Water quality testing is separated into three main groups. It is analyzed according to its chemical content, physical content, and biological content. Good water quality can vary, depending upon the use for the water, so it is important that you determine what measurements apply to your particular water usage.

   - Chemical content - This testing includes checking the levels of nitrates, phosphate, metals, sodium, organic compounds, chloride, and measures the hardness of the water.

   - Physical content - In this group of testing, the water it analyzed according to the color, taste, odor, and turbidity.

   - Biological content - This is the testing that checks for viruses and other microorganisms.

Potable (drinkable) water is free of radioactive matter, any organisms that may cause disease, and any harmful chemicals. It is also pleasing to the eye and free from any offensive odors or tastes. In other uses of water, however, these levels may not be the same because they are not ingested into your body. Pure water does not naturally exist in the environment and that is why it is so important that water quality testing is done to ensure that we have the healthiest water for us and our needs.

If you get your water from a public source, then your local water treatment facility does the water testing for you, especially for the water that you ingest. They test the water to ensure that it meets the safety parameters for the intended use of the water, ensure that the water is completely safe to drink, and determine how effective the water treatment is for the water. You can choose to have your water quality tested yourself if you choose, but you will have to pay for it.

You need to keep in mind that even if your water treatment facility tests the water and it meets their specifications, impurities may be added to the water even after it leaves the water treatment plant or at the water treatment plant itself. The main culprits in this case include lead, chlorine, chloramines.

   - Lead may get into your water by moving through the pipes in your home. Lead can cause severe health problems, including diminished mental capacity in children, which is why you want to test the water in your home to see if you may have a lead problem in your water.

   - Chlorine is a chemical that may be added to the water at the treatment plant to purify the water further. Although this chemical serves a purpose in the water treatment process, it can also cause you to experience health problems, including cancer.

   - Chloramines are sometimes used in water treatment facilities as a substitute for chlorine. This is very dangerous for dialysis patients and can cause other health problems for people, including skin problems and gastrointestinal problems. Chloramines are also more difficult to remove with a filtering system.

You can have your water tested to see if these impurities are found in your water. If they are, then you may want to consider a home water filter system that can remove these things from your water to make it safer for you and your family to drink and use.

Water quality testing is an important issue for you to become more knowledgeable about. By simply learning more about the impurities in the water and the problems that they may cause, you can make a well-informed decision concerning the need for a water filtering system for your home. Knowledge is the key.