If you've ever owned a pool, you know there are many different kinds of water tests available. If you have not, buying test kits can be confusing, even discouraging. When it comes to swimming, there are chemicals available to balance certain contaminates in the water. When it comes to drinking water, a filter is involved in removing these contaminants, making it safe to drink.

Drinking water has a variety of tests, including tests for:

• Ph
• Bacteria (multiple types)
• Alkalinity
• Minerals
• Hardness
• Industrial Chemicals
• Turbidity (Cloudiness)
• Heavy Metals (a certified laboratory test may need to be performed to identify the heavy metal in question)

Knowing what you are looking for is vital because purchasing tests for all contaminants could prove to be very expensive. Currently, I do not know of a test kit that includes water-borne viruses. If you have knowledge of testing water for specific viruses, please comment below.

For example: If lead in your tap water has been an issue in your area and a repair has been made to either filter the lead or remove the pipes causing the lead contamination - you would start with a test for lead. If the test is positive for lead, open your faucets regularly but do not consume the water.

According the EPA:

"Bathing and showering should be safe for you and your children, even if the water contains lead over EPA’s action level. Human skin does not absorb lead in water.

This information applies to most situations and to a large majority of the population, but individual circumstances may vary. Some situations, such as cases involving highly corrosive water, may require additional recommendations or more stringent actions. Your local water authority is always your first source for testing and identifying lead contamination in your tap water. Many public water authorities have websites that include data on drinking water quality, including results of lead testing. Links to such data can be found on the EPA Consumer Confidence Report website (https://www.epa.gov/ccr)"

Based on this information, I would not bathe in water that contains lead, or any other heavy metal for that matter. Because a laboratory is needed to identify specific heavy metals, an at- home test kit for heavy metals is designed to only indicate the most common heavy metals found in water. This doesn't mean it isn't helpful to use home testing kits, but a laboratory would provide more precise information. This could be the case for other tests as well. When buying at-home test kits, make sure there are at least 16 contaminants. Test strips are usually pretty cheap and come with instructions provided. There are also tests that include using chemicals that react with the water, indicating the contaminant in question and others that involve using a meter to test the water.

Here are some common at- home water tests:

16 in 1 Drinking Water Test Kit (Home Water test kit)

TDS Meter Digital Water Tester (meter test kit)

20 in 1 Drinking Water Testing Kit

Ph Test Liquid Kit (Ph only)

ULTIMATE Drinking Water Test Kit (laboratory send-in test kit)

Personally, I always start with Ph. Ph in water can be a great indicator that there is something unbalance with the water. I would then move to lead, bacteria, alkalinity - in that order. I would then move on to minerals and any other contaminants that can be tested for at home.

Once testing is complete, the appropriate filter would need to be put in place to preserve the quality of your tap water. This filter could range anywhere from a Brita-type system to equipment being added to your home.

There is tons of information on water testing on many different platforms ranging from the EPA to social media discussions. Water testing can only be used for contaminates that we are familiar with. This means that testing must be invented every time a water-borne contaminate is discovered. This does not only apply to your tap water but water that is bottled as well. If it were to happen that an unknown contaminate that our current filters could not reverse - it would not matter what water you are drinking. This occurrence could become devastating either way in one way or another. In fact, because bottled water is shipped globally -bottled water may pose a larger threat than a local municipal water system or well water.

Always check expiration dates and explore new drinking water testing. As time goes by, more detectible contaminants may become available. If your water tests positive for any of the testable contaminants, check with others in your area or collect a water sample from a public faucet. If other buildings do not test for the same contaminants, it may be a problem with your specific plumbing or filtration system. If not, there may be a public safety issue. In the case of a public safety concern, contact your local water company. It may be wise to also alert the EPA. If neither of these contacts agree to test the local water source, spread information to anyone willing to listen - commonly our friends on social media - telling them to test their water and help raise awareness of the issue if many people are testing for harmful water contamination.