safe home B08952Y15N City Water Test Kit User Guide

User Guide and Instructions for Testing

Great job taking the first step toward securing control of your household’s drinking water quality. An investment in do-it-yourself testing is an investment in the well-being of your family and the maintenance of your home.
The results of this Safe Home® City Water Test Kit will empower you to make informed decisions concerning your water. You will be using the best mechanisms available in water testing, with the technologies behind them having been selected and proven by our expert scientists, who have over 150 years of combined experience in water testing.
Thank you for choosing Safe Home®. Let’s get started.

Usage Advisories

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IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
Handling- Do not ingest or misuse any items in this kit. If improper contact occurs with any testing mechanism and causes you to feel unwell, consult a physician. Open all foil pouches slowly and carefully at the tear notch in order to prevent tearing the test strips inside them. Pick up the test strips only by the handle and avoid touching the reactive surface of the test pads.
Storage- When not in use, keep the contents of the test kit tightly closed in the packaging and in a dry place, away from direct sunlight and excessive heat. Store at a temperature between 59° F and 77° F (15° C to 25° C). Do not open foil pouches until ready to use.
Testing- Read each parameter’s testing directions completely and carefully before starting a test. This product is intended to test potable water sources only (water used for drinking, cooking, or bathing). Conduct the tests one at a time, opening a single pouch and removing the test strip only for the test you are about to conduct. When you have completed a test and have recorded your results, discard spent testing materials into a standard waste container.
Caution- Test kit is not intended for use by children without direct adult supervision.
Attention- This test kit is for screening purposes only. Test results do not guarantee the level of safety for the water being tested. Environmental Laboratories, Inc., its subsidiaries, and its associates, disclaim any liability resulting from the use of this product, failure to follow instructions, or reliance on test results.

INCONCLUSIVE RESULTS
At times, due to limitations such as background interferences that are out of both your and our control, results may show bias or be inconclusive. Unfortunately, all do-it-yourself testing is limited by certain latent physical and/or chemical properties potentially existing in your water supply that can either cause unclear test results or invalidate them. If a test strip turns a color that is not available on the color chart or does not develop a color at all, background interference from your water supply is the most probable reason as to why this happened.
Conducting extra do-it-yourself tests in an effort to rectify inconclusive results is not recommended. The same background interferences most likely will still exist in your water supply, and will likely again render the results inconclusive.
We understand that receiving an inconclusive test result may be unexpected and disappointing. We care about providing you with useful test results. If you desire additional testing that guarantees exact concentrations of each parameter, please consider having your water tested at our EPA-certified laboratory. Safe Home offers numerous In-Lab test kits that provide quality controls against background interferences. You may go to our website, SafeHomeTestKits.com to order one of these kits (available to customers in the USA only). For additional guidance, please contact us directly at 1-888-932-6699. Our friendly associates are ready to help.

Getting Started

Test Kit Contents

A 7 small foil pouches containing test strips for 11 total parameters:

1. 4 in 1
• pH
• Total Alkalinity
• Total Chlorine
• Total Hardness
2. 2 in 1
• Nitrate
• Nitrite
3. Sulfate
4. Free Chlorine
5. Copper
6. Iron
7. Zinc

| B 1 large foil pouch containing materials for Lead test:
• Lead test strip
• Small sample vial
• Dropper pipette
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Supplies Required from Your Home

• Flat surface area Prepare a clean, dry surface on which to work.
• Clean cup Unless stated otherwise, select a clean cup for testing that holds 8.5 fl oz (250 ml) of water. Rinse your cup each time after conducting a single test and refill with fresh water before beginning the next test.
• Drinking water supply When testing water from a faucet, draw from the cold water tap.
• Writing utensil Have a pen or pencil ready to record each test result.

Overview of Testing Procedures

Dip-and-Read Tests
The parameters in this test kit use a simple dip-and-read test strip method. The surfaces at the ends of the test strips (opposite the handle end) are treated with safe chemical solutions (reagents) that develop color after coming into contact with water. The final color result on your test strip will reveal either: 1) an approximate concentration level of a parameter in your water sample, or 2) positive or negative detection of contamination above EPA standards of a parameter in your water sample. Each parameter requires slightly different dip times, wait times, and handling actions, so please be careful to follow the exact directions for the specific parameter being tested.

Testing Directions

Before You Begin

• Understand handling/procedures described on pages 1–2 of this instructions booklet.
• Start with a freshwater sample for each test.
• Set up a timer if you are unsure about counting time in your head.
• If you are colorblind, it is best to have a person with full chromatic vision perform the color matching step of each test. If no one is available,take a well-lit picture of your color result with a digital camera, then use a visual aid tool to assist with color matching.
• PLEASE KEEP IN MIND: If a test result does not closely match one of the available results for a parameter (such as a matching color on a test strip), your test was most likely affected by background interferences in your water supply and your test result is inconclusive. Inconclusive results, while not a regular occurrence, can happen. Please read more about inconclusive results on page 1 of this instructions booklet.

Key

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
An MCL represents a standard set by the USEPA for drinking water quality. An MCL is the legal threshold limit on the amount of a given substance (parameter) that is allowed in public water systems under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). These same standards may also be self-applied by homeowners who utilize untreated water supplies (such as well water).

Optimal Range
Although these parameters do not have a specific MCL, they do have a range that is considered optimal by the USEPA. Levels outside of the noted optimal ranges can pose potential risks to humans, pets, and household appliances. These are applicable to both treated and untreated water supplies.

Visual References
Fig. 1
To fold an aperture test strip, crease strip at midpoint, then fold handle back and tuck under window.

4 in 1 (pH, Total Alkalinity, Total Chlorine, Total Hardness)

| 1. Open the 4 in 1 pouch and carefully take out the test strip. Dip the test strip into your water sample with a gentle back-and-forth motion for 5 seconds.
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| 2. Remove the test strip from the water and shake it once, briskly to remove excess water, then wait 10 seconds for the colors to fully develop on the test pads.
| 3. Within 20 seconds, match the colors of the test pads with the closest matching color for each respective parameter on the chart below and record the values.

2 in 1 (Nitrate, Nitrite

| 1. Open the 2 in 1 pouch and carefully take out the test strip. Dip the test strip into your water sample (without agitation) for 2 seconds.
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| 2. Remove the test strip from the water (do not shake), then wait 60 seconds for the colors to fully develop on the test pads.
| 3. Within 20 seconds, match the colors of the test pads with the closest matching color for each respective parameter on the chart below and record the values.

Copper

| 1. Open the Copper pouch and carefully take out the test strip. Dip the test strip into your water sample with a gentle back-and-forth motion for 15 seconds.
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| 2. Remove the test strip from the water and shake it once, briskly to remove excess water, then wait 30 seconds— while waiting, fold the handle of the test strip behind the window to create an opaque viewing background.
| 3. Within 15 seconds, match the color of the film in the window with the closest matching color on the chart below and record the value.

Iron

| 1. Open the Iron pouch and carefully take out the test strip. Dip the test strip into your water sample with a
gentle back-and-forth motion for 1 second.
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| 2. Remove the test strip from the water and shake it once, briskly to remove excess water, then wait 30 seconds—
while waiting, fold the handle of the test strip behind the window to create an opaque viewing background.
| 3. Within 15 seconds, match the color of the film in the window with the closest matching color on the chart
below and record the value.

Zinc

| 1. Open the Zinc pouch and carefully take out the test strip. Dip the test strip into your water sample with a gentle back-and-forth motion for 3 seconds.
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| 2. Remove the test strip from the water and shake it once, briskly to remove excess water, then wait 20 seconds for the color to fully develop on the test pad.
| 3. Within 10 seconds, match the color of the test pad with the closest matching color on the chart below and record the value.

Sulfate

| 1. Open the Sulfate pouch and carefully take out the test strip. Dip the test strip into your water sample with a gentle back-and-forth motion for 10 seconds.
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| 2. Remove the test strip from the water and shake it once, briskly to remove excess water, then wait 20 seconds for
the color to fully develop on the test pad.
| 3. Within 20 seconds, match the color of the test pad with the closest matching color on the chart below and record the value.

Free Chlorine

| 1. Open the Free Chlorine pouch and carefully take out the test strip. Dip the test strip into your water sample with a gentle back-and-forth motion for 20 seconds.
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| 2. Remove the test strip from the water and shake it once, briskly to remove excess water, then wait 20 seconds for
the color to fully develop on the test pad.
| 3. Within 10 seconds, match the color of the test pad with the closest matching color on the chart below and record
the value.

Lead

1. Open the large foil pouch containing the Lead test and remove all contents. Place the small vial in upright position in front of you on a flat, stable surface. From a fresh sample of water, use the pipette to draw water up to the full volume1 of the pipette. Dispense the entire contents of the pipette into the vial. Only 1 (one) pipette- full of water is required to execute the test.
   Do not add any more water to the vial.

2. Lift the vial and gently swirl it for several seconds to mix the reagent at the bottom of the vial into solution with the water. Place the vial back on the flat surface, away from any activity that could cause it to fall over. Pick up the test strip by the yellow end and insert it into the vial with the arrow pointing downward. Allow the vial to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.

3. After the 10 minutes have elapsed, promptly remove the test strip from the vial and lay it on a flat surface with the arrow pointing to the left. Blue lines that indicate your test results will have now appeared on the test strip.4 Using the table at right as a guide, read and record your result within 1 minute.
   

4. It is acceptable for the volume of water required in a “full pipette” to slightly vary.

5. The volume of water dispensed will only fill about 10% of the vial.

6. Leaving the test strip in the water for longer than 10 minutes may render inconclusive test results.

7. If no lines appear on the test strip, or both lines are too faint to be differentiated, please read the section in this instructions booklet titled “Inconclusive Results.”

Understanding Your Results
If your Lead test was conducted successfully (without background interferences), your test result will be one of two approximate Lead values shown in the table: 1) at or below EPA Action Level of 0.015 ppm, or 2) above EPA Action Level of 0.015 ppm. Test result values are measured as concentrations in water: parts per million (ppm) or milligrams of Lead per 1 liter of water (mg/L).
No level of Lead in drinking water is considered safe to drink, but since its presence is difficult to control due to the pervasiveness of corrosive service lines and plumbing materials in older homes, the EPA has established the aforementioned “action level” for Lead (0.015 ppm)—a level beyond which water systems are required to take corrective action with monitoring and treatment techniques to minimize Lead levels and reduce human/pet risk of exposure to Lead. Additional guidance on Lead contamination is provided by the EPA at: www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
If background interferences have caused your DIY test to be inconclusive, or if you wish to gain confirmation of Lead being present or absent in your water supply, go to our website, SafeHomeTestKits.com, where you may purchase* a Safe Home® In-Lab Lead in Drinking Water Test Kit that issues testing at our EPA-certified laboratory. Our lab has quality controls against background interferences. All fees are covered in the purchase price of the kit, including free return shipping of your water sample to our lab.

*Available to customers living in the USA only.

Want to learn more about each parameter tested in this kitt?

Please go to Safe Home’s online “Learning Center,” where you’ll find information about more than 200 different parameters in drinking water. There, we explain where contaminants come from, how they find their way into water supplies, and some of the possible risks to your family and your home. We also recommend several water treatment professionals who offer solutions to water contamination challenges. EnviroTestKits.com/contaminants

QUESTIONS?
For questions about the test process, your test results, or if you’d like to have additional testing performed at our EPA-certified laboratory, please
call us toll-free at 1-888-932-6699 or visit our website at SafeHomeTestKits.com.
©2020 EnviroTestKits, LLC. All rights reserved.
Safe Home is a registered trademark of EnviroTestKits, LLC, a division of Environmental Laboratories, Inc. P.O. Box 968, Madison, IN 47250

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