Water Quality Testing

Signet Environmental

Water Quality Testing

Water makes up about 66 percent of the human body and 70 percent of the human brain. We drink it, we cook with it, and we can live about a month without food, but only about a week without water. Simply put… water is our lifeblood. So naturally we want to know the water we drink and use is pure, clean and devoid of harmful properties.

Since I have public water, isn’t it safe to drink?
Federal, state and local government agencies all mandate certain quality standards for water that is delivered to your home by public water agencies. Compliance testing is typically done before the water leaves the plant on its journey to your home through miles of piping, some of which could be in a state of disrepair or contain traces of lead. But once the water reaches your home, it enters another network of pipes that depending on its age, might very well also contain traces of lead and copper that can be harmful to your health.

What about drinking well water?
If your water originates from a well on your property, it does not fall within federal water quality guidelines and is only tested at your request or possibly when the property is sold. The EPA recommends well water be tested annually or when a water problem is suspected. Well water should at minimum be tested for coliform bacteria, lead, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH.

Is there a safe level of lead in water?
Lead is a toxic metal that is harmful to human health and there is NO safe level for lead exposure. It has been estimated that up to 20% of the total lead exposure in children can be attributed to consuming contaminated water. In addition, fetuses, infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning. This is because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead poisoning.

Should I be worried about lead in my drinking water?
The primary route for lead poisoning in drinking water is the distribution system used to carry water to your home and more importantly the plumbing within your home. It is estimated that water supplied to near 10 million homes in the U.S. run through outdated lead supply pipes at some point in the delivery process. These pipes may or may not be on your property so a water test at the point of delivery is the only sure way to determine the quality of water you are drinking and using. The EPA states that “homes built before 1986 are more likely to have pipes, fixtures and solder that contain traces of lead” but even so, many pre-2014 homes have also been found to be at risk. For more EPA information about lead safety click here.

What is the best time to test my water?
Since the escrow contingency period offers the best window for water quality testing, we encourage you to consider testing it at that time. In addition to the whole house inspection, water quality testing will help you make an informed purchasing decision and give you either an actionable list enabling you or the seller to correct a negative situation, or give you the assurance your water is safe to drink and use as needed without concern.

What about water filtration?
Although there are many water filtration systems available, knowing your water quality is the first step towards the peace-of-mind that comes with water quality assurance. This is why all of us at Signet Environmental believe water quality testing is an important addition to our already comprehensive suite of offerings that ensure the home you are buying is safe and secure.

No Waiting – Results Available On-Site
Signet Environmental literally brings a portable lab to the property enabling us to test and read results in a short amount of time with no sample shipping headaches or expense. Our test unit for lead and copper is the only portable instrument with EPA approval for lead testing. And with a lower limit of detection of 2 ppb of lead or 50 ppb of copper, you can have confidence this high-quality instrument provides the utmost in accuracy even when detecting the smallest amount of heavy metal contamination.

Water Quality Assurance – What We Test For

All of the above tests are included in our water quality testing add-on and the stand-alone test. These tests do not require shipping samples to a lab, and you will have your results on site except for the *Standard Coliform Test which can take up to 48 hours.

Call Signet Environmental for Northern California water quality testing, Placer County water quality testing, Nevada County water quality testing, Nevada City water quality testing, Grass Valley water quality testing, Colfax water quality testing, Auburn water quality testing, Lincoln water quality testing, Roseville water quality testing and Tahoe/Truckee water quality testing.

Ensure your water is safe for you and your family with a Signet Environmental Water Quality Test. Call us today at 530-273-1300 X101 or book online here.