The Importance of Annual Water Quality Testing

When it comes to the water flowing through your home, peace of mind is priceless. Annual water testing is an essential step in maintaining your house, safeguarding your health, and ensuring compliance if you have a private well.

Here at Good Clean Plumbing, we don’t simply address your plumbing concerns; we offer long-term solutions that fit your needs and protect your health. That’s why we have a blog all about the importance of water testing, including why it should be on your annual to-do list. Let’s get started!

Why Is it Important to Test Water Quality?

Health and Safety

Bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and other contaminants can all pose serious health risks—and they can all make their way into your water system. To help avoid everything from gastrointestinal issues to long-term illness caused by prolonged contaminant exposure, annually test the quality of your water. Doing so can help ensure it’s safe to cook with, drink, and bathe in, offering peace of mind for your family.

Early Detection of Issues

Routine testing can help identify issues, such as trace amounts of harmful bacteria before they have a chance to take over your system and cause health concerns. Such proactive testing can also help prevent costly damage to your plumbing system, keeping your wallet healthy, too.

Compliance

If you have a private well, you’re responsible for ensuring the water within it meets safety standards. Water quality testing is key to maintaining compliance and keeping your household water clean and safe. Consider professional water quality testing services, like those we offer here at Good Clean Plumbing, to save yourself from the legal and financial implications of falling out of compliance.

Common Contaminants Found in Household Water

Here are just a few of the pesky, harmful, and downright dangerous contaminants that can be hiding in your water supply.

Heavy Metals

Lead, mercury, and even arsenic can find their way into your water thanks to corroded pipes or natural deposits. While harmful for all, heavy metals can be especially toxic to children and seniors and often go undetected without proper testing.

Bacteria and Viruses

Did you know E. coli is commonly found in both city and well water? Microbial contaminants can cause immediate health issues if they’re not properly detected and treated. Proactive water quality testing is one of the best ways to protect against bacterial and virus contamination.

Chemical Contaminants

Herbicides, industrial chemicals, and pesticides can all work their way into your water supply, especially if you live in an area that experiences flooding. Testing can help identify these invisible but very real threats, ensuring only clean, safe water flows through your home.

How to Test Water Quality

Home Testing Kits

Home testing kits can be useful if you’re looking for a quick snapshot of your water quality, as they’re readily available and can test for basic contaminants. That said, home testing kits do have a more limited scope and aren’t adequate for comprehensive analysis or to help address more serious concerns. For that, you’ll need professional water quality testing.

Professional Testing

For a thorough analysis of your water quality, especially if compliance is one of your main concerns, you’ll need help from licensed plumbers like the team at Good Clean Plumbing. Our team uses advanced techniques to test and identify a range of contaminants and provide treatment services if any are found.

Should You Test More Than Once Per Year?

While a water quality test done once per year is usually sufficient, there are certain scenarios in which you may want to consider an additional test, such as:

• After major plumbing work
• In the case of environmental changes, like heavy rain or flooding

If something has the potential to introduce contaminants into your water supply, a test is always a good idea.

Put Us to the (Water Quality) Test

Experience the Good Clean Plumbing difference today—connect with us about your water quality testing needs. From our consultative approach and breadth of services to our warranties, discounts, and professionalism, we look forward to exceeding your expectations!