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Water test kits promise to tell you if your tap water is safe 바카라 게임 웹사이트 but do they work?

At-home water test kits more popular than ever, but some question accuracy

Water test kits promise to tell you if your tap water is safe 바카라 게임 웹사이트 but do they work?

At-home water test kits more popular than ever, but some question accuracy

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Water test kits promise to tell you if your tap water is safe 바카라 게임 웹사이트 but do they work?

At-home water test kits more popular than ever, but some question accuracy

Local water utilities are required to test their systems for contamination and to release annual reports demonstrating water safety (usually enclosed with a summer bill). But since the 2014 crisis in Flint, Michigan 바카라 게임 웹사이트 when water laden with lead and other harmful substances flowed freely through the city바카라 게임 웹사이트s water supply 바카라 게임 웹사이트 homeowners are turning to at-home testing kits to analyze the contents of their tap water for common contaminants, like bacteria, lead, mercury and aluminum.The Environmental Protection Agency recommends doing a test if your water appears cloudy or smells and tastes off, your soaps don바카라 게임 웹사이트t lather, your plumbing fixtures or laundry gets stained or if you experience consistent gastrointestinal illnesses. But the number of kits on the market is staggering, so here바카라 게임 웹사이트s what to keep in mind before you splurge on a kit.Test stripsThe claim: Chemically treated strips or those made from materials that react to contaminants show the presence or absence of substances according to the color the strips turn when they are submerged in water. Users consult a corresponding color chart to discover what바카라 게임 웹사이트s in their water.The evidence: Although many of these kits claim to test to EPA standards, the EPA neither evaluates nor recommends them. The strips don바카라 게임 웹사이트t indicate the exact amounts of contaminants; moreover, the tests바카라 게임 웹사이트 accuracy is uncertain because people often judge shades of colors differently, says Lloyd Wilson, a research scientist and director of the New York Bureau of Water Supply Protection. 바카라 게임 웹사이트If you give a strip to five different people,바카라 게임 웹사이트 he says, 바카라 게임 웹사이트you might get five different results.바카라 게임 웹사이트The upshot: Test strips can serve as an initial screening tool, providing info on water pH and hardness, but they don바카라 게임 웹사이트t offer a clear picture of the level of contamination. Prices range from $10 to $30 on average.Digital testersThe claim: Most digital testers use an electronic probe to measure water properties that change according to the presence and quantity of different contaminants. For example, testers will track hydrogen ion activity to determine a sample바카라 게임 웹사이트s pH level or measure total dissolved solids such as calcium, magnesium, chlorides and sulfates.The evidence: Results are quantified and displayed as numbers, eliminating the subjectivity of the test strips바카라 게임 웹사이트 color chart. However, 바카라 게임 웹사이트Consumers should be careful that they are actually using the tester for its intended purpose,바카라 게임 웹사이트 says Eric Yeggy, director of technical affairs at the Water Quality Association. 바카라 게임 웹사이트For example, a TDS tester is no substitute for a lead or microbial test.바카라 게임 웹사이트The upshot: These types of testers reliably detect water quality indicators that affect taste but can be less accurate on other measures, experts say. Prices range from $10 to several hundred dollars, depending on for what they're meant to test.Best choice: Send-to-lab testsThe claim: These tests provide instructions, vials and packaging for a consumer to mail water samples to a lab for testing. Results indicate the presence of many types of chemicals, bacteria and parasites.The evidence: This approach doesn바카라 게임 웹사이트t provide instant results. It can ensure that the sample is accurately tested, but only if you choose a water-testing kit that uses a state-certified lab, which follows EPA-approved methods of separating, identifying and measuring water contaminants.The upshot: Water quality experts agree: Send-to-lab tests are the most trustworthy. 바카라 게임 웹사이트Using a certified lab ensures that tests are done with appropriate detection limits,바카라 게임 웹사이트 says Roger Sokol, director of the division of environmental health protection at the New York State Department of Health. 바카라 게임 웹사이트This means they바카라 게임 웹사이트ll measure harmful contaminants at the levels of concern.바카라 게임 웹사이트 Find a certified lab here. Test kits cost $25 to several hundred dollars, depending on what you바카라 게임 웹사이트d like tested.

Local water utilities are required to test their systems for contamination and to release annual reports demonstrating water safety (usually enclosed with a summer bill). But since the 2014 crisis in Flint, Michigan 바카라 게임 웹사이트 when water laden with lead and other harmful substances flowed freely through the city바카라 게임 웹사이트s water supply 바카라 게임 웹사이트 homeowners are turning to at-home testing kits to analyze the contents of their tap water for , like bacteria, lead, mercury and aluminum.

The recommends doing a test if your water appears cloudy or smells and tastes off, your soaps don바카라 게임 웹사이트t lather, your plumbing fixtures or laundry gets stained or if you experience consistent gastrointestinal illnesses.

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But the number of kits on the market is staggering, so here바카라 게임 웹사이트s what to keep in mind before you splurge on a kit.


Test strips

The claim: Chemically treated strips or those made from materials that react to contaminants show the presence or absence of substances according to the color the strips turn when they are submerged in water. Users consult a corresponding color chart to discover what바카라 게임 웹사이트s in their water.

The evidence: Although many of these kits claim to test to EPA standards, the EPA neither evaluates nor recommends them. The strips don바카라 게임 웹사이트t indicate the exact amounts of contaminants; moreover, the tests바카라 게임 웹사이트 accuracy is uncertain because people often judge shades of colors differently, says Lloyd Wilson, a research scientist and director of the New York Bureau of Water Supply Protection. 바카라 게임 웹사이트If you give a strip to five different people,바카라 게임 웹사이트 he says, 바카라 게임 웹사이트you might get five different results.바카라 게임 웹사이트

The upshot: Test strips can serve as an initial screening tool, providing info on water pH and hardness, but they don바카라 게임 웹사이트t offer a clear picture of the level of contamination. Prices range from $10 to $30 on average.

Digital testers

The claim: Most digital testers use an electronic probe to measure water properties that change according to the presence and quantity of different contaminants. For example, testers will track hydrogen ion activity to determine a sample바카라 게임 웹사이트s pH level or measure total dissolved solids such as calcium, magnesium, chlorides and sulfates.

The evidence: Results are quantified and displayed as numbers, eliminating the subjectivity of the test strips바카라 게임 웹사이트 color chart. However, 바카라 게임 웹사이트Consumers should be careful that they are actually using the tester for its intended purpose,바카라 게임 웹사이트 says Eric Yeggy, director of technical affairs at the Water Quality Association. 바카라 게임 웹사이트For example, a TDS [total dissolved solids] tester is no substitute for a lead or microbial test.바카라 게임 웹사이트

The upshot: These types of testers reliably detect water quality indicators that affect taste but can be less accurate on other measures, experts say. Prices range from $10 to several hundred dollars, depending on for what they're meant to test.

Best choice: Send-to-lab tests

The claim: These tests provide instructions, vials and packaging for a consumer to mail water samples to a lab for testing. Results indicate the presence of many types of chemicals, bacteria and parasites.

The evidence: This approach doesn바카라 게임 웹사이트t provide instant results. It can ensure that the sample is accurately tested, but only if you choose a water-testing kit that uses a state-certified lab, which follows EPA-approved methods of separating, identifying and measuring water contaminants.

The upshot: Water quality experts agree: Send-to-lab tests are the most trustworthy. 바카라 게임 웹사이트Using a certified lab ensures that tests are done with appropriate detection limits,바카라 게임 웹사이트 says Roger Sokol, director of the division of environmental health protection at the New York State Department of Health. 바카라 게임 웹사이트This means they바카라 게임 웹사이트ll measure harmful contaminants at the levels of concern.바카라 게임 웹사이트 . Test kits cost $25 to several hundred dollars, depending on what you바카라 게임 웹사이트d like tested.