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What drinking water contamination tests should you order? This article describes the types of water testing available, outlines common water test fees, describes the details of what parameters are included in various water test options, and gives advice to assist you in deciding what tests to order.

Readers should also see our longer article Water Quality Testing, and advice for home buyers and building owners: water contaminants, water test procedures, well shock procedures, preventing drinking water contamination, and Cheating on water tests in that document.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

Cost of Water Test - Typical Sampling and Lab Fees

To avoid any conflict of interest we recommend that home inspectors and water testing companies follow (as some do) a simple fee policy: a flat fee, for example, $75.00 is charged plus whatever lab fees apply for whatever water tests you select. By this method you can be assured that any water test selection advice you hear is motivated only by your interest and not by possible profit on various lab fees.

We mention this because a few water test companies aggressively market "selling water tests" to building inspectors as a way to increase their bottom line. Inspectors are required to avoid conflicts of interest with those of their clients.

Here are some typical water test lab fees for the minimum test (bacteria presence/absence) and more comprehensive tests which look for groups of common water contaminants:

• Bacteriological sampling: (Total Coliform and E-Coli): $25-$30.
• FHA-Short Series: Coliform, lead, nitrate, nitrite: $75-$100.
• FHA/HUD or "FHA-Short" Water Test Series: Coliform, Lead, Nitrite, Nitrate, Iron, Manganese, Sodium, pH, Hardness (Ca, Mg), Alkalinity, Turbidity: $170-$250.
• FHA-Long Series: Coliform, pH, Chloride, Conductivity, MBAS, Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia, Lead, Copper, Total Hardness (Ca, Mg), Iron, Manganese, Zinc: $200.-$275.
• Individual water tests for specific substances and the associated fees are listed below at "Individual water contaminant tests"

Note: these tests and fees will vary depending on lab chosen and subject to lab rate changes.

Be careful: some laboratories doing business in some U.S. States are NOT fully certified for all of the tests they are offering and in some cases are not certified at all. More tricky, an out of state lab may hold a testing license in New York for one type of test, such as lead or asbestos, but may be selling other services, typically bacteriological testing, for which they are specifically not licensed.

Tests by such agents could be illegal and may also be conducted improperly. Discuss any concerns with your home inspector or test consultant.

One Connecticut "water test lab" offering water test services in New York, for example, is not licensed to offer bacteriological test services but does so, claiming that they are "licensed" because they have N. Y. license to perform certain other tests. This can be more serious than a technicality if a later issue arises about the water quality and the tests that were performed at a property.

Choices of Water Tests

Also see our complete list of water tests in the links at page left.

• Comprehensive Water Test Detailed Parameter List
• Comprehensive + Pesticides list of water contaminant test parameters
• General Classes of Water Contaminants for Comprehensive Water Testing
• General- water test parameters
• Herbicide Contamination- water test parameters
• Individual water contaminant tests microbiological, metals, general water chemistry, organics, radiological and lead tests for contaminants in drinking water
• Lead Contamination in Drinking Water: how to test & correction lead in drinking water
• Lead Contamination from Water Supply Lines/Entry Mains, Lead Testing & Correcting Contamination from - Lead Pipe Problems/Advice
• Nitrate/Nitrite Toxicity ATSDR: [Big, Slow-Loading File] U.S. Government ATSDR Science Corner - 2.5MB PDF
• Pesticides Contamination- water test parameters - how to check for pesticide contaminants in drinking water
• Municipal- water test parameters - how to check for pesticide contaminants in drinking water
• Standard VA FHA- water test parameters - how to check for pesticide contaminants in drinking water
• Title 5- water test parameters - how to check for pesticide contaminants in drinking water

...

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
WATER TESTING ADVICE
  SHOULD YOU TEST YOUR WATER?
  PUBLIC vs PRIVATE WATER
  WHEN TO TEST
  WATER TEST COSTS
  SPECIAL SITUATION TESTS
CHEATING on WATER TESTS
CORRECTING BAD WATER
EPA GUIDE to WATER QUALITY
SEWAGE CONTAMINATION
WATER CONTAMINANT LEVELS
WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE
WATER PUMPS & WELLS
WATER QUANTITY GUIDE
WATER SOFTENERS
WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES
  Cost of Water Tests - Lab Fees
  General Classes of Water Contaminants
  ARSENIC in WATER
  BACTERIA TEST GUIDE
  FHA WATER TESTS REQUIRED
  General- water test parameters
  Standard VA FHA, Pesticides
  Title 5- water test parameters
  Comprehensive Water Test
  Water testing Comprehensive + Pesticides
  Individual water contaminant tests
  Herbicide Contamination
  LEAD CONTAMINATION
  Pesticides Contamination
  TOTAL COLIFORM TESTING
  Municipal Water Test Parameters
WATER TEST FEES
WATER TEST INTERPRETATION
  Common Water Tests for Bacteria
    PA - Coliform Bacteria Test
    M.F.T. - Coliform Bacteria Test
    MPN - Coliform Bacteria Test
  Interpreting Other Water Test Results
  FAILED WATER TESTS - WHAT TO DO
  FAILED WATER TESTS - WHEN to RE-TEST
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES
WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• Drinking Water testing, contamination, correction - all topics
• Drinking Water Testing Advice for home buyers home owners home inspectors
• Choices of Water Tests & Fees: A Summary of Types of Water Tests, Degrees of Comprehensive Water Testing, Details of Water Test Parameters
• Cheating on water tests: Testing Water for Real Estate Transactions - make sure your water test is valid
• General water testing and corrective measure advice: contact your local health department.
• Interpreting Drinking Water Test Results and Correcting Unsatisfactory Water
• Drinking Water Contaminant Levels - Maximum Allowed
• Drinking Water Contamination and Pollution How to Detect, Test, Correct, and Prevent Well Water Contamination - US EPA - Groundwater
• How to Reduce Lead Contamination in Drinking Water: how to test & correction lead in drinking water
• When and How to Shock or Chlorinate a Well - Procedure for Shocking a Well to (temporarily or maybe longer) "Correct" Bacterial Contamination
• Water and Waste Water Test Methods, US EPA
• Water Requirements, Home & Outdoor Living
• ATSDR: Nitrate/Nitrite Toxicity [Big, Slow-Loading File] U.S. Government ATSDR Science Corner - 2.5MB PDF
• Water Supply & Drain Piping, Wells, Pumps, Water Supply Equipment
• The Septic System Information Website - Extensive, Detailed Consumer and Industry Information on Septic System Inspection, Testing, Maintenance, Alternatives for on-site waste disposal
• Sewage or Septic contamination in buildings - Investigation, Testing and Remediation

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