructions….
OK, OK, so warn weather MAY not have arrived just yet in many parts of the country, we would like to take a few minutes to remind folks of a few simple food safety tips for when the warmer weather does arrive and outdoor party times start back up.
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Earlier in the week we received an email from ‘Curtis’ who asked, ”
how long do the chemicals remain good and accurate in the Arsenic Quick (100 tests) testing kit?? We are concerned as we would like to test our well water that contains arsenic and we have a filtration system and need to test this system approximately every month.“
According to the manufacturer, full-sized Arsenic Quick Test Kits have a maximum shelf life of between 18 and 24 months from date of manufacture and in our experience we have not seen ITS, Inc. ship a full sized test kit with anything less than one year of shelf life on all components.
All of the full-sized
Arsenic Quick Test Kits that we carry ship directly from the manufacturer (Industrial Test Systems, Inc.) so that our customers receive arsenic test kits w/ freshest reagents and detection strips possible.
Why Choose Arsenic Quick?
Arsenic Quick™ test kits for inorganic arsenic provide accurate results at affordable prices. Designed using cutting-edge chemistry, Arsenic Quick™ gives results in as few as 14 minutes and some versions of the kits detect levels of dissolved inorganic arsenic as low as 0.3 ppb (0.0003ppm).
Health Departments and Environmental Agencies in a number of states recommend Arsenic Quick™ for routine monitoring and/or compliance by numerous states. Performance confirmed by EPA/ETV and you can read the reports by using the links below:
EPA/ETV Verification Statement | EPA/ETV Verification Report
Another great benefit of Arsenic Quick™ test kits involves ease-of-use since they require no advanced or technical training to use. In fact, school aged students have used Arsenic Quick™ test kits for science projects and done quite well. We invite you to see why the Quick™ line of Arsenic test kits from ITS are recognized throughout the world as premium inorganic arsenic field test kits. ALL KITS MEET HAZMAT COMPLIANCE STANDARDS FOR SHIPPING.
All Arsenic Quick™ kits detect below the MCL limits of inorganic arsenic concentrations in drinking water set by the EPA of 10 ppb (parts per billion) and the FDA limit in bottled water of 5 ppb.
Why Test for Arsenic?
Everyone knows arsenic poses a health risk, but many of those same folks do NOT know that arsenic occurs naturally in the environment and may appear without notice or warning in ground water even if it has never shown up there in the past.
Well water that contains arsenic typically
will not have a discernible taste, smell or color… so only testing for arsenic in will let you know whether or not the water from a well contains dissolved arsenic, a semi-metal that if consumed can cause both immediate harm and long-term harm depending on the concentration.
We get asked all the time: “Should I test my tap water?”
For the sake of
this article we will assume tap water refers to city or municipal water.
Naturally we think EVERYone should test their water every once in a while and since we know the next question will be, “WHY?”, here are a few basic questions that a water professional might ask if determining whether or not to test a water supply:
- Is someone in your household is pregnant or nursing? (Yes = Test the water)
- Has there been an unexplained illnesses in the household recently? (Yes = Test the water)
- Have any of your neighbors found a dangerous or unwanted contaminant in their water? (Yes = Test the water)
- Did you notice a change in the taste, color, clarity and/or smell of your water recently? (Yes = Test the water)
- Do you know of any recent chemical, sewage or or fuel spills in your area? (Yes = Test the water)
- Have you had any work done on your plumbing in the house or leading to the house? (Yes = Test the water)
- Does your home have older copper plumbing that may have lead bearing solder in its joints? (Yes = Test the water)
- Have you noticed discoloration on plumbing fixtures? (Yes = Test the water)
- Do your do your soaps, detergents and shampoos lather up as quickly and easily as in the past? (No = Test the water)
- Has crusty material formed on sink fixtures? (Yes = Test the water)
What kind of testing makes the most sense?
Honestly, it depends on what sort of contamination you suspect may have infiltrated your water supply.
Home water test kits (like
SenSafe Water Quality Test Kit & COMPLETE Water Test Kit) have the ability to detect basic water quality parameters and give a general idea of water quality BUT they do not detect things like man-made chemicals. To detect things like VOC’s, THM’s and other disinfection byproducts, fuel components, etc. you will need the services of a water quality testing laboratory such as National Testing Laboratories that offers various levels of testing ranging from just beyond what a home water test kit can do all the way through to a thorough water analysis for literally hundreds of potential water contaminants.
 WaterSafe City Water Test Kit |
 COMPLETE Water Quality Test Kit – 13 Parameters |
 COMPLETE Water Test Kit w/ Lead & Pesticide Tests |
This morning we received an inquiry from ‘KB’ who asked, “MY SON IS INTERESTED IN DOING A SCIENCE PROJECT. HOW MANY TESTS CAN BE DONE WITH THE WaterWorks Well Water Test Kit AND THE COLIFORM BACTERIA KIT?”
Hello. The WaterWorks Well Wate…
Do you have filters for lead in drinking water?
By The Water Test Kit Store: Latest News | February 20, 2018
This morning we received an inquiry from ‘Jeenah’ who asked, ”
Do y’all sell filters for lead? Our city says we have lead in our water so we want it gone cuz of our kids.“
Whether the news that you have a contaminant in your drinking water comes from your local water company, a lab report from a water quality testing laboratory or an at-home water test, the news still stinks and more than likely you want to remedy the situation as quickly, easily and affordably as possible.
Different classifications of water filtration units: POE vs. POU
When it comes to filtering your water, you may choose to do so at the point of entry (POE) so that all water outlets in your home or building have the same filtered water coming out of them. Whole house water filtration systems fall into this category and work best for folks who routinely consume water from more than one faucet in their dwelling.
Whole house filters typically require professional installation and may perform tasks as simple as softening water (reducing water hardness caused by calcium and magnesium) and as difficult as reducing unwanted levels of arsenic, lead, volatile organic contaminants (VOC’s), disinfection byproducts (such as THM’S), etc.
For examples of whole house point of entry water filters, check out
budget (smaller) whole house water filters, large whole house water filters and whole house water filters designed specifically for well water on FilterWater.Com.
In situations like renting an apartment where installing a whole building system simply cannot happen, point of use water (POU) filters work quite well. Options for point of use water filtration systems include filtering at the tap with a
counter top water filter or under counter water filter, at the shower head or with a water pitcher filter.
OK, but what about filtering out lead?
Companies like
Propur have their water filtration devices tested against NSF standards and publicize the results to make it easier for consumers to decide whether or not they should buy from them. As an example, below you will find links to several of the test results for Propur water filters and yes, the results do include data for the reduction of dissolved lead in water.
For the
ProPur Inline Connect FS10 Under Counter Water Filter…
- Metals
- Non-Metals
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s)
- Herbicides
- Pesticides
- Pharmaceuticals
- Semivolatile Compounds
- Microorganisms
- PFOA’s
- Dioxane
- Parasites
For the
ProPur ProMax PMC-4000 Undercounter Water Filter…
For the
ProPur ProMax PMC-3000 Countertop Water Filter…
For the
ProPur ProMax PM-9000H Chrome Shower Filter w/ Massage Wand…
Today we heard from ‘Dennis’ who asked, “Which test would be better? COMPLETE Water Quality Test Kit or WaterSafe Well Water Test Kit?
We have a well near a semi-dry canal in Florida. I need to get a new/better whole house filtering system (2 or 3 …
Testing for Chloramines and Disinfection Byproducts
By The Water Test Kit Store: Latest News | February 13, 2018
We recently received an email from ‘WendyS’ asking, “I’d like to make sure I order the appropriate testing kit. I am mostly concerned about the chloramine and byproduct levels in my home from the municipal water supply. Should I get the Waterworks…
We recently heard from ‘Fred’ who asked,
“What is the detection limit for your ‘Arsenic in Water Test by National Testing Laboratories’ product? Is there any discount for ordering multiple tests? I want to test my incoming city water and water af…
We received an email from ”Weindell’ who asked, “I’m looking at your watersafe well test kit and want to know if the included iron test will measure levels of iron in ppm or simply tell me presence/absence?”The WaterSafe Well Water Test Kit me…
