Testing Tap, Spring, Lake, River or Pond Water
Short answer: if you drink it, test it at a certified drinking water lab. That goes for well, spring, lake, river or pond water. If you're on city tap water, read your utility's annual water quality report first. Pools, hot tubs and aquariums are a different job (see below).
Tap water testing (city water)
Public water systems must give customers an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report (EPA). Read it first. Lead can still come from your home's pipes, so call your utility or a certified lab if you have older plumbing. Private well? See how to test well water.
Spring water testing
A spring on your land is like a shallow well: surface water can reach it easily. Health Canada and Alberta treat springs and other private supplies like wells: test for bacteria regularly at an accredited lab. Use your state or province page to find one.
Lake, river and pond water testing
Lakes, rivers and ponds change from day to day with rain, runoff and algae blooms, so one test only shows that moment. For swimming, follow your state's official beach and algae advisories. For drinking at camp, treat the water. See camping water: lakes and rivers. If you draw household water from a lake or pond, test it at a certified lab and treat it. Wisconsin's State Laboratory of Hygiene, for example, lists an E. coli test for swimming beaches.
Swimming pool, hot tub and aquarium water
This site is about drinking water. Pool, hot tub and aquarium checks look for different things (chlorine level, pH, alkalinity, ammonia for fish). They're usually done with home test strips or at a pool or pet store, not a drinking water lab. Alberta's public lab, for example, won't accept pool or hot tub samples from private submitters. Never drink pool, hot tub or aquarium water.
Drinking water testing: the basics
- Use a lab certified for drinking water and for the exact tests you need.
- The EPA suggests testing private wells yearly for total coliform, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH.
- Get bottles from the lab and follow its instructions; bacteria samples are time-sensitive.
Sources
- EPA: Consumer Confidence Reports
- EPA: Protect your home's water
- Health Canada: Test your well water
- Alberta Health Services: Water and ice samples, test ordering
- Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene: Testing prices
Questions
Can I get lake or river water tested?
Yes, at a certified lab, but lakes and rivers change daily, so one result only shows that moment. Follow official advisories and treat water you drink.
How do I test my tap water?
On city water, read your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report first (EPA). For lead from home plumbing, ask your utility or a certified lab.
Do well water labs test pool or hot tub water?
Usually not; those tests check chlorine, pH and alkalinity and are done with home strips or at a pool store.
Free well water safety checklist
15 family-friendly steps based on CDC and EPA guidance. Print it, keep it on the fridge, and know when to call a certified lab.
More guides
- How Much Does Well Water Testing Cost? Real Lab PricesReal published prices from public labs, free programs, and the EPA-approved-lab myth.
- Well Water After a Flood, Hurricane, Wildfire or EarthquakeDon't drink it until it's tested: disaster-by-disaster testing steps from CDC, EPA and Health Canada.
- Well Water Smells, Looks or Tastes Bad? Problems by SymptomSulfur smell, brown or cloudy water, black specks, bad taste: what each can mean and what to test.
- Flood Protection for Well Owners: Before, During and After a FloodRaise and seal the wellhead, know your pump shutoff, then disinfect and test with a certified lab after any flood.