Contaminated water supplies pose a significant threat to human health. According to the World Health Organization, contaminated water is linked to a host of diseases, including cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, and hepatitis A, among others. Sources of drinking water are subject to contamination, and many people may have no idea if their water is safe for consumption, or what they should do to ensure it is.
The Environmental Protection Agency notes that many testing laboratories or services supply sample containers to individuals interested in having their water tested. But that leaves the question of when to test water. The EPA indicates that certain conditions and activities may warrant having water tested for the presence of various things that can make individuals sick.
Condition: Recurrent gastrointestinal illness
– Recommended test: Coliform bacteria
Condition: Household plumbing contains lead
– Recommended test: Pit, lead, copper
Condition: Scaly residues, soaps don’t lather
– Recommended test: Hardness
Condition: Water softener needed to treat hardness
– Recommended test: Manganese, iron
Condition: Stained plumbing fixtures, laundry
– Recommended test: Iron, copper, manganese
Condition: Foul taste or smell
– Recommended test: Hydrogen sulfide, corrosion, metals
Condition: Cloudy, frothy or colored water
– Recommended test: Color, detergents
Condition: Corrosion of pipes, plumbing
– Recommended test: Corrosion, pH, lead
Condition: Rapid wear of water treatment equipment
– Recommended test: pH, corrosion
Condition: Nearby areas of intensive agriculture
– Recommended test: Nitrate, pesticides, coliform bacteria
Condition: Coal or other mining operation nearby
– Recommended test: Metals, pH, corrosion
Condition: Odor of gas or fuel oil, and near gas station or buried fuel tanks
– Recommended test: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Condition: Salty taste and seawater, or a heavily salted roadway nearby
– Recommended test: Chloride, TDS, sodium
Various conditions can be indicative of a contaminated water supply. When such conditions arise, individuals should not hesitate to have their water tested.
