Frequently Asked Questions
- What are bacteria? Bacteria are single cell, microscopic organisms that live everywhere. They tend to thrive in warmer conditions but can live in all different types of environments.
- Why are bacteria suddenly showing up in my water? My water has been fine for years. Chances are bacteria have always lived in your water and you haven’t noticed because they have not impacted your day to day. This will always be the case if you have no treatment on your water. If you do have treatment, then bacteria showing up on your reports may indicate a problem in your treatment system.
- My report shows just one bacteria- that’s fine right? No, any appearance of coliform bacteria in drinking water is considered failing and should be addressed, either with checking your existing system or putting in a treatment system.
- How Do I Collect My Bacteria Water Sample? To properly collect a bacteria water sample, first run the water at full pressure for a minimum of 5 minutes. Turn off the water, remove any aeration, filters or screens from the tap, flame sterilize the tap, and then run the water for an additional 30-60 seconds. Then collect your water sample in a sterile container, ensuring that you have at least 100mL of the water you want tested. Remember that you cannot pull a water sample from a pull out tap or hose for bacteria samples.
- Why do I need to sterilize my tap before pulling a sample? Bacteria live everywhere and flame sterilization kills off any bacteria that may be living in your faucet or tap head. Killing only the bacteria on the outside will not be an accurate representation of the bacteria that may or may not be present in your water supply. Sterilization via flame ensures we can get the most accurate reading for your samples.
- I’m not sure what I need tested for, should I test for everything? While testing for everything will give you a very comprehensive view of everything happening in your water, it can be quite expensive and not inherently necessary. Bacteria testing is what most are interested in and will give you not only the knowledge of whether or not you have coliform bacteria or E.Coli in and the most probable number of these contaminants. Please talk with our experts at the lab with your questions and we will be happy to give you what would be the best potential contaminants to test for.
- Why can’t I use a pull out tap or hose when getting a water sample? Sterilizing the outer head does remove the bacteria living there but does not account for any potential bacteria or other contaminants living inside your hose or pull out tap. This could skew results so we ask that water samples be pulled from a standard tap.
- How long can I wait to get a water sample to Pure Test? The time available depends entirely on what is getting tested. The most time sensitive is a bacteria test which can only be tested up to 30 hours past when it was collected. Most other tests allow for 48 hours or more. Please contact the lab if you have any questions or concerns about your specific test needs and the time frame that we can accurately test in.
- How long until I get my results? Results are dependent on the specific tests being done. Bacteria and anything done using our IC (nitrates for example) reports are typically available two business days after the lab receives the sample. The majority of other parameters can take around 3-5 business days with some of the less common metals having a wait time typically of 1-2 weeks. If you do not require a report and a verbal confirmation will suffice in the case of a bacteria test, you are welcome to call the lab next day for a verbal confirmation of results. As always, if you have a need a more accurate timeframe for your specific test, please do not hesitate to call the lab.
- Can I get my results reported faster than the normal wait time? While we work diligently to provide accurate analysis as quickly as possible, we do recognize that there are often time constraints. In this situation, the only reportable parameter that we can rush with a full report is bacteria has a cost of $108
- I just want to test my water for bacteria- what is the cost for just that? Currently the cost for just testing your water for bacteria is $36
- I’m concerned about bacteria in my water so I went ahead and shocked my system with chlorine. Can I send a water sample to you afterwards? You certainly can after the chlorine has been flushed sufficiently from the system. We reject any samples that are not constantly treated with chlorine (usually city water systems) that register chlorine. If you shock your well and then flush your taps afterwards to the point of non-noticeable chlorine detection, we will happily test your water sample.
- Why does my lead sample need to be a first draw? A lead sample needs to be a first-draw sample because lead concentrations are typically highest in the water that has been in contact with the plumbing system for a longer time. This water has a higher chance of coming into contact with any lead present in the plumbing, such as lead solder or lead pipes. By allowing the water to sit in the tap for 6-12 hours unused, our testing can more accurately determine if the source of lead contamination is from the plumbing system rather than other sources like groundwater pollution