Water is an essential resource that impacts our health and well-being. It is crucial to ensure that the water we consume at home is clean and safe. While municipal water treatment plants strive to provide safe drinking water, contaminants can still find their way into our tap water. This is where home tap water test kits come into play. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of these test kits and the wide array of contaminants they can help identify. Let's dive into the world of home tap water testing!

Why Test Your Tap Water?

Water quality can vary depending on factors such as geographical location, aging infrastructure, and potential sources of contamination. By testing your tap water, you gain valuable insights into its quality, allowing you to make informed decisions about purification methods or necessary precautions. Home tap water test kits empower homeowners with the ability to monitor the safety of their water supply regularly and take appropriate actions to protect their health and that of their loved ones.

Common Contaminants Tested: Home tap water test kits are designed to detect a wide range of contaminants that may be present in your water. These kits commonly test for:

1. Bacteria and Microorganisms: Tests for bacteria such as E. coli and coliforms are crucial to determine the presence of harmful pathogens.

2. Heavy Metals: Lead, mercury, arsenic, and other heavy metals can leach into water sources and pose serious health risks. Testing for these contaminants is vital, especially in older homes with plumbing systems that may contain lead pipes.

3. Chemicals: Pesticides, herbicides, chlorine, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can find their way into tap water. These substances may have adverse effects on human health if consumed over time.

4. pH Levels: Testing for pH levels helps determine whether your water is too acidic or alkaline. Extreme pH levels can affect the taste, corrosion of plumbing, and effectiveness of water treatment methods.

Choosing the Right Test Kit: When selecting a home tap water test kit, consider the contaminants you wish to test for, ease of use, and the kit's accuracy. Some kits offer comprehensive testing, while others focus on specific contaminants. It's essential to read customer reviews and select a reputable brand that meets your specific requirements.

Conclusion: Home tap water test kits provide a convenient and cost-effective way to assess the quality of your drinking water. By detecting contaminants like bacteria, heavy metals, chemicals, and monitoring pH levels, you can take appropriate actions to ensure the safety of your household's water supply. Prioritizing regular testing empowers you to make informed decisions and safeguard your health.

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Water is essential for life, and access to clean drinking water is critical for the health and well-being of individuals and communities. In developed countries, the municipal tap water is the primary source of drinking water for most people. While tap water is typically treated to remove contaminants and impurities, it still may contain harmful chemicals, bacteria, pathogens, and allergens that can pose a risk to human health. So, what are some of these toxins and contaminants and how can you avoid becoming sick?

Here is a list of chemicals, contaminants, toxins, pathogens and bacteria you need to look out for.

Chlorine and Chloramine

Chlorine and chloramine are commonly used to disinfect municipal tap water. Chlorine is effective at killing bacteria and viruses in the water, but it can react with organic matter in the water to form disinfection byproducts like trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). THMs and HAAs have been linked to an increased risk of cancer and reproductive problems in animal studies and have been classified as possible human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Chloramine, a combination of chlorine and ammonia, is also used to disinfect water, but it can cause skin irritation, respiratory problems, and digestive issues.

Lead

Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can leach into tap water from a number of sources, including old plumbing systems, service lines and illegal toxic waste dumping. Lead exposure can cause developmental delays in children, high blood pressure, kidney damage, and reproductive problems. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 15 parts per billion (ppb) for lead in tap water, but even low levels of lead exposure can be harmful, especially for pregnant women and children.

Pesticides and Herbicides

Pesticides and herbicides are chemicals that are used to control insects and weeds in agriculture. These chemicals can leach into groundwater and contaminate drinking water supplies. Exposure to pesticides and herbicides has been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and developmental delays in children. The EPA regulates the use of pesticides and herbicides in agriculture, but there are still concerns about the safety of these chemicals in tap water.

Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products containing antibiotics, hormones, and antidepressants, can also be found in your tap water. These chemicals can enter the water supply through human and animal waste, runoff from hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturing plants and facilities. While the levels of these types of chemicals are generally low in tap water, there is concern about the long-term health effects of exposure to them, especially for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children.

E. Coli

E. coli is a type of bacteria that can cause serious illness if ingested. It is commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals and can enter the water supply through sewage leaks or agricultural runoff. Symptoms of E. coli infection include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever.

Legionella

Legionella is a type of bacteria that can cause Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia. Legionella can be found in stagnant water, such as hot tubs, cooling towers, and plumbing systems. Inhalation of contaminated water droplets can cause respiratory problems and fever.

Cryptosporidium

Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that can cause gastrointestinal illness. It is resistant to chlorine and can survive in water for long periods. Cryptosporidium can enter the water supply through sewage leaks and animal waste. Symptoms of Cryptosporidium infection include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and dehydration.

Fluoride

Fluoride is added to municipal water supplies in many countries to help prevent tooth decay. However, excessive exposure to fluoride can cause a range of health problems, including skeletal fluorosis, a condition that affects the bones and joints. Skeletal fluorosis can cause pain, stiffness, and deformity of the bones, and can lead to permanent disability.

Salmonella

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. It is commonly found in contaminated food and water, and can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and worse.

The first step to staying healthy by drinking clean, uncontaminated water is to test your tap water. These tests are inexpensive and are available online and at local hardware stores.

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You have no doubt read about some of the potential health benefits of drinking high alkaline water. Believers say it helps slow down the aging process, reduce acid in the body by regulating the body’s pH, and even prevent cancer and other chronic diseases. But how much truth to these claims is there, and what exactly qualifies as high pH alkaline water?

The pH scale of acid and base runs from 0 to 14, with 0 being the highest in acidity and lowest in base, and 14 being the lowest in acidity and highest in base or alkalinity. So, the alkalinity in alkaline water refers to its pH level. Regular water generally comes in at a pH of 7, right in the middle of the scale. Not too acidic and not too alkaline. Because high pH water carries a higher level of alkalinity, water and health advocates claim it can help reduce the body's acid level, and lead to other health benefits both physical and mental. But high levels of pH isn’t enough for water to be considered alkaline. Alkaline water with pH levels above 7.7, must also contain minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium bicarbonate, which not only give the body much needed minerals, but also makes the water taste better.

Is It Better for You?

According to the Mayo Clinic, regular water is probably the only water most people need. They state that there is no scientific evidence that fully corroborates the claims made by supporters of alkaline water. But there are some studies that suggest that for some people, high alkaline water can have some health benefits, including inhibiting the enzyme pepsin, which is the main cause of heartburn and acid reflux. Others who have suffered from other ailments like chronic inflammation, arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol claim that high alkaline water has helped, but there is limited actual science to support these claims. Alkaline water proponents continue to swear by the benefits and add colon health, skin health, immune system support and cancer prevention to the list of health benefits.

What Are the Downsides?

In general, there aren't many downside to drinking too much water, including high pH alkaline water. But, as with just about anything, there is safety in moderation. But some of the reported negative side affects of drinking high-alkaline water are nausea, vomiting and muscle soreness. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should consult your doctor.

Natural vs Artificial Alkaline

Water that is high in naturally occurring alkaline  - ie, water that passes through Artesian springs with high levels of natural mineral like potassium and magnesium - is preferable to artificial alkaline or ionized water. Ionized water is water that is treated been through a chemical process called electrolysis, which strips out the healthy minerals. This process uses a machine called an ionizer to raise the pH of regular water, and is a popular marketing trick aimed at people looking to spend a lot of money on big machines in their kitchens. Makers of ionizers say that electricity is used to separate molecules in the water that are more acidic or more alkaline before removing the acidic water, but these techniques and claims have no science to back it up. Some scientists have supported the idea of using reverse-osmosis to accomplish the same thing, adding pH and while keeping the mineral - but more research is needed to verify that this actually works and is safe.

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Bottled water companies use lots of marketing language to try and get their brands to stand out against their competitors. After all, despite the availability of inexpensive home filtration solutions, Americans will spend over $7 Billion on bottled water in 2021. And the more we spend on bottled water, the more marketers will spend chasing after thirsty customers. But in doing so many of them bend the rules by making confusing claims about the origins of their water, trying to dupe consumers about where their water comes from. Some of the most common misinformation found in bottled water messaging is about source or origin. Brands will pull water from a tap in Florida and call it ‘spring water’ just because it came from the ground, or add in some calcium and call it ‘alkaline water’. Or, in more of the more egregious cases, filling giant containers with well water and shipping it from Hawaii on a freighter to a bottling plant in Long Beach and calling it ‘Spring water from Hawaii’. This corner cutting is deceptive and bad for a brand’s reputation. As part of a compliance settlement with the California Department of Public Health, the Waikea brand was forced to change the labeling on its bottles. This is a heavy price to pay for making false claims about the provenance of water that is available from the tap to Islanders living on the Big Island and then bottling it in California.

Why it Matters

Water that comes from artesian aquifers has a unique provenance that contributes to its naturally occurring pH and preferred taste. The organic minerals found in natural artesian spring water, like magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium bicarbonate contribute to elevated levels of naturally occurring pH and make it taste better. So it holds that bottle water this special at the source where it comes out of the earth’s surface, preserves its high pH and great taste. This is why Fuji Water and Hawaiian Springs Water, which are both bottled at the source, taste so good. They come from natural artesian aquifers, which produce the cleanest, purest and best tasting water on earth. If you take water from an aquifer at the bottom of volcano and put it into a giant plastic container and ship it across the Pacific Ocean, the water will lose much of the characteristics that make it special. Changes in air pressure and temperature will adversely affect the taste and quality of the water, and the only reason to do it is to cut costs. The truth is, when you see ‘bottled at the source’ on the label of a mass produced bottled water brand, it only means it was bottled shortly after it was taken from the tap. But water bottled at a plant at the base of a volcano where the aquifer is, means something and you can taste the difference.

As consumers we have lots of choices, and this is especially true when it comes to drinking water. But the convenience of choice comes with the implied burden of educating ourselves about the choices we make. There is an endless supply of information about drinking water available on the internet, so why not use it?

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Water preferences generally come down to two considerations, cost and taste. And while we recognize that large parts of the human population all over the world don't access to clean, potable water, this article will focus on the taste preferences for those with access to to clean drinking water, and the question of whether high pH in bottle water tasted better.

Four years we've relied on the old science that divided the human tongue into four taste zones - bitter, sour, sweet and salt - with the tip of the tongue sensitive to bitter, the sides sensitive to sour and salt, while the back sensitive to sweets. But now it is generally accepted that our understanding of how taste information is carried from the tongue to the brain, was flawed, and that individual taste qualities are not simply restricted to a single region or area of the tongue. Enter the idea of 'Umami taste', which is the fifth taste of the tongue, and allows the brain to identify the taste of monosodium glutamate, which in layman's term equates to savoriness of something. So what does all of this mean as it related to the pH in bottled water? A lot it turns out.

For years it was generally accepted that water was water, and there was no real way for the human tongue and brain to accurately identify different tastes in water. But in a 2013 study, it was determined that the mineral composition of water can and does have an impact in its taste, and that the higher the levels of pH, the better is tastes. This makes sense based on what we know about the 1 to 14 scale of acid (low pH) and base (high pH). Bottled water high in pH, especially naturally occurring pH, tastes better because of the extra mineral in the water. Specifically, the study, which is made up of a series of blind taste tests, showed these four compounds had the most impact on taste:

• HCO₃⁻ (bicarbonate)
• SO₄²⁻ (sulfate)
• Ca²⁺ (calcium)
• Mg²⁺ (magnesium)

The average water drinker isn't concerned so much with why the water tastes better, only that it does. So the next time you're thirsty and are looking for some hydrating nourishment that also tastes great, try water with elevated pH.

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