Home Water Testing: A Complete Guide for Colorado Families

Testing your home water is one of the most practical steps you can take to understand what is coming out of your tap. While your municipal water utility publishes annual quality reports based on system-wide monitoring, those reports reflect conditions at the treatment plant or at selected distribution points -- not at your specific faucet. A home water test bridges that gap by measuring what actually reaches your glass after traveling through miles of infrastructure and your own plumbing.

Why Test Your Water at Home?

Your city's Consumer Confidence Report is a valuable document, but it has limitations. It measures water quality at specific points in the distribution system, not at your individual tap. Between the treatment plant and your faucet, water passes through underground mains, a service line, and your home's internal plumbing. Each of these stages can introduce variables -- from trace metals leaching from aging pipes to changes in chlorine levels as disinfectant dissipates over distance and time.

Home water testing is especially relevant if you have recently moved into a new home, live in a house with older plumbing, have noticed changes in taste or appearance, or simply want a factual baseline of what your family is drinking. It is also recommended for homes on private wells, which are not monitored by municipal utilities and are the homeowner's sole responsibility.

Key Parameters to Test For

Not all water tests are created equal. Depending on your concerns and your water source, different parameters may be relevant. Here are the most commonly tested indicators and what they reveal:

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

TDS is a broad measurement of all dissolved inorganic salts and organic matter in your water, expressed in parts per million (ppm). It includes minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium, as well as chlorides and sulfates. The EPA recommends a secondary (non-enforceable) standard of 500 ppm. While TDS alone does not tell you what specific substances are present, it provides a useful overview of your water's overall mineral content. High TDS can affect taste and may indicate the need for further testing.

pH Level

pH measures how acidic or alkaline your water is on a scale from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. The EPA recommends a secondary standard range of 6.5 to 8.5 for drinking water. Water that is too acidic (below 6.5) can corrode metal pipes and leach metals like copper and lead into the water. Water that is too alkaline (above 8.5) can taste bitter and reduce the effectiveness of chlorine disinfection. Colorado's surface water sources tend to be slightly alkaline, but pH can shift as water moves through the distribution system and your plumbing.

Hardness

Water hardness measures the concentration of dissolved calcium and magnesium, usually expressed in grains per gallon (gpg) or mg/L. Hard water is not a health concern, but it causes scale buildup in pipes and appliances, reduces soap effectiveness, and can leave spots on fixtures and glassware. In Colorado, hardness levels range from very soft (under 1 gpg) in some mountain communities to very hard (over 10 gpg) in parts of the Eastern Plains and certain suburban areas.

Chlorine and Chloramine

Most municipal water systems use chlorine or chloramine as a residual disinfectant to prevent microbial growth in the distribution system. While these disinfectants are essential for public health, some households are sensitive to their taste and odor. Testing residual levels at your tap can help you understand what you are experiencing and whether a point-of-use carbon filter might be appropriate.

Lead and Other Metals

Lead testing is particularly important for homes built before 1986, when lead solder was commonly used in copper pipe joints. Homes with lead service lines or brass fixtures containing lead are also at elevated risk. The EPA's action level for lead in drinking water is 15 parts per billion (ppb), but there is no level of lead exposure considered completely safe. Other metals to consider testing for include copper, iron, and manganese, which can enter water through pipe corrosion and natural geological sources.

Bacteria (Coliform and E. coli)

For homes on private wells, bacteria testing is essential. Total coliform bacteria serve as an indicator of potential contamination from surface runoff or soil. The presence of E. coli specifically indicates fecal contamination and requires immediate attention. Municipal water systems continuously monitor for bacteria, but private well owners must conduct their own testing, ideally at least once per year.

DIY Test Kits vs. Professional Analysis

Home water testing options fall into two broad categories, each with its own advantages:

DIY test strips and kits are widely available at hardware stores and online retailers. They typically test for a limited set of parameters -- often hardness, pH, chlorine, iron, and sometimes lead or bacteria. Results are available in minutes and are expressed as approximate ranges rather than precise values. These kits are useful for a quick general overview but may lack the sensitivity to detect low-level contamination or to differentiate between specific compounds.

Professional laboratory analysis involves collecting a water sample according to specific protocols and sending it to a certified lab for testing. Labs can test for a much wider range of substances -- including PFAS, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, and specific heavy metals -- with far greater precision. Results are reported in exact concentrations and are accompanied by explanations of what each result means relative to EPA standards. Professional testing is more thorough but typically takes one to two weeks for results and costs more than DIY options.

In-home professional analysis is a third option offered by water quality specialists who visit your home, collect samples from specific taps, and conduct on-site testing for key parameters like hardness, pH, TDS, chlorine, and iron. This approach provides same-day results with the benefit of professional interpretation. The specialist can also evaluate your plumbing and water-using appliances to provide context for the results.

How to Collect a Water Sample Properly

Regardless of which testing method you choose, proper sample collection is important for accurate results. For most tests, you should collect a first-draw sample by turning on the cold water tap first thing in the morning, before any water has been used in the household. This captures water that has been sitting in your pipes overnight and is most representative of what your plumbing contributes to your water quality.

Use clean, dedicated sample containers -- ideally those provided by the testing lab or kit manufacturer. Avoid touching the inside of the container or cap. If you are testing for bacteria, sterilize the faucet opening with a flame or alcohol wipe before collecting. Label each sample with the date, time, and location (for example, "kitchen cold tap, first draw") so you can accurately interpret the results.

Making Sense of Your Results

Once you have your test results, compare each parameter against the relevant EPA standard or guideline. Keep in mind that secondary standards (for things like TDS, pH, and hardness) are non-enforceable recommendations related to taste and aesthetics, while primary standards (for contaminants like lead, arsenic, and bacteria) are legally enforceable limits based on health considerations.

If any results fall outside recommended ranges, do not panic. A single test is a snapshot, and results can vary based on time of day, recent water use, and seasonal factors. Elevated readings warrant follow-up testing to confirm the finding before making decisions about treatment or remediation. Understanding your results in context is more valuable than reacting to a single data point.

Disclaimer: The Water Awareness Foundation is an independent educational organization. We are not affiliated with any government agency, water utility, or regulatory body. The information in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical or legal advice.