Please help me test our water

May 24, 2007 4:58 PM

Home water quality testing: Any recommendations or experience?

We live in an old house for several years. Today some contractors shut the water off and when it was turned back on the water was red (I'm assuming rust) and this thwarted my dear wife's attempt to take a bath. It also freaked her out.

So . . . I'm looking for some reputable water testing firm (we live in Seattle). I'm figuring I should be able to take some samples, mail them away, and get lab results that convince my wife that the water isn't toxic or convince me that we've got a problem requiring a massive investment in new plumbing.

When I Google, I mostly get well testing firms and I don't know if that's appropriate plus lots of ads for companies who look like their business is telling people there H20 is bad so they can sell them something.

Anyone have any experience or recommendations??

posted by donovan to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

Best answer: The red color it is most likely rust (iron oxide). It won't kill you per se, and some consider it an "essential nutrient" so therefore there is no risk associated with ingesting it. However I agree it ain't pretty.

Does your house have old steel pipes? You can test the water for metals content (Pb,Fe,Cd, Cr, Zn etc). Your local water company should be able to provide you with a lab contact and they can direct you how to sample it. (You will probably want lab supplied clean poly bottles). You wouldn't need too much and I would imagine it could be done for less than $50. Concentrations could be compared to EPA water quality standards for an idea of ok/we're screwed.

Or you can just get a filter.

FWIW We recently replaced all our old galvanized plumbing in our 60's era home due to rust and general rotten/failing issues. Galvanized pipe has a life span of about 40 years in a residential home.

Full disclosure: I am a registered professional that deals with water contamination on a daily basis, however the advice above is given in a non-professional setting.
posted by Big_B at 5:47 PM on May 24, 2007

We just went through this in PA and found the Department of Environmental Protection to be of tremendous help. Here is the link for what would probably suffice for you in Washington. I actually stopped by a local office and picked up a kit to gather a sample, which they then tested for $10.00 (might be more or less in your neck of the woods). Had results in seven days. Not a bad deal.

I also think Home Depot and/or Lowes carries kits to test your water quality as well, although for substantially more money, I'd imagine.
posted by chaosscontrol at 7:53 PM on May 24, 2007

Best answer: Get a Watersafe All-In-One Test Kit, which tests water Bacteria, Lead, Pesticides, Nitrates, Nitrites, Chlorine, pH and Hardness. Under $20, and you do it all at home. It's pretty fun to do, actually.

They also sell a more expensive, more thorough "send it into a lab" kit, if you're so inclined.
posted by IvyMike at 8:46 PM on May 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

I used to test water quality for the TVA. The red was most likely iron oxide, as Big_B stated, from the water sitting in your iron pipes. It is mostly harmless. Don't wash your wites in it until the system is flushed.

We tested for iron and manganese with the TVA, not because they were considered harmful mind you, but because it can effect other things like the effectiveness other tests, turbidity (cloudyness/transparency), hardness, and taste, smell and appearance if the water is used for public drinking water at some point.

Just let the system run for a bit until it all clears out, then use as normal. Next time they turn the system off and back on may be a good day to water the lawn.
posted by Pollomacho at 7:32 AM on May 25, 2007

Whites, don't wash the whites. Obviously spelling was not a job requirement.
posted by Pollomacho at 7:33 AM on May 25, 2007