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the more thorough the testing should be. Pipes and after various types of filtering and filter
corrode over time, releasing greater and greater changes, at different taps and spigots around
amounts of metals into the water. Sometimes your home, property, farm, and so on. Such in-
older pipes were made or soldered together with formation can be helpful when trying to locate
unsafe mixtures of metals. trouble spots or to see whether a water filtration
unit is working properly or needs maintenance
SOLID AS ROCK: TDS METERS or replacement.
The first test that is worth performing and
piece of equipment worth owning is a “total dis- TEST IT YOURSELF
solved solids” (also called a TDS) meter. These After TDS testing, the next step is a basic
tiny little tools quickly ascertain a water sample's home or well water test kit. Just as advances in
dissolved solids content, generally measured in technology are revolutionizing small farm food
parts per million. They are also useful for people safety, home testing of water and air are also
who, for example, make their own colloidal sil- improving rapidly and dropping significantly in
ver, engage in aquaponics, maintain swimming cost. What once could only be performed in a
pools, or need to check the performance of a lab for a few hundred dollars can now be done
water filter, and so this little tool has manifold on your kitchen counter for thirty dollars or less.
possible uses. Test kits come in a wide variety of setups
Dissolved solids are generally an indication and stand-alone options. Some companies wisely
of the hardness or softness of a home's water differentiate between the needs of city dwellers
supply and its overall condition. If you know and homesteaders and farmers or others who
the underlying geology (limestone versus other are on well or spring water sources, by tailoring
types of rock) of your water supply, the TDS their kits to each user. For stand-alone test kits,
meter coupled with some common sense will most merely overlap with what a basic home or
give you a good idea as to which minerals, such well water test will already cover. The exceptions
as calcium and magnesium, are in your water. are tests for arsenic and lead, though many well
These meters are reusable, allowing you to water test kits will test for lead. Both tests are
test your water across seasonal changes, before worth running if they are not included with your
basic test kit.

MOODY WELL WATER TEST RESULTS COMPARISON
Brand Water Safe PurTest SenSafe
Total Nitrate/Nitrites 0.5 .5 Unable to determine result
Nitrite 0-0.15 0 -.5 0-.2
Iron Zero .3 - .5 .3
Copper 0-0.5 Hard to read 0-.1
Lead Negative Negative X
Pesticides Negative Negative X
Bacteria Negative Negative Negative
Hardness (pH) 8.5-10 9 8.5-9.5
Hardness (ppm) 250-425 400 425
Total Chlorine 0 X 0
Alkalinity X 180-240 500
Chloride (ppm) X X Below 250
Free Chlorine X X 0-0.05
Sulfate X X Less than 250
Hydrogen Sulfide X X 0

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