Water is the mother of all civilization; without it, no living organism can survive except for bacteria. However, even they require moisture to grow and reproduce. Meanwhile, water quality has been increasingly deteriorating with rising pollution and industrial activities. As such, water testing in NH has been crucial from a health perspective.
So, here’s why water testing is a thing, and you should consider it:
What Is Water Testing?
Water testing is a series of tests run on a sample of water in a lab or research facility to determine its quality for drinking. So, there is a wide range of water tests that you can choose from or opt to study the filtrate chemicals in your local water source. This will help you take informed measures to improve water quality in your area.
Water tests are available in two formats, a low-tech testing tool and a high-end testing methodology that requires state-of-the-art testing facilities. Yes, the depth of analysis will differ, but you can achieve your motive to check water quality in either format.
Both tests will give a good idea of the quality control you need to take to improve or maintain the water quality in your region.
Different Types of Portable Water Testing
Portable equipment for water testing in NH is usually of three types: Test strips, Color disk kits, and Hand-held instruments. So, each tool comes with an instruction manual and thus is easy to use. And below is a brief on each type of format and their work for your reference:
Test Strips
This single-use, small paper strips change color when dipped into the water. It takes on different colors depending on the kind of chemical concentrate present in the water. Meanwhile, testing strips come along with a color chart depicting chemical concentration and their corresponding strip color.
Color Disk Kits
Color disk kits are comparatively more reliable than test strips and can be used for various tests. The kits usually include a liquid or powdered reagent, plastic tube, viewing box, and a color gradient disk. So, the user needs to mix the reagent in a small quantity of water. Pour the water into the tube and place it into the viewing box. And you can identify the color of the sample tube from the gradient disk to learn the present chemical concentrated in the water.
Hand-Held Instrument
Hand-held instruments for water testing encompasses an array of digital photometers and colorimeters. These digital devices provide very readings of the water quality than the previous two methods.
Hand-held instruments are battery-powered devices and are often used by field technicians due to their dedication disposition.
Determinants of ‘Safe’ Water
Water quality is tested on a number of parameters before it’s supplied through local sources like taps, well, etc. These include the presence of Fluoride, Arsenic, Nitrate, Iro, Manganese, TDS, Chlorine, and PH levels.
Apart from these elements, water is also tested for alkalinity, organic carbon, agrochemicals, industrial contaminants, heavy metals, and dissolved oxygen. So, water is deemed ‘safe’ for consumption only if it meets the prescribed criteria set by FDA. You can also explore the site of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to read about these guidelines in detail.
Drinking water supplies are often safe and tested on several parameters before they hit your taps. However, the same cannot be said for private sources. As such, if you source your drinking water from a private well, you need to ensure that adequate measures have been taken to ensure the water quality. You can also report the same to your local authority if the owner refuses to uphold the state guidelines.
