HouseMaster - "The Inspection Company You Keep"

Water Testing

	There is no such thing as naturally pure water. In nature, all water contains some impurities. As water flows in streams, sits in lakes, and filters through layers of soil and rock in the ground, it dissolves or absorbs the substances that it touches. Some of these substances are harmless. In fact, some people prefer mineral water precisely because minerals give it an appealing taste. However, at certain levels minerals, just like man-made chemicals, are considered contaminants that can make water unpalatable or even unsafe. Some contaminants come from erosion of natural rock formations. Other contaminants are substances discharged from factories, applied to farmlands, or used by consumers in their homes and yards. Sources of contaminants might be in your neighborhood or might be many miles away. Your local water quality report tells which contaminants are in your drinking water, the levels at which they were found, and the actual or likely source of each contaminant. For more information regarding contaminants, their effects and sources, visit our Information Series on water quality here. When we consider testing drinking (potable) water, we have to take into consideration several parameters, such as:
What is the source of the drinking water?
	Is the water supplied by a municipality or private concern?
	Is the water supplied by a private drilled well?
	Is the water supplied by a collective, such as a homeowner's association well (shared well)?
What are we testing for?
	Microorganisms
	Inorganic Chemicals
	Organic Chemicals
	Radionucleides
	Metals
	Acidity
What special concerns are involved with the consumers of the drinking water?
	Young Children
	Persons with autoimmune deficiencies

Municipal Water

The Safe Drinking Water Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the responsibility for setting national drinking water standards that protect the health of the 250 million people who get their water from public water systems. Other people get their water from private wells which are not subject to Federal Regulations. Since 1974, EPA has set national safety standards for over 80 contaminants that may occur in drinking water.

While EPA and state governments set and enforce standards, local governments and private water suppliers have direct responsibility for the quality of the water that flows to your tap. Water systems test and treat their water, maintain the distribution systems that deliver water to consumers, and report on their water quality to the state.

The most common element that we test for in homes that are supplied with municipal water is lead. Lead, a metal found in natural deposits, is commonly used in household plumbing materials and water service lines. The greatest exposure to lead is swallowing or breathing in lead paint chips and dust. But lead in drinking water can also cause a variety of adverse health effects. In babies and children, exposure to lead in drinking water above the action level can result in delays in physical and mental development, along with slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. In adults, it can cause increases in blood pressure. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure. Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. However, new homes are also at risk: even legally “lead-free” plumbing may contain up to 8 percent lead. The most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures which can leach significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water.

Private Water Systems

If your family gets drinking water from a private well, do you know if your water is safe to drink? What health risks could you and your family face? EPA regulates public water systems; it does not have the authority to regulate private drinking water wells. Approximately 15 percent of Americans rely on their own private drinking water supplies, and these supplies are not subject to EPA standards, although some state and local governments do set rules to protect users of these wells. Unlike public drinking water systems serving many people, they do not have experts regularly checking the water’s source and its quality before it is sent to the tap. These households must take special precautions to ensure the protection and maintenance of their drinking water supplies.

We offer the following tests for well water consumers:

Potability

This test screens for bacteria in the water: specifically coliform. There are 30 known types of coliform including E-coli. The reason that we test for coliform is that it is particularly vigorous strain of bacteria. If coliform can multiply in a drinking water environment, virtually any other form of bacteria can also.

Profile Testing

The State of New York does not have any specific testing requirements for private wells, whereas Connecticut and New Jersey do. Certain areas within New York, such as Rockland County, have enacted local legislation regarding the testing of well water (see below for specific regulations). When there are no testing requirements in place, we recommend Connecticut's well water profile test coupled with testing for radon. The contaminant list is as follows:

	Coliform Bacteria and E Coli
	Chlorine
	Color
	Odor
	Iron
	Manganese
	Sodium
	Chloride
	Hardness
	Nitrate - Nitrite Nitrogen
	pH
	Sulfate
	Turbidity

Special Considerations

Bergen County, New Jersey

In New Jersey, a legislative Act requires that, when property with certain types of drinking water wells is sold or leased, the well water must be tested for contaminants. The results of the water testing must be reviewed by both the buyer and seller, or in the case of a leased property, by the lessee. The testing parameters in Bergen County require screening for:

	Total Coliform
	Fecal Coliform or E.coli (Fecal Coliform or E. Coli testing is required only if a sample tests positive for total coliform)
	Nitrate
	Iron
	Manganese
	pH
	VOCs
	Lead
	Arsenic
Rockland County, New York
In Rockland County, NY, a local legislative Act requires that, when property with certain types of drinking water wells is sold or leased, the well water must be tested for contaminants. The results of the water testing must be reviewed by both the buyer and seller, or in the case of a leased property, by the lessee. The testing parameters in Bergen County require screening for:
	Total Coliform
	Fecal Coliform or E.coli (Fecal Coliform or E. Coli testing is required only if a sample tests positive for total coliform)
	Nitrate
	Iron
	Manganese
	pH
	VOCs
	Lead
	Arsenic
	Mercury
	Gross Alpha Particle Activity

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ENCO Home Inspection, LLC is a wholly, independently owned and operated franchisee of HMA Franchise Systems, Inc. The information and views provided within these web pages have no reflection on HMA, and HMA is held harmless from any statements, views, comments or otherwise.