In many ways, these seem like very uncertain times.
As the daily news reports include headlines of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards being eliminated or weakened, the world can seem scary and uncertain. In their best attempts to take control over their own situation, however, many Americans are not sticking their collective head in the sand and simply pretending that all will be well. Instead they are taking action, making plans, and implementing systems to watch out for their families’ best interests. For many, these actions include making plans for a water quality analysis that will help them feel good about the water that comes into their home.
Water quality analysis is a way to make sure that both the water your family drinks and the water that is used for bathing and cooking remains at a safe level, even when you fear that the EPA is losing some of its power. From fresh water test kits that your family can use when you are out camping or fishing to well water test kits that can be used on private properties, paying attention to the quality of the water that use is important.
Water quality testing kits are available in a variety of different forms from a variety of different sources. They all, however, have the same goal: to measure the safety of the water that we drink and use. From measuring water conductivity and resistivity to providing an analysis of water quality parameters, the decision to check your own water in these uncertain times is a wise one.

• Temperature significantly affects both the conductivity and resistivity of water, which requires instrumentation to be temperature compensated to 25 degrees Celsius.
• A current concern among America’s streams is their contamination levels. In fact, recent study indicated that only 28% have healthy biological communities compared to best possible conditions in their region.
• Kids are especially susceptible to unsafe drinking water. As was noted in the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, it was the children who were at most risk of lead poisoning.
• Each and every day, 2 million tons of industrial and agricultural waste, as well as sewage, are discharged into the world’s water.






• Conductivity is a measurement of the ability of water to pass an electrical current. Conductivity levels are affected by the presence of inorganic dissolved solids. Organic compounds do not conduct electrical current well, so they do not figure into conductivity ratings. Conductivity can also affected by temperature. Basically, the warmer the water, the higher the conductivity. As a result, conductivity is reported at 25 degrees Celsius.
• One way to make sure that the water your family uses is safe is to conduct your own water quality analysis on a fairly regular basis.
• Nearly 44% of assessed stream miles are not clean enough to support uses such as fishing and swimming; 64% of assessed lake acres fall into this same ranking; 30% of assessed bay and estuarine square miles do as well.
• The lack of adequate sanitation leads to contaminated water courses worldwide, and serves as one of the most significant forms of water pollution. In fact, 2.5 billion people worldwide live without improved sanitation.
• Rainfall in a natural environment follows a specific pattern: 50% of it is absorbed in the ground; 40% is evapotranspired; and 10% runs off.
• Of the people around the world who lack sanitation, 70%, or 1.8 billion people, live in Asia.
• Land and urban areas absorb rainfall differently. In an urban area of 75% to 100% impervious surface only 15% of the water is absorbed in the ground; 30% is evapotranspired; and 55% runs off.