Testing Your Well Water For Safe Drinking

Clean and pure drinking water is a necessity, especially in your home. While the water that runs through your tap from the town is safe, minerals can settle over time, causing discolouration, odours and strange tastes. For many people, this can deter us from enjoying our home tap water. Water plays a huge part in our lives when at home from drinking, brushing our teeth, showering, and washing our hands. For that reason it is so important to test your water to make sure that you are safe. Here are a list of resources to test your water locally.

WATER SAMPLE PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF LOCATIONS

SMDHU Collingwood Office
280 Pretty River Parkway, Collingwood
Pick-up times: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4pm
Drop-off times: Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 2:30pm, Closed between 12:30 and 1:30

HOW TO TAKE A WATER SAMPLE AT HOME

1. Identify which water sources to test

The kind of testing kit you need depends on the water source you are testing. If you are testing your town's drinking water, a basic kit that covers common contaminants like lead and chlorine will get the job done. If you have well water, you'll need a water quality testing kit thats more comprehensive and includes screening for pesticides. 

2.  Choose a water quality method

Most water quality test kits are intended for one-time use. You should also consider whether you plan to follow up an initial home test with testing that uses a professional lab. Because most test strips give a range of results rather than a specific number, the increased accuracy of color disk kits might be worth the cost.

3. Decide which contaminants to test for 

What your kit tests for is a critical measure of how useful the results will be to you. Different water sources are more likely to have certain kinds of contaminants. For instance, well water is frequently used in rural areas where runoff from nearby fields could affect levels of pesticides or fertilizer toxins in the drinking water. For example, testing; bacteria, lead, nitrates, nitrites, and chlorine. 

Additionally, finding out more about the pH levels in your water (acidity versus alkalinity) and general hardness can be useful to counter quality issues like taste or smell. Many homeowners enjoy having their own well water, but it can be susceptible to toxins. A comprehensive water testing kit is worth the additional cost to ease concerns about contaminants.

4. Ensure the accuracy of your results 

While testing strips are easy to use and read, getting accurate results is a little more than meets the eye. If you want to maximize the effectiveness of your water quality testing kit, follow these tips:
Water quality testing tips
  1. Read the directions.
  2. Don’t open testing strips until you’re ready.
  3. Wash your hands first.
  4. Keep a timer nearby.
  5. Use cold water.
  6. Pour carefully.
It’s also worthwhile to plan on getting a second opinion, especially if your water testing kit turns up any glaringly high levels. You can start with a basic, inexpensive kit and then plan on following up with professional testing through a lab if the results are concerning.


WATER RESOURCES IN THE AREA

  • The Water Store - 10 Keith Avenue, Collingwood
  • The Water Depot, 707 River Road West, Wasaga Beach