Home / Drinking Water Tests / Test Kit
Drinking Water Test Kit
Check tap, well or filtered water for 18 common water quality parameters, plus total coliform bacteria. Strip results in about a minute.
- Tests for
- 18 parameters on two strips (A + B), plus total coliform bacteria
- Sample
- Tap, well or filtered water
- Results
- Strips: 30–60 seconds. Bacteria: 48 hours.
- Number of tests
- 50 complete strip tests, 2 bacteria tests
- In the box
- 10 A-strip pouches and 10 B-strip pouches (5 strips each), 2 bacteria test cards, sampling tube, dropper marked at 0.5 mL, instructions
- Storage
- 35–86°F (2–30°C), dry, out of direct sunlight
One kit or a whole case, email [email protected] with how many you need. We reply within 24 hours.
What it tests
Each strip has 9 test pads. Use one A strip and one B strip for a complete test, or use either strip on its own.
A strip
- pH
- Carbonate
- Total Alkalinity
- Lead
- Total Hardness
- Nitrate
- Nitrite
- Free Chlorine
- Total Chlorine
B strip
- Chloride
- Sulfate
- Manganese
- Mercury
- Hydrogen Sulfide
- Iron
- Copper
- Zinc
- Fluoride
Bacteria card
- Total Coliform Bacteria
For specific situations: after flooding or heavy rain if you use a well, when your water's smell, taste or look suddenly changes, or after plumbing work or a long shut-off.
How to test with the strips
Test one strip at a time. Finish the A strip first, then test the B strip with a fresh water sample.
Collect
Fill the sampling tube or a clean cup with fresh water, high enough to cover every pad. Let the tap run for a few seconds first, unless you want to test water that's been sitting in your pipes.
Take out a strip
Take one A strip out by the handle and reseal the pouch right away. Never touch the colored pads.
Dip
Dip the strip so every pad is under water, then take it out within 1–2 seconds.
Blot
Lightly touch the side edge of the strip to a paper towel. Don't wipe or press the pads. Then hold the strip flat, pads facing up.
Read at 30 and 60 seconds
Hold the strip next to the color chart on its pouch, handle at the bottom. At 30 seconds, read the rows marked 30s. At 60 seconds, read Nitrate and Nitrite (A strip) and Fluoride (B strip). Results aren't accurate after 60 seconds.
Record
Write down your results right away, then throw the strip away. Each strip is single-use.
Repeat with a B strip
Pour out the water, rinse the tube, and fill it with a fresh sample. Then repeat steps 2–6 with a B strip.
Tips for accurate readings
- Read in natural daylight if you can. Dim or tinted light changes how colors look.
- If a color falls between two blocks on the chart, estimate a value between them. This is a screening test, so it gives an approximate range.
- Ignore color that shows only at the edges of a pad, or color that changes after 60 seconds.
- Don't use strips whose pads look discolored before you dip them. Open a new pouch.
- Use an opened pouch within 90 days, and keep the drying packet inside.
A result close to a level of concern? Test again with a fresh sample. If you get the same result, send a sample to a certified local lab before making decisions about your water.
Testing for coliform bacteria
Coliform bacteria live in soil, on plants and in human and animal waste. A positive result doesn't always mean your water contains germs that cause disease, but it does mean contamination has a way into your water.
Check the card
The test paper should be dry and evenly purple, and the pouch should have no holes or tears. Your water's pH (from the A strip) should be close to neutral.
Measure 0.5 mL
Wash your hands, open the pouch, and draw fresh water into the dropper up to the 0.5 mL mark.
Add the water
Squeeze all of it onto the center of the test paper so it soaks through.
Seal the card
Peel off the protective film and press the cover down firmly.
Wait 48 hours
Lay the card flat at 68–86°F (20–30°C) and don't open it. If the room is cooler than 68°F, wait up to 72 hours.
Reading your result
If your result is positive
- Test again with a fresh sample. Contamination while collecting the sample is the most common cause of a false positive.
- Don't open the card. Seal it in a plastic bag, put it in household trash, and wash your hands.
- If the second test is also positive, boil your water before drinking or cooking with it, and send a sample to a certified lab to test for total coliform, fecal coliform and E. coli.
- Keep boiling your water or use another source until a lab confirms the problem is fixed.
This test does not identify E. coli or fecal coliform. A lab test can tell you which bacteria are present.
Your results explained
Compare your readings with these reference levels. EPA standards apply to public water systems; private wells aren't federally regulated.
Health-based standards
EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: legal limits for public water systems.
| Parameter | EPA level | Common sources | What high levels can mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0.015 mg/L action level* | Old pipes, solder and fixtures that corrode | Can affect children's growth and development; kidney problems and high blood pressure in adults |
| Copper | 1.3 mg/L action level | Corroding household pipes; natural deposits | Upset stomach in the short term; liver or kidney damage over a long time |
| Mercury | 0.002 mg/L | Natural deposits; factory waste | Kidney damage; effects on the nervous system |
| Fluoride | 4.0 mg/L | Added to public water; natural deposits; factory waste | Bone disease and joint pain; spots on children's teeth |
| Nitrate (NO₃⁻) | 44 mg/L (= 10 mg/L as nitrogen) | Fertilizer runoff; septic systems; animal waste | "Blue baby syndrome"; babies under 6 months are most at risk |
| Nitrite (NO₂⁻) | 3.3 mg/L (= 1 mg/L as nitrogen) | Fertilizer runoff; septic systems; animal waste | Same as nitrate |
| Total / Free Chlorine | 4.0 mg/L | Added to water to kill germs | Eye and nose irritation; upset stomach at high levels |
| Total Coliform | Should not be detected | Soil, plants, animal and human waste | Shows that disease-causing germs may have a way into your water |
*The EPA says there is no known safe level of lead in drinking water. Its lead action level drops to 0.010 mg/L on November 1, 2027. This kit reports nitrate and nitrite as NO₃⁻ and NO₂⁻; the EPA lists them as nitrogen, so the limits above are converted to match your strip.
Taste, odor and appearance
EPA Secondary Standards: guidelines, not laws. They're about how water looks, tastes and smells.
| Parameter | EPA recommended limit | Common sources | What high levels can mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chloride | 250 mg/L | Road salt; water softeners; natural deposits; seawater | Salty taste; pipes and fixtures can corrode faster. Not the same as chlorine. |
| Iron | 0.3 mg/L | Natural deposits; rusting pipes | Metallic taste; rust-colored stains on fixtures and laundry |
| Manganese | 0.05 mg/L | Natural deposits; factory waste | Black or brown stains; bitter metallic taste |
| Zinc | 5 mg/L | Natural deposits; corroding galvanized pipes | Metallic taste |
| Sulfate | 250 mg/L | Natural deposits | Laxative effect; bad taste and smell |
| pH | 6.5–8.5 | Natural; water treatment chemicals | Too low: corrodes pipes, metallic taste. Too high: bitter taste, slippery feel, scale buildup. |
Other parameters
Not on the EPA lists. These ranges are common industry guidelines.
| Parameter | Recommended level | Common sources | What high levels can mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Alkalinity | 20–200 mg/L | Natural minerals | How well water resists pH changes. Too low: corrosive. Too high: bitter taste and scale. |
| Carbonate | 50–200 mg/L | Natural minerals | Works with alkalinity and hardness to keep water balanced |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | Ideally 0 | Bacteria breaking down plant and animal matter underground | "Rotten egg" smell (most people notice it at about 0.05 mg/L). Above 1 mg/L it can tarnish copper and silver. |
Total hardness
Based on the U.S. Geological Survey scale. Hardness measures calcium and magnesium, which aren't harmful to drink. It affects scale buildup, how well soap works and how long appliances last.
What this kit can and can't do
This is a screening kit. It quickly shows whether something in your water needs a closer look. It doesn't give certified, exact measurements, and it doesn't replace testing by a certified lab.
Nothing changed color. What does that mean?
The level is at or below the first block on the chart. If you have reason to suspect a problem, test again with a fresh sample. Make sure the strip was fully under water and that you read it within 60 seconds.
Can I use just the A strip or just the B strip?
Yes. Each strip works on its own.
Can I dip a strip again or use it twice?
No. Dipping it again gives inaccurate results.
Why do I need a fresh sample for the B strip?
Chemicals from the A strip may have gotten into the first sample. Pour it out, rinse the tube and refill it. The bacteria card also needs fresh water that hasn't touched a strip.
Can I drink the water after testing it?
No. Chemicals from the strip may have gotten into the sample. Pour it out.
Something is missing or damaged in my kit.
Email us at [email protected] before you use the kit, and we'll replace it.