Testing water is necessary to identify impurities in it. Proper identification will put you in a better state to take effective measures to remove them from your drinking water. This goes a long way in keeping you fit and healthy. There are several types of water purification systems available in the market.
If you are interested in making your own DIY water testing kit, then this article is for you. Here you will learn to make your own water testing kit that will test your drinking water against various types of impurities such as pesticides, bacteria, chlorine, lead. pH, and hardness. Efficient elimination of these impurities will keep you disease free and healthy always.
The relevance of testing your drinking water
There are various things that can make your water contaminated. To make it drinkable, you need to address all the impurities present in it and take proper measures to get rid of it. Failing to clean your water will make you susceptible to a wide range of waterborne diseases such as Cholera, Diarrhea, Typhoid, etc.
If you are planning to buy a water purification solution, then it is important to learn about the type of impurities present in your water. This can only happen when you implement the right ways to test your water.
One of the signs that show that your water can be contaminated is when you suffer from waterborne diseases quite often. If you find that the water you are drinking is giving you foul smell, then it is another indication of water contamination. Getting it tested is a safe way to learn more about the type of contaminants contained in it.
What are the different types of contaminants in water?
Impure water contains different types of impurities in it. These are classified as:
Bacteria
A few bacteria are harmful to health. They are the ones that release sulfur and iron into the water and create a “biofilm” on the surface of the well. Most of the common harmful bacterial are coli form and e. Coli that can lead to diseases in a person.
Iron
Water with higher levels of iron is also not good for the body. It is shown as a yellow or orange color that can lead to spots on fixtures and laundry. This can lead to a bitter taste in the water.
Manganese
High levels of manganese also seen to cause harm to the body. It is indicated as purple or black color in water. It can stain fixtures, as well give a bitter taste to water.
Sulfur or Hydrogen sulphide
Presence of this compound gives a smell of rotten eggs to the water. It can occur either naturally or due to the presence of bacteria in it.
Hard water
One of the reasons to cause hardness in water is due to the presence of calcium carbonate in it.
Lead
Lead is the last impurity element in our list that causes contamination in water. It is due to the use of old brass plumbing parts and leaded solder.
What is the right way to test your drinking water at home?
People who don’t find any nearby water testing facility would definitely benefit by testing it at their home on their own.Luckily, there are various easy to use water testing kits in the market that you can use to protect you and your loved ones from the harmful impacts of drinking impure water.
‘First Alert Drinking Water Test Kit’ is an efficient water testing method that comes with an ability to detect numerous types of impurities at one go quite easily. With this kit, you will get initial and estimated results of possible contamination in water.
Though for unmatched accuracy, you must always go for a professional level water testing lab. On using this kit, if you find that the screening test comes out to be positive, then you need to get the sample checked at your nearest water testing lab.
What type of impurities are detected by the First Alert Water Test Kit?
This kit works by testing the presence of 8 common contaminants present in water. These include lead, bacteria, nitrates, pesticides, chlorine, nitrites, hard water, and pH.
How does the water testing kit work?
This is an easy to use DIY (Do It Yourself)water test kit that tests the water in just ten minutes. The procedure to use these strips is very simple. You can get it from any reputed online or local home center. The water test kit comprises of a set of strips, each of them contains reactants that has the ability to modify its color to show the presence of several different contaminants present in the water.
What does this water testing kit contain?
Every water testing kit that you buy comes with below test packets:
- 1 Bacteria Test Vial
- 1 Pesticide or Lead Test Packet
- 1 Nitrite or Nitrate Test Packet
- 1 Hardness or pH or Chlorine Test Packet
The tests measured by this kit conforms as per EPA standards (Environmental Protection Agency of United States)that are specified for drinking water. The kit also has an elaborate instruction manual that is beneficial for performing tests for eight contaminants.
All you need is to follow the provided instructions and then perform a comparison of results to their desired range. On testing drinking water with this kit, if you find that the value obtained falls outside the admissible range as specified by the kit can prove to be detrimental to your health.
Do home water testing kits offer 100% accuracy and reliability?
These DIY home-use water test kit offer the benefit of affordability, convenience and instant results at the comfort of your home. You need to know that these quality water test strips can provide you a good idea of what contaminants are present in your water. It is advised not to base your decision of cleanliness of water solely on the basis of your test strips alone.
A word of caution: These water kits aren’t fully accurate. They would flag the presence of high levels of a few contaminants in the water but don’t offer high guarantee or precision that your drinking water is safe.
If you are seriously concerned about the quality of your water, then it is advisable to search for a reputable, and independent professional lab. Choose the lab that provides you precise results and has no bestowed interest in marketing you a costly water filtration system.
Water is one of the major sources by which impurities can get inside your body and make you unhealthy. Having identified the impurities in the water using the above water testing kit, you also need to have an efficient water purification system in place to get pure and filtered water for drinking purpose. Hope the above-mentioned information will be beneficial in keeping your body in a good state.
