How to do a water test at home. Drink and survive: how to determine the quality of drinking water
Every adult should consume at least one and a half liters of water per day. This is the norm that will allow your body to work like a clock. But not always the water that comes from the tap will meet the desired quality. It is in this case that you should check all the characteristics in order to protect your health.
Why check water quality?
Water is consumed daily. It is very difficult sometimes to identify all the flaws, because they may not have a pronounced smell or taste. The main distinguishing features are the following:
- Change of characteristics. If you notice some differences in color, smell or taste, then you need to immediately conduct an examination. This does not mean that the water has become polluted and dangerous. But to avoid subsequent problems, it is best to play it safe.
- Construction of an industrial enterprise. If any industrial facility is being built near your house, then in most cases the water is polluted.
- A man-made accident near the house. In such a situation, it is necessary to immediately check whether toxic waste has leaked into the soil and whether it has contaminated the water.
- Water treatment. If you install filters, then you need to know the composition of your water.
- Buying a plot. If you purchase a site, and there is a well on it, then you first need to check the condition of the water from it. You should stock up on knowledge on how to test the quality of well water.
What are the standards?
If you do not know how to check the quality of water at home, then first you need to determine its type. For each type there are some specific characteristics.
On the territory of Russia, a number of normative documents, which just regulate the quality system drinking water. The list includes the following:
- State type standards.
- Specifications.
- hygiene regulations and much more.
Each of them carries some specific data.
What kind of water is tested for quality?
At the same time, among the main types of drinking water, the following can be noted:
Where can I check the water quality?
If you do not know how to check the quality, then you need to think about enterprises specializing in this. Organizations involved in verification include the following:
- Rospotrebnadzor.
- Private laboratory.
- Waterworks laboratory.
- Laboratory of epidemiological stations.
It is best to contact those organizations whose activities are confirmed by a license. This will allow you to get a competent check that will help you in the future.
How to check the quality of water at home?
Before taking water to some highly specialized organization, it is better to carry out the process at home. To do this, you need to know some properties:
- Smell. Everyone knows that water has no odor. But when any unnecessary substances appear, the smell will become grassy, swampy or whatever. If there are dissolved gases in the water, there will be an ammonia or chlorine smell. Saturation will be measured on a five-point scale.
- Taste. It will depend on how much and what organic substances are present in the water. If it has a salty taste, it contains dissolved salts. If the taste is metallic, then a lot of iron. A sour taste will indicate that acids are present. If there are no impurities in the water, it will taste fresh.
- Color. It indicates that there are any foreign impurities in the water. Pure water has no color. But it can be bluish or greenish. If the water contains a large amount of impurities, it may be yellow-brown.
- Turbidity. Cloudiness can be seen in clear water. This indicates that it has a high content of suspended particles.
- Mineralization. The concept indicates how many dissolved salts are present in water. When checking, you need to know that good water should have data on this characteristic from 200 to 400 mg / l.
Check the quality with improvised means
How to check the quality of water at home? If you suspect that the water has any harmful impurities, then you can use several methods to check.
If you do not know how to check the quality of water at home, then you should use the following methods:
- Dilute the water. There is an opinion that the purer the water, the less it will weigh. To do this, take water from the cooler and from a regular water supply. Measure identical samples and then weigh them.
- Brewing tea. To do this, you need to brew tea and pour ordinary tap water into it. If the color has turned peach, then you don’t have to worry. If the tea is cloudy, the water is undrinkable.
- Bottled water. This is the most elementary way. You just need to pour water into a bottle and put it in a dark place for 2 days. After that, check the contents of your bottle. If the water has turned greenish, and a plaque has appeared, then it is not suitable for consumption. If there are no changes, then the water is clean.
- Boiling. Boil water in a perfectly clean container. Do this for 15 minutes. Then drain and look for suspicious scale. If there is a large amount of iron oxide in the water, the scale will be dark gray.
- Mirror or glass. In order to conduct an experiment, you need to drop water on the surface and wait a few minutes for the liquid to evaporate. If a trace remains, then the water has some impurities.
- Potassium permanganate. You can check the quality of water at home using potassium permanganate as follows: dissolve a little of the product in plain water and look at the reaction. If the water turns yellow, it should not be consumed.
- Hand washing. If the soap lathers poorly, then the water is very hard. It is better to boil it before use.
- Dip the soap in hot water. If it dissolves completely, the water is pure.
There are other ways to check the quality of water at home - with a testometer. This device allows you to quickly set all the data and find out the necessary information.
Why check water quality?
Many are accustomed to the fact that you can not drink tap water. This is what my parents said when they were kids. But today this is not the case. Many houses are equipped with various appliances, and water can be drunk directly from the tap without boiling.
Very often, water in many areas is clogged from nearby enterprises or landfills. That is why it is not always necessary to drink it raw, otherwise you can catch the disease.
How can water be purified?
Many grandmothers used the silver spoon method. They simply threw such an object into the water and thought that the water would be purified. But it is not. Silver does not react well with ordinary water and does not change anything.
Boiling is one of the most commonly used methods for water purification. The water heats up and most microorganisms die in it.
In addition, water can be passed through various filters. One of them is coal. This is a rather expensive slow method. But coal allows you to purify water from almost all elements.
There are several methods of how to check the quality of water at home after the filter.
Water ozonation is a method that has recently entered the lives of many people. But he's expensive. In just a few seconds, you can destroy all microorganisms and harmful substances from the water. In addition, you will leave only useful elements, as well as improve taste qualities.
conclusions
If you do not know how to check the quality of water at home using soda, then you should contact the professionals. All methods for cleaning at home give only approximate results. Therefore, if defects are found, you should immediately contact special organizations.
A person needs to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day. At the same time, it must be clean, not include foreign impurities. How to test water at home? Popular methods are presented in the article.
Norms
It is required to regularly check the quality of water, as this directly affects the health of people. According to SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01, the following indicators are established:
- Hydrogen activity - 6-9 units. pH.
- Mineralization - 1000 mg/l.
- Hardness - no more than 7.0 mg-eq / l.
- Nitrates - not more than 45 mg / dm 3, iron - up to 0.30, manganese - up to 0.10, surfactants - not more than 0.50.
- Phenolic index - 0.25 mg / l.
These are just some of the standards to consider when testing water quality. Their total number is up to 1000 standards. It is on them that specialists in laboratories are guided.
Danger of tap water
Tap water is called water that comes from a tap. It is delivered to the accommodation water pipes. Water supply has been actively developing in large cities of Russia since the end of the 19th century. Typically, the liquid comes from river water intakes. Then it is subjected to several stages of purification: mechanical filtration and sand. Next is disinfection.
Only after that water is allowed through the pipes. It collects the dirt that accumulates in the pipeline. Russian pipes have long needed overhaul they need to be changed. Insufficiently purified water negatively affects human health. Because of it, there are such health problems:
- The risk of oncology increases.
- There is a negative effect on the work of the heart and blood vessels.
- Urolithiasis may appear.
- Itching, peeling, allergies appear.
How to determine the quality of the liquid flowing from the tap? The reliable method is laboratory research. This requires sampling. But there are home methods, which will be discussed later.
Organoleptic method
With the help of organoleptic indicators, it is possible to determine whether the water is suitable for drinking. It will be possible to carry out the analysis with the help of the sense organs - sight and smell:
- The liquid must be collected in a transparent glass and look at its color. The standard is a colorless liquid. If it has a color (bluish, greenish, yellow-brown tint), then this means the presence of a chemical component. Sediment should be absent. It should be looked at from the well and the spring is unclear, because it includes salt and iron. But the liquid for drinking from the tap should be clear.
- The water should be odorless. If it has a hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, ammonia smell, then it cannot be used for drinking. Swampy, putrid, grassy odors are not allowed.
- If the first stages of the organoleptic analysis of water at home did not show deviations from the norm, you can proceed to further research. The water must be tasted. It shouldn't have any aftertaste. If it is, then it contains organic or inorganic components. Salinity appears from dissolved salts, iron gives the liquid a metallic taste, acid gives sourness. Pure water has a refreshing taste.
These are all organoleptic indicators by which the analysis can be performed independently. So you can check the liquid from any source.
Using a mirror
Home water analysis can be done in another efficient way. A clean mirror or glass is required. A drop of water is applied to it. The surface must dry.
Then you need to evaluate the result. If the mirror is perfectly clean, then the water was free of impurities and salts. If there are stains and traces, then the water is not suitable for drinking.
Boiling
You can test your water at home by boiling it. It is necessary to take a clean pan, pour water into it, put it on the stove and boil. Let the liquid boil for 10-15 minutes. Then it must be drained and inspect the walls of the container. If there is a light yellow precipitate, then this is evidence of the presence of calcium salts. When the water contains a lot of iron oxide, the precipitate turns dark gray.
You can test tap water for hardness. It is necessary to wash your hands or boil the kettle: if the soap does not foam well under the stream, and a lot of scale instantly appears in the kettle, then the water is hard. You can also boil a kettle and brew strong black tea. Then raw water is added to the drink. If it turns peach, then the liquid is clear, and if it becomes cloudy, then the water quality is low.
Long term storage
At home, water analysis is carried out using another easy way. It is necessary to collect a clear liquid in the bottle, close the lid and hide for several days in a dark place. Then you can evaluate the result. There should be no sediment or plaque on the walls in the container. It is important that there is no film on the surface. If there is at least one sign, then the water quality is low.
The use of potassium permanganate
Perform a water analysis at home with the help of potassium permanganate. You will need a liquid from the tap (100 ml), in which a little potassium permanganate is diluted. It is necessary to pour some water into another glass, the quality of which you want to check. Next, you need to mix the liquids, observing the reaction. If the water turns yellow instead of pink, then you should not drink it.
shellfish
If there are Unionidae mollusks in the aquarium at home, then with them it will be possible to check the quality of drinking water. If they close the sink when they are in such a liquid, then there are foreign impurities in it.
All home methods provide an approximate result. You can get accurate data in a special laboratory. They will conduct the required analyzes and provide information on them.
Test kits
For express analysis, there are kits and devices for determining water quality. Usually they are compact and can be easily placed in a backpack. In ph-testers for water, there are litmus papers that are impregnated with special compounds. When placed in water, they react with a certain type of chemical element, causing the piece of paper to change color. On this basis, it will be possible to determine the presence and quantity of certain components.
There are kits where there are bottles with chemical reagents. To get results, you need to draw water into the container, add a reagent and observe the reaction, which manifests itself in a change in the color of the water, consistency. After this procedure, you can not drink this water.
The following sets are used for analysis:
- "Natural Waters". Detects and determines the amount of salts, the presence of chlorine and acidity.
- "Spring". The kit allows you to check the presence of nitrites and nitrates. It also detects the level of iron and the amount of manganese.
- "Well". Used to determine the amount of iron and aluminum impurities. Sets the presence of certain types of nitrates.
- "Well". This kit is universal, as it allows you to install all the above elements and fluorides in groundwater.
All kits are used for independent determination of water quality. They have instructions on how to use them.
It is important that the liquid complies with SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01. They are the ones who control water quality. Regulatory authorities should regularly take samples and perform checks. But you can also independently contact special services for additional research.
Where is the water tested?
Now there are many institutions that do this work. The investigated liquid must comply with the standards of GOST. For examination, you can send not only drinking water, but also waste, technical, mineral, purified. Each type has its own standards.
Verification is possible in the following institutions:
- Waterworks laboratories.
- Laboratories of sanitary and epidemiological stations.
- Independent private laboratories.
- Rospotrebnadzor.
It is required to check the availability of accreditation and license from the organization, otherwise there are no guarantees of high-quality work. If problems arise, such a water test will not be legally valid. It is also necessary to check the modernity of laboratory equipment.
After the verification procedure, a protocol or act is provided, which indicates all the detected indicators. The document includes data on the composition of the liquid, concentration of components, suitability conclusions and tips. If the results are not satisfactory, you can visit another laboratory.
In order for the test to be of high quality, you need to take the sample correctly. If detection of harmful components is required, it is advisable to call a laboratory employee. If you do it yourself, then you need to follow simple rules:
- A sample container for bacterial analysis must be taken from the laboratory. If this is done on your own, then you need to take a bottle of plain water. It is important that it be glass, clean.
- The liquid should drain for 5-10 minutes, and then it can be collected.
- The bottle and cork should be washed several times with the same water that is taken for analysis.
- The liquid must be poured carefully along the wall of the container. This is required so that oxygen bubbles do not appear in the water, which lead to oxidation. This fact affects the test results.
- The bottle must be filled completely. It is important that there is less air in it.
- It is best to send the sample to the laboratory immediately. If the liquid stays in the bottle for a long time, then its composition changes, as different chemical reactions are observed. When this is not possible, the container should be put in the refrigerator.
The sample requires at least 1.5 liters, but it will be possible to find out exactly this information in the laboratory. Each check may require a certain amount. Some experts recommend taking a water sample only in a glass or plastic bottle. If you follow these rules, then the test will give an accurate result.
Water analysis should be performed in a laboratory. But you can find out its quality at home. All the methods mentioned in the article are effective and safe.
Without water, as you know, there is no life. But drinking water is not the notorious H2O from a school chemistry course. Even distilled water, in addition to the hydrogen-oxygen compound, contains impurities. What can we say about tap water, and even more so about ground water. The question of whether or not to drink dubious liquid from wells and wells is easily solved. A water sample (~1-1.5 l) is submitted for analysis to a certified laboratory and an official document with the main quality indicators is received. But what if there is no such laboratory nearby? Then it remains to independently conduct a water analysis at home.
The quality of drinking water is regulated by GOSTs and SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01. They indicate the requirements for organoleptic properties in terms of:
- smell,
- smack,
- color,
- turbidity.
Organoleptic analysis of water at home is an express diagnostic that does not require reagents and instruments. Water is simply poured into a glass container and its smell / taste is determined. It is optimal if the liquid does not smell of anything, without taste (0–1 point). A slight smell/taste is allowed (2 points). According to GOST, a score of 3 points or more (water clearly smells) - the liquid is unsuitable for internal use.
Please note: if the smell is pronounced, the water should not be drunk.
The standards of organoleptic indicators are regulated by SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01
The color is due to the content of colored organic substances present in the humus in the water; metals; industrial effluents. According to SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01, chromaticity is not more than 20 degrees. In laboratories, the indicator is determined visually, using reagents and a special scale, and / or photometrically. At home, color can only be assessed “by eye” by placing a white sheet behind a glass container with water. Light coloring is admissible only for ground waters.
Water transparency is determined visually. When viewed against the light, the liquid is absolutely transparent, which means that the water can be drunk. The incomplete transparency of groundwater is due to the presence of iron hydroxide. Such water can be drunk after settling. A grayish tint indicates an excess of manganese.
Please note: prolonged use of water with an excess of iron hydroxide is fraught with the development of degenerative processes in organs.
How to do a water test at home
Test kits can be purchased from water filter companies and pet stores that stock aquarist supplies. For a "home lab" you need:
- Standard kit for determining the pH (acidity) - pH.
- Test to determine the overall hardness - Gh.
- A kit that helps to determine the content of Fe2+.
- Test for determination of Fe3+ ions.
- Tests for nitrates, nitrites, manganese, ammonium, sulfides, fluorides.
They produce universal kits for water analysis: "Spring", "Well", "Well", "Professional".
The cost of test kits is from 275 to 1500 rubles
Imported rapid analysis kits provide more accurate results
Methodology
The pH measurement method depends on the kit used.
Option number 1: moisten the litmus strip with water and compare the color with the color scale on the package.
Option number 2: the amount of water required according to the instructions is added to the bottle with the reagent, shaken. The test strip is moistened with the resulting solution and the color is compared with the attached scale. The pH standard according to GOST is 6.5–9.
It is not difficult to determine the pH of a liquid: the wetted strip is combined with an identical color on the scale and look at the corresponding value.
Determination of total hardness: measure the volume of water required according to the instructions in a special container. Then the reagent is added dropwise and the vial is shaken. When the liquid changes color and becomes olive green, the analysis is complete. The number of drops corresponds to the degree of hardness. According to GOST, rigidity up to 7 is permissible (in exceptional cases - up to 10).
Method for identifying Fe2+ and Fe3+. The required volume of water and the supplied reagents are added to the flask from the kit. The amount of ferrous iron is estimated by the intensity of the color change. Similarly, carry out the analysis for ferric iron. There are tests to determine the amount of total iron.
Indicators chemical composition water from wells / wells usually exceeds the norm in terms of iron, manganese, calcium
It's nice to feel like an analytical chemist and check the quality of water without leaving home. But it is still better and more reliable to order an analysis in the laboratory. A professional conclusion is a detailed table of the main indicators of drinking water. Home testing is very approximate.
Video: how to check the quality of water yourself
Water is the most important component of all living things, no one doubts this for a long time. Our health depends on the quality and purity of water.
Unfortunately, the technogenic conditions of modern civilization make entire lakes unfit for drinking, so it is very important to know how to determine the purity of water, especially if you are far from your usual source.
How can you check the purity of water at home without resorting to special tools?
Before tasting, check the water for color and transparency. Pour water into a transparent glass and read any text through it, if the text is visible well, then the transparency is good. Let the water stand for 10 minutes, then check if a precipitate has formed.
Any haze and flakes should alert you. Keep the same glass against the background of a white sheet of paper, take a closer look at whether the water is colored in some color? Pure water should not have color.
To assess the smell of water, first smell the water at room temperature, then repeat the smell test by heating the water to 20 and then to 60 degrees Celsius. Heating allows the processes of decomposition of organic matter in the water to begin and to reveal a putrefactive odor. Pure water will not have a pronounced odor in all specified temperature conditions. This does not apply to mineral water sources, where the smell, on the contrary, is one of the characteristics.
Now test the water for hardness. Wet your hands with water and lather your hands with soap. If the foam is good, the water is soft; if it is bad, the water is hard. An increased content of magnesium and calcium salts leads to the effect of hard water, this is due to which layers of soil water flows through. Other signs of hard water are limescale, flaking deposits when boiled, white deposits on plumbing fixtures, and a bluish color to the water. Hard water is possible to use, but not for a long time.
The next check method is with a mirror or glass. Put a few drops of water on a clean surface, wait for complete evaporation. The surface must be clean and free from visible stains.
If the water has passed all the previous tests, then it is time to taste it. Try water at room temperature first, then heat it up to 60 degrees Celsius and try again, in this temperature regime all the best and not so good will appear.
What flavors are allowed? Slightly salty taste from dissolved salts. The bitterness of water from magnesium, which also gives hardness to water. Sour taste from carbon dioxide mineral water. The metallic taste can be from iron and manganese. A slight taste is acceptable, if the taste is clear and distinct, then it is better to refrain from drinking this water.
Last advice for extreme conditions, the old Cossack method. Spit in the water and see if the spit “disperses”? This means running water. If the spit retains its shape or spreads slowly, then the water is stagnant, possibly putrid, you should not drink it, even after boiling.
The above methods are good, but laboratory analysis will allow you to see through your water.
If you are told that running water may not contain iron, do not believe it. Metal enters wells and boreholes from dissolved rocks (their particles are contained in the soil), from agricultural wastewater and industrial enterprises, accumulates when the liquid passes through the central water supply system (the condition of the pipes often leaves much to be desired). In such a situation, the analysis of water for iron becomes an urgent need.
At the same time, WHO has not yet established recommended standards: according to scientists, iron will not have a negative impact on human health, even if “saturated” water is abused. The acceptable threshold (0.3 mg / l) was designated by SanPin based on taste, not medical indicators.
Taking a bath in rusty water is a dubious pleasure
Iron in water: harm or benefit
Forms of iron in water
This is interesting: the body of an adult contains about 5 grams of iron, which is part of hemoglobin, myoglobin and various enzymes. Without this element, the normal process of hematopoiesis is impossible. Part of the iron is "stored" in the liver and spleen - this reserve is used in case of depletion of the body.
Water contains one or more iron compounds:
- Divalent (dissolved);
- Trivalent (in a state of suspension);
- Organic (combined with other substances);
- Bacterial (waste product of some microorganisms);
- Colloidal (with microscopic particles).
The presence of "additives" is not always visible to the naked eye, often only an express analysis of water for iron can reveal the problem.
Iron plays an important role in our body
Signs of excess iron
You can determine the presence of an impurity yourself. The first wake-up call is the appearance of a pronounced metallic taste (with a strong excess of the norm, this taste is felt even in coffee or tea). A yellowish or reddish coating appears on the walls of the dishes and the surface of the plumbing, which is difficult to wipe off without abrasive products. White linen after washing acquires a dirty shade, and colored quickly loses the brightness of colors. Wherein appearance water may not arouse suspicion at all.
Important! If you have equipped a well or a well on the site, you need to do an analysis of water for iron 2-3 weeks after the start of its operation. Subsequently, the procedure can be carried out every 2 years (or when the color or taste of the water changes).
Water analysis for iron
Express testing at home
The primary analysis of water for iron at home can be done in several ways:
- Mix 25 ml of water and 1 ml of sulfosalicylic acid, ammonia and ammonia. If after 15-20 minutes the solution turns bright yellow, it contains an admixture of iron.
- Mix a weak solution of potassium permanganate with a water sample. An alarming "bell" - a change in color to a yellowish-brown tint.
- Use an express water analysis for iron (“aquarist kit”). Mix the reagent with fluid samples according to the instructions and determine the degree of contamination by color intensity.
- Trivalent iron can be detected by a simple procedure - settling water.
How to check water quality
Iron reacts with oxygen and precipitates as a reddish-brown precipitate.
You can test for iron using a rapid test
Laboratory research
A more detailed analysis of water for iron (total or divalent) can be done in accredited laboratories. Ideally, this procedure should be carried out on site - during transportation, the oxidation process may begin, which will distort the results. If this is not possible, sampling should be carried out according to all the rules:
- Use clean plastic or glassware with a volume of at least 1.5 liters (you can take a bottle from non-carbonated mineral water).
- Fill the container to the very top and tighten the cork carefully to block air.
- Deliver samples within 2 hours. This period is critical in identifying iron ions - they are the ones that affect the formation of scale.
An analysis for total iron reveals the metal residue in water (what remains after the element reacts with oxygen). It is this sediment that is responsible for rusty streaks on plumbing and a yellowish coating on dishes.
Filters are installed at the water inlet to the house
How to reduce the concentration of iron in water
In water from wells and wells, divalent (dissolved) iron is most often detected. You can get rid of it with the help of a rather complex system of filters. At the inlet, ion-exchange cartridges are installed, in which the process of metal oxidation and the formation of a solid precipitate take place. The resulting "sand" is collected in the filter (cartridges need to be changed periodically). A more expensive and efficient system - reverse osmosis filters - under high pressure drives polluted water through special membranes, and disposes of all pollution and waste into the sewer.
Ferric iron can be disposed of with an aerator - an open reservoir in which water settles. To speed up the oxidation process, the liquid is saturated with oxygen using a compressor. An ordinary bucket can become a simple analogue of the system: draw water, and after a day, carefully drain about two-thirds.
Activated charcoal can be used for household water purification. Wrap the tablets in cotton wool and pass the liquid through a makeshift filter.
Important! Do not forget that home cleaning procedures can only be temporary. In order not to put your health at risk, timely analyze the water for iron and use professional filtration systems.
Video: water filter overview
Without water, as you know, there is no life. But drinking water is not the notorious H2O from a school chemistry course. Even distilled water, in addition to the hydrogen-oxygen compound, contains impurities. What can we say about tap water, and even more so about ground water. The question of whether or not to drink dubious liquid from wells and wells is easily solved. A water sample (~1-1.5 l) is submitted for analysis to a certified laboratory and an official document with the main quality indicators is received. But what if there is no such laboratory nearby? Then it remains to independently conduct a water analysis at home.
Organoleptic analysis of drinking water at home
The quality of drinking water is regulated by GOSTs and SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01. They indicate the requirements for organoleptic properties in terms of:
- smell,
- smack,
- color,
- turbidity.
Organoleptic analysis of water at home is an express diagnostic that does not require reagents and instruments. Water is simply poured into a glass container and its smell / taste is determined. It is optimal if the liquid does not smell of anything, without taste (0–1 point). A slight smell/taste is allowed (2 points). According to GOST, a score of 3 points or more (water clearly smells) - the liquid is unsuitable for internal use.
Please note: if the smell is pronounced, the water should not be drunk.
The standards of organoleptic indicators are regulated by SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01
The color is due to the content of colored organic substances present in the humus in the water; metals; industrial effluents.
According to SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01, chromaticity is not more than 20 degrees. In laboratories, the indicator is determined visually, using reagents and a special scale, and / or photometrically. At home, color can only be assessed “by eye” by placing a white sheet behind a glass container with water. Light coloring is admissible only for ground waters.
Water transparency is determined visually. When viewed against the light, the liquid is absolutely transparent, which means that the water can be drunk. The incomplete transparency of groundwater is due to the presence of iron hydroxide. Such water can be drunk after settling. A grayish tint indicates an excess of manganese.
Please note: prolonged use of water with an excess of iron hydroxide is fraught with the development of degenerative processes in organs.
How to do a water test at home
Required test systems
Test kits can be purchased from water filter companies and pet stores that stock aquarist supplies. For a "home lab" you need:
- Standard kit for determining the pH (acidity) - pH.
- Test to determine the overall hardness - Gh.
- A kit that helps to determine the content of Fe2+.
- Test for determination of Fe3+ ions.
- Tests for nitrates, nitrites, manganese, ammonium, sulfides, fluorides.
They produce universal kits for water analysis: "Spring", "Well", "Well", "Professional".
The cost of test kits is from 275 to 1500 rubles
Imported rapid analysis kits provide more accurate results
Methodology
The pH measurement method depends on the kit used.
Option number 1: moisten the litmus strip with water and compare the color with the color scale on the package.
Option number 2: the amount of water required according to the instructions is added to the bottle with the reagent, shaken. The test strip is moistened with the resulting solution and the color is compared with the attached scale.
How important is it to do a well water analysis?
The pH standard according to GOST is 6.5–9.
It is not difficult to determine the pH of a liquid: the wetted strip is combined with an identical color on the scale and look at the corresponding value.
Determination of total hardness: measure the volume of water required according to the instructions in a special container. Then the reagent is added dropwise and the vial is shaken. When the liquid changes color and becomes olive green, the analysis is complete. The number of drops corresponds to the degree of hardness. According to GOST, rigidity up to 7 is permissible (in exceptional cases - up to 10).
Method for identifying Fe2+ and Fe3+. The required volume of water and the supplied reagents are added to the flask from the kit. The amount of ferrous iron is estimated by the intensity of the color change. Similarly, carry out the analysis for ferric iron. There are tests to determine the amount of total iron.
Indicators of the chemical composition of water from wells / wells usually exceed the norm for the content of iron, manganese, calcium
It's nice to feel like an analytical chemist and check the quality of water without leaving home. But it is still better and more reliable to order an analysis in the laboratory. A professional conclusion is a detailed table of the main indicators of drinking water. Home testing is very approximate.
Give approximate information about what flows from faucet, maybe a simple water analysis at home, which can be done using available tools. But what "explosive mixture" does a person actually drink? Is it possible to reliably determine the quality of the water consumed? About 76% of people daily come into contact with poison that flows from the tap in their apartments. The fact is easily proved by a simple analysis of water at home using the senses. Concentrated with heavy metals, hydrogen sulfide, iron, various chemical compounds and salts, the “reagent” slowly poisons the body. A non-laboratory analysis of water at home will not show the whole deplorable picture, but they will convincingly demonstrate the seriousness of the situation. Our company will help to conduct an inexpensive professional water research.
Why do preliminary water tests at home?
The main pipes (connecting the water intake station with apartments in houses) have long since become unusable. They corrode, depressurize, rust, overgrow with bacterial colonies. All this is washed off with water into the glass from which we drink. According to studies, drinking water in 69% of apartment buildings is unsuitable even for household needs.
Requires verification and well water, water from wells. The ecological situation in the country leaves much to be desired. The soil, and hence the groundwater, is clogged with emissions, waste, and the number of landfills is growing. All this affects the quality of what we drink. To protect yourself, it is enough to know how to check the quality of water at home using primitive research methods. If during the inspection you notice a deterioration in performance, we recommend ordering a professional analysis. Our specialists, having received the results, will offer the most effective ways to protect your health.
What water test can be done at home?
You can determine the suitability of a sample for drinking by doing a water test at home - we check:
- Taste and aroma of the sample at 20 0 С.
Heat 1 liter of tap water to 20 0 C. Pure liquid has no taste or smell. Even the slightest deviation makes it unusable. - Smell and taste of the sample at 60 0 C.
If the test of water at home according to 1 point gave the result “clean”, it is worth heating the sample to 60 0 C (the temperature at which taste and smell are more pronounced). Evaluate according to the criteria: should not be bitter, be salty (saltish taste may have samples from natural sources), sour, give a metallic taste, pinch (presence of alkali). The presence of a smell indicates the presence in the composition of microorganisms, chlorine, ammonia, waste products of bacteria. - Sample color.
Our specialists determine it by comparing the sample with the quality standard. Pure water should have a color below 20 on the platinum-cobalt scale. Therefore, testing water at home will not allow you to accurately determine the result (there is no standard for comparison), but it will make you think. It is necessary to pour tap (well, well) water into a transparent and clean container, examine it in the light. To notice even a slight color, it is necessary to place a clean white sheet behind the container. If fluid is tested from natural sources(well, well), then a slight shade is allowed. Tap water should not have a shade. In an ordinary glass, it will be difficult to check the quality of water at home. You need a thin-walled cylinder or a special container. - sample transparency.
It is worth making a small digression. Samples taken from groundwater (well, well) are usually cloudy, as they are saturated with iron oxide, salts. Their transparency in the laboratory is checked by a special device - a colorimeter. But tap water that is safe to drink should be 100% transparent. In order to test the quality of water at home for transparency to give approximately reliable results, you need to take a clean, thin-walled glass container, fill it halfway and examine it in the light, changing viewing angles. - Sample stiffness.
The presence of magnesium and calcium in the liquid, their salts determine its rigidity. Washing powder foams very poorly in it, soap lathers, vegetables take longer to cook, it takes more time to boil, since its density is higher. But the most important criterion is the sediment on the walls of the kettle or vessel in which the sample boiled. It is very easy to test water at home for the degree of hardness - you need to “boil” the sample and evaluate the amount of sediment.
By purchasing country cottage area or a house near a body of water, we recommend testing the water quality in surface sources as well. When making an analysis, you cannot drink water from such sources. High chance of getting sick infectious diseases. In this case, it is better to order a chemical, bacteriological and microbiological examination of the sample in our laboratory. We offer low prices and a high level of service.
How to test water at home: sampling rules
If the water quality is determined at home by the apartment owners themselves, then it is not necessary to follow the rules for its selection, since it is impossible to determine the chemical, microbiological and bacteriological composition through the senses. But if you decide to order a laboratory analysis, then the collection of material should be carried out, observing certain rules:
- Collect water in a sterile tight bag or container. They can be purchased from our company;
- Wipe the faucet and valve with 96% alcohol. Hands must also be processed;
- Before collecting water, drain it (full jet power) for 10-15 minutes;
- Collect at least 0.5 liters of water, but up to 2 liters is better;
- The neck of the container or bag should not touch foreign objects when taking it: tap, sink, bucket, and so on. It is better to wear sterile gloves.
Deciding to test the water at home (faucet, well, well, pond) and in the laboratory, remember: microbiological analysis is reliable if the study is carried out 2 hours after sampling, but chemical and bacteriological can be carried out in 1-2 days. The sample must be kept in a dark place at a temperature not exceeding +8 0 C. In order not to spoil the sample, it is better to entrust its taking to our specialists. Call us if you have questions or need professional advice on water treatment in an apartment or private house.