Well Water Testing

[LFOD]

Any ideas on places to have my well water tested in the Center Harbor/Meredith area?

thanks

[SAB1]

Hmm. When we drilled our well last year I think when my wife did this and the closest certified lab was in Concord. I know Tuftonboro has periodically had a program where you can have this done and you have to swing by town hall to get the directions and collection jars and then they send it out.

[DickR]

The state DES has a lot of info on this, including links to testing labs in the area. Start here:
http://www.des.nh.gov/organization/d.../well_testing/

Earlier this year I had ours tested through a lab just off Exit 18 on Rte 93. They provide the sample bottles and instructions, and they can email the results if you need that a few days sooner than snail mail.

[Descant]

I've used Granite State Analytical in Derry. Picked up the kit, took it to camp and mailed it back. You can order the kit online. There are several options depending on what you want to test for.

[TCC]

Curious as to why you want your well water tested and what parameters you want to have it tested for. It makes a difference.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by LFOD

Any ideas on places to have my well water tested in the Center Harbor/Meredith area?

thanks

Nelson Analytical in either Canterbury or Manchester. Test kits can be ordered online also.

http://www.nelsonanalytical.com/

Dan

[Rich]

What does a safety test cost?

Edit: I see about $65 to $150

[Slickcraft]

For a basic test for bacteria the Laconia Water Dept used to do that; pick up a kit at their office. We have done that on the island to make sure that the UV purifier was doing its job. A call to the office and one could check if they still offer that service to the public.

http://www.city.laconia.nh.us/index....s/water-inside

For anything other than bacteria you have to use one of the labs already noted.

[Descant]

Slickcraft:
I'm curious about your UV sytem. When we had our lake water tested, there was a low level of bacteria. That's is to be expected; after all, it is lake water. So, we have no treatment or filter system since the water quality is already good.
Does your UV system treat all water or just drinking water? Bathrooms and kitchen?
Install it yourself? Cost?
Thanks.

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by Descant

Slickcraft:
I'm curious about your UV sytem. When we had our lake water tested, there was a low level of bacteria. That's is to be expected; after all, it is lake water. So, we have no treatment or filter system since the water quality is already good.
Does your UV system treat all water or just drinking water? Bathrooms and kitchen?
Install it yourself? Cost?
Thanks.

We have a system like this:
https://ultraviolet.com/sanitron-ult...ter-purifiers/

My father-in-law had it installed in 1988, don't know if he had a plumber do it, probably. I don't know the cost. The Lamps have to be replaced every one or two years depending on island use time per year.
We used to have a bacteria test every year, always negative. I guess that we should do it again this year. Many island camps have these and there has been past discussion here.

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...water+purifier

[lakevet]

Originally Posted by TCC

Curious as to why you want your well water tested and what parameters you want to have it tested for. It makes a difference.

I think there are many wells with high mineral content in water which can cause stains and corrosion from hardness. Arsenic, zinc are toxic elements also seen. Plus radon.
Its a good idea to have a comprehensive water test periodically to monitor these things. I just put a filtration system in my home.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[Slickcraft]

I forgot to add that the camp UV system purifies everything except for the garden hose. So all water inside is safe to drink, which we do.

[TiltonBB]

I put the Pura Ultraviolet system in about two years ago after reading about it on this site. It has a sediment filter, a carbon block filter, and a UV chamber. I left the small Lowe's filter that had been my prior filter in place before the Pura system. The thought was that the $5 filters that I could change every couple of weeks might keep the majority of the sediment from reaching the Pura system and allow it to function better. It has been excellent.

Two week after I installed it I took a sample to the Laconia Water Department for testing and they said it was drinking quality water. So, after all these years I was able to put an ice maker in my freezer. (priorities!)

I think the cost of testing in Laconia was about $20 but they may require you to be a Laconia property owner.

[Descant]

All this about ice? I have an ice maker in the fridge that works fine on unfiltered lake water. I rinse the ice cubes in a special formula cleanser that I buy from a state of NH agency. They get it from Scotland. I believe Slickcraft has found a similar product made in Tennessee, but I think it gives a little burn to the final flavor. I have ancestors are from Scotland. Maybe that makes a difference?

[CaptT820]

Depending on what parameters you want tested for will directly determine where you should go to get it tested. I work in the environmental engineering field and we exclusively use Eastern Analytical out of Concord for all of our company's needs. This may be overkill for you, but if you want everything tested, this is where you should go.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by lakevet

I think there are many wells with high mineral content in water which can cause stains and corrosion from hardness. Arsenic, zinc are toxic elements also seen. Plus radon.
Its a good idea to have a comprehensive water test periodically to monitor these things. I just put a filtration system in my home.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

I second the motion for comprehensive testing--we found arsenic in our well. Filtering can reduce it to virtually nothing. We bought ours from Secondwind in Manchester.

[TCC]

I can second Eastern Analytical. They're the best in the New Hampshire.

When we bought our home here, we made the sale contingent on satisfactory water quality test results. I had the well tested for the basic water chemistries (nitrate, chloride, hardness, etc.), total coliform bacteria, radon, 8-10 metals, and the two basic EPA organics panels (EPA 524 & EPA 525). As I recall, it cost in the $400-$500 range (I'm a water quality professional and was able to do my own sample collection). Everything came back fine, and I feel it was worth the cost to be able to have confidence in our water quality.

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

For a basic test for bacteria the Laconia Water Dept used to do that; pick up a kit at their office. We have done that on the island to make sure that the UV purifier was doing its job. A call to the office and one could check if they still offer that service to the public.

http://www.city.laconia.nh.us/index....s/water-inside

For anything other than bacteria you have to use one of the labs already noted.

OK the Laconia Water Dept still does the bacteria test for $17. Here are our results for this year:

[Descant]

I wonder if it would test differently in August? I've tested mine in the spring with similar good results. At most public swimming areas, tested frequently, the e.coli shows up after heavy rain.

[Slickcraft]

We have run the test mid summer in some prior years with the same result.