Test your spring water
Before you drink from any spring, test it. Spring water can look perfect and still carry bacteria, arsenic, uranium or too much fluoride. Here's what to test, how to test, and where to find a certified lab in your state.
Free and educational, not medical advice. Regulations and certified lab lists are maintained by the U.S. EPA and each state. Confirm details with your state program.
1 · What to test for
| Test | Why | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Total coliform & E. coli | Fecal contamination from animals or septic systems. The most important test for any drinking spring. | Every time you rely on a spring; after floods |
| Nitrate / nitrite | Farm and septic runoff; dangerous for infants. | Yearly |
| Arsenic | Common in geothermal and western groundwater; long-term cancer risk. | Once, then every few years |
| Uranium, radon, gross alpha | Granite and volcanic areas; kidney and cancer risk. | Once, then every few years |
| Fluoride, lithium, boron | Often high in hot springs and mineral springs. | Once |
| Lead & copper | From pipes and fittings in spring boxes. | Once |
| pH, TDS, hardness, major minerals | Taste, scaling and the mineral profile shown on each AllSprings page. | Yearly or anytime |
See the mineral guide for limits, daily needs, benefits and concerns of each result.
2 · Home kits vs. certified labs
- Test strips and pocket meters (pH, TDS, hardness, temperature) are cheap and great for tracking a spring over time. Post your readings on the spring's AllSprings page.
- Mail-in or local certified labs are the only reliable way to check bacteria, arsenic, uranium and other contaminants. Ask for the lab's bottles and instructions.
- Sampling tips: use the lab's sterile bottles, don't touch the inside of caps, sample where the water emerges, keep it cold and deliver bacteria samples within the lab's holding time (often 24–30 hours).
3 · Find a certified drinking water lab
Every state runs a drinking water laboratory certification program. The EPA keeps the official contact list for each state's program and certified labs:
EPA: certification programs & certified labs by state
Or search your state directly:
Outside the U.S.? Contact your national or regional health or environment agency for accredited water laboratories.
4 · Share your results
Every spring page has a free form for posting your own pH, temperature, TDS, hardness and lab results. Your readings help everyone who visits that spring after you.