Standard drinking water test
Our most-ordered test. Certifies a private supply as safe to drink for landlords, property sales and mortgage approval, and diagnoses well or borehole problems.
Results in 12–14 working days
Ref DWT01
- What the lab checks
- 26 parameters, each shown against its guideline. See the full list.
- What you get back
- The laboratory certificate, results in plain English, and a Pozzani engineer's review of anything over the guideline.
- In the kit
- Sterile sample bottles, sampling instructions, and packaging for sending your samples to the laboratory.
- Questions first?
- Call 01507 608 100 or message us and we'll point you to the right test.
What the lab checks for
26 parameters, each with its guideline
Guideline values follow the Private Water Supplies Regulations 2016. Your results are shown against these, with the laboratory's exact wording kept alongside.
| Parameter | Guideline | |
|---|---|---|
| pH (pH units) | 6.5–9.5 | Acidity. Low pH can dissolve metals from pipework. |
| Iron (µg/l) | 200 µg/l | Causes staining and discolouration. |
| Manganese (µg/l) | 50 µg/l | Causes black staining and taste. |
| Lead (µg/l) | 10 µg/l | Usually from old pipework or fittings. A health parameter. |
| Zinc (µg/l) | No limit | From galvanised pipes and fittings. A taste parameter rather than a health one in England. |
| Copper (mg/l) | 2 mg/l | From copper pipework, especially with soft or acidic water. |
| Calcium (mg/l) | No limit | A hardness mineral. No health limit. |
| Magnesium (mg/l) | No limit | A hardness mineral. No health limit. |
| Nitrate (mg/l) | 50 mg/l | Often from agricultural run-off into private supplies. |
| Nitrite (mg/l) | 0.5 mg/l | Forms where nitrate is being broken down; a sign of contamination or poor disinfection. |
| Fluoride (mg/l) | 1.5 mg/l | Naturally present in some groundwaters. |
| Arsenic (µg/l) | 10 µg/l | Naturally occurring in some rocks; a health parameter. |
| Chloride (mg/l) | 250 mg/l | Salt. High values suggest seawater, road salt or sewage influence. |
| Sodium (mg/l) | 200 mg/l | Salt; also raised by water softeners. |
| Sulphate (mg/l) | 250 mg/l | From natural minerals. High values taste bitter and can have a laxative effect. |
| Conductivity (µS/cm) | 2500 µS/cm | Overall dissolved mineral content. |
| Taste (dilution number) | Acceptable, no abnormal change | Assessed by the laboratory; should be acceptable with no abnormal change. |
| Odour (dilution number) | Acceptable, no abnormal change | Assessed by the laboratory; should be acceptable with no abnormal change. |
| Turbidity (NTU) | 4 NTU | Cloudiness of the water. |
| E. coli (cfu/100ml) | 0 /100ml | Indicates faecal contamination. Should always be absent. |
| Colony count 22°C (cfu/ml) | No abnormal change | General bacterial load; no fixed limit, watched for change. |
| Colony count 37°C (cfu/ml) | No abnormal change | Bacteria that grow at body temperature; watched for change. |
| Coliform bacteria (cfu/100ml) | 0 /100ml | Indicates the supply may not be adequately protected or treated. |
| Ammonium (mg/l) | 0.5 mg/l | Also reported as ammonia. Suggests sewage or agricultural contamination. |
| Hardness (mg/l CaCO3) | No limit | Scale-forming minerals. Not a health parameter. |
| Aluminium (µg/l) | 200 µg/l | From soils and treatment chemicals; causes discolouration. |
Optional extras
-
LegionellaLegionella spp.
£44.95£40.46 inc. VAT -
CadmiumCadmium
£13.51£12.16 inc. VAT -
MercuryMercury
£37.03£33.33 inc. VAT -
Pseudomonas aeruginosaPseudomonas aeruginosa
£30.85£27.77 inc. VAT -
Total organic carbonTotal organic carbon
£45.62£41.06 inc. VAT
What's in the kit
Everything you need to take the sample
Sterile sample bottles, sampling instructions, and packaging for sending your samples to the laboratory.
Taking the sample
Ten minutes, then post it the same day
Full instructions come with the kit. In short: sample first thing in the morning from the tap you normally drink from, fill the bottles to the line, keep them cool, and send them to the laboratory the same day in the packaging provided.