Home kits
Water quality testing kits: what they can and cannot tell you
Use kits for screening and learning what to test next. Use a certified lab when the result drives a health, landlord, utility, or purchase decision.
Water testing
Test the water, then decide what to fix
Most people search for "water quality testing" before they know whether the real issue is lead plumbing, a private well, a bad taste/odor problem, or a local contaminant. Start broad, then narrow the test.
Labs
Water quality testing near me: how to find the right lab
What to ask your water supplier, health department, or state drinking-water authority before paying for a test.
Lead
How to test water for lead at home
Lead cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled. The useful path is service-line clues, certified sampling, and a certified filter while you wait.
Metals
Heavy metals in water: what to test first
Lead, copper, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and mercury need different context. Start with your source and local risk.
Decision path
Which test do you actually need?
| Situation | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| City water, no specific symptom | Annual Consumer Confidence Report plus your utility's lead-service-line inventory. | The report explains the water system; the inventory helps with the pipe to your home. |
| Older home or lead concern | Lead-specific water test from a certified lab, plus a service-line check. | EPA says dissolved lead cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled; testing is the sure way to know. |
| Private well | Local health department/state guidance and a lab test matched to local contaminants. | EPA says private well owners are responsible for safe household drinking water. |
| Buying a filter | Test first if possible, then match the filter certification to the contaminant. | A taste filter is not automatically a lead, arsenic, PFAS, or bacteria solution. |