# Best water testing kit/lab? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2016, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-water-testing-kit-lab/773436 "2016-11-30T02:19:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-water-testing-kit-lab/773436/1 "2016-11-30T02:19:52Z")
The water in my place seems a little off, so I ordered a $30 home testing kit. The results seemed a little off–for example, the water hardness was at the extreme end of the scale, and while the water IS hard, it’s not…that hard. I’m resolved to buy the kind of sampling kit you send away to a lab, but there’s a lot of vendors. Anyone have experience with this? Any recommendations? ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-water-testing-kit-lab/773436/2 "2016-11-30T06:19:58Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > The water in my place seems a little off, so I ordered a $30 home testing kit. The results seemed a little off–for example, the water hardness was at the extreme end of the scale, and while the water IS hard, it’s not…that hard. > > I’m resolved to buy the kind of sampling kit you send away to a lab, but there’s a lot of vendors. Anyone have experience with this? Any recommendations? I wouldn’t use a mail order lab. Use a EPA and state certified lab. You’re still in CA? > **[GAMA - Domestic Well Testing | California State Water Resources Control Board](https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/gama/domestic_wells_testing.html)** > > State of California ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-water-testing-kit-lab/773436/3 "2016-11-30T18:03:22Z")
Depending on where you live, you could also reach out to your state university extension program and see if they offer water testing. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-water-testing-kit-lab/773436/4 "2016-12-01T01:55:18Z")
Thanks for the suggestions, and yes I’m in CA, good memory! That link is for well testing but I will do some more digging (heh). I guess I had it in my head that it would have to be a private company. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-water-testing-kit-lab/773436/5 "2016-12-01T02:12:02Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > Thanks for the suggestions, and yes I’m in CA, good memory! That link is for well testing but I will do some more digging (heh). I guess I had it in my head that it would have to be a private company. The labs are typically private companies, they have state certification and over-site. I’d assumed you were on a private supply. If you are on a municipal supply you have a right to copies of their testing results and they are generally required to test quite frequently. Most suppliers have moved to putting them on their websites but some you might still need to call and ask. If you think your water quality is inconsistent with the supply you can request they use your house as a sample site, they aren’t obligated to do so though. Free test results with stringent oversight is already built into the cost of your water, I’d see what you can get out of them for it first.