Drinking Water Testing in California
Clean drinking water is essential for every home and business. Whether your water comes from a municipal water system or a private well, laboratory testing can provide valuable information about the quality of your drinking water and identify contaminants that cannot be detected by appearance, taste, or odor alone.
5 Microns provides mail-in drinking water testing throughout California, allowing homeowners, home buyers, landlords, businesses, and property managers to collect water samples using laboratory-approved bottles and submit them for professional laboratory analysis.
Whether you are purchasing a home, monitoring your drinking water, or investigating a specific water quality concern, we offer convenient laboratory testing for a wide range of common drinking water contaminants.
Why Test Your Drinking Water?
Many contaminants cannot be detected simply by looking at the water or tasting it.
Professional laboratory testing may be appropriate when:
- Purchasing a home
- Selling a home
- Moving into a newly constructed home
- Using a private well
- Experiencing unusual taste or odor
- Seeing staining on plumbing fixtures
- Observing cloudy or discolored water
- Investigating plumbing corrosion
- Monitoring household water quality
- Testing after plumbing repairs
- Performing routine water quality monitoring
Laboratory testing provides analytical results based on the submitted water sample.
What Can Drinking Water Be Tested For?
Depending on your testing needs, laboratory analysis may include:
- Lead
- Copper
- Iron
- Manganese
- Total Coliform
- E. coli
- Nitrate
- Nitrite
- Hardness
- Legionella
Individual analyses and comprehensive laboratory testing packages are available.
Common Drinking Water Concerns
California homeowners frequently request testing because of:
- Metallic taste
- Chlorine taste
- Sulfur or rotten egg odor
- Cloudy water
- Rust-colored water
- Blue-green staining
- Black staining
- White mineral deposits
- Scale buildup
- Plumbing corrosion
- Water quality concerns after purchasing a home
Laboratory testing helps determine whether specific contaminants are present in the submitted sample.
Municipal Drinking Water Testing
Even when connected to a public water system, homeowners sometimes choose independent laboratory testing for additional information about their drinking water.
Municipal water testing may be requested for:
- Home purchases
- Water quality concerns
- Plumbing investigations
- Routine monitoring
- Peace of mind
Laboratory testing evaluates only the submitted sample collected from the customer’s property.
Private Well Drinking Water Testing
Private well owners are responsible for monitoring the quality of their own drinking water.
Common well water testing includes:
- Total Coliform
- E. coli
- Nitrate
- Nitrite
- Lead
- Copper
- Iron
- Manganese
Routine laboratory testing can help well owners better understand their water quality over time.
For additional information, visit:
Well Water Testing California
Mail-In Drinking Water Testing
Our mail-in testing process allows customers throughout California to obtain professional laboratory analysis without scheduling an on-site appointment.
The process generally includes:
- Order your testing kit.
- Receive laboratory-approved sample bottles.
- Collect the water samples following the provided instructions.
- Complete the Chain of Custody documentation.
- Ship the samples to the designated laboratory.
- Receive your laboratory report electronically.
For additional information, visit:
Residential Drinking Water Testing
Residential laboratory testing is available for:
- Single-family homes
- Condominiums
- Townhomes
- Apartments
- Vacation homes
- Rental properties
Testing may be performed on both municipal and private well water.
Commercial Drinking Water Testing
Commercial drinking water testing is available for:
- Office buildings
- Restaurants
- Retail centers
- Medical offices
- Apartment buildings
- Hotels
- Schools
- Government facilities
- Commercial buildings
Laboratory testing programs can be customized according to the property’s needs.
Professional Laboratory Analysis
Professional laboratory testing offers several advantages:
- Certified laboratory analysis
- Accurate analytical methods
- Electronic laboratory reports
- Convenient mail-in sampling
- Individual contaminant testing
- Comprehensive testing packages
Laboratory testing provides substantially more detailed information than most consumer home test kits.
Sample Collection
Proper sample collection is important for accurate laboratory analysis.
Customers should:
- Carefully follow all instructions provided with the testing kit.
- Use only the supplied laboratory bottles.
- Avoid contaminating bottles or bottle caps.
- Complete the Chain of Custody documentation.
- Label each sample correctly.
- Ship samples promptly according to the instructions.
Certain analyses have specific holding times, making timely shipment important.
Laboratory Reports
Following laboratory analysis, customers receive an electronic report.
Depending on the testing package selected, reports may include:
- Sample identification
- Analytical results
- Units of measurement
- Reporting limits
- Laboratory methods used
Laboratory reports apply only to the submitted water sample.
Frequently Requested Drinking Water Tests
Customers throughout California commonly request:
- Lead testing
- Copper testing
- Iron testing
- Manganese testing
- Total Coliform testing
- E. coli testing
- Nitrate testing
- Nitrite testing
- Hardness testing
- Legionella testing
Comprehensive testing packages are also available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I collect my own water sample?
Yes. Detailed collection instructions are included with every mail-in testing kit.
Do you provide laboratory bottles?
Yes. Appropriate laboratory-approved bottles are included with the testing kit.
Can municipal drinking water be tested?
Yes.
Can private well water be tested?
Yes.
How are laboratory results delivered?
Reports are generally delivered electronically after laboratory analysis is complete.
Is mail-in testing available throughout California?
Yes. Our mail-in drinking water testing program is available statewide.
Can I order testing for only one contaminant?
Yes. Individual contaminant testing is available for many common analytes.
Areas We Serve Throughout California
We provide drinking water testing throughout California, including:
- Los Angeles
- San Diego
- San Jose
- San Francisco
- Sacramento
- Fresno
- Long Beach
- Oakland
- Bakersfield
- Anaheim
- Riverside
- Irvine
- Santa Ana
- Stockton
- Chula Vista
- Fremont
- Modesto
- Oxnard
- Huntington Beach
- Glendale
Our mail-in drinking water testing program is available throughout the State of California.
Order Drinking Water Testing in California
Whether you need routine drinking water testing, testing for a specific contaminant, or laboratory analysis for a private well, 5 Microns provides convenient statewide mail-in drinking water testing throughout California.
Contact us to discuss available testing packages, laboratory turnaround times, sample collection procedures, and current pricing.
