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We know that man-made chemicals, the majority of which
were introduced into society after World War II, have
been poisoning our surface drinking water supplies for
years. Over the decades they have filtered down and contaminated
our vital underground drinking sources as well.
Some experts believe the toxins in our drinking water
are the number one health threat causing cancer, heart
disease and lead poisoning. Such chronic illnesses are
brought on by the body's absorption. Water contaminants
not only affect our health, but they can also corrode
fixtures, stain and deteriorate clothing and household
surfaces, alter the taste of food and drinking water,
and slowly turn hair orange.
Chlorine
Chlorinating water is necessary for disinfecting; however,
over-chlorination produces by-products known as trihalomethanes.
One trihalomethane, chloroform, is a known carcinogen.
Nitrate/Nitrite
Nitrate/Nitrite is a chemical that seeps our drinking
water from fertilizer, sewage, feed lots and other geological
elements. Nitrate over 10 ppm reduces the amount of oxygen
available to the fetus in pregnant women causing "Blue
Baby Syndrome" (methemoglobulinemia). It is also considered
an immediate threat to children 6 months to 1 year old,
and is a major health threat to adults.
Iron
Iron is a mineral found in the ground that leaches into
drinking water. Although a certain amount of iron is essential
to good health, iron levels above .3 ppm cause water to
taste bitter, stain and discolor our laundry, fixtures
and hair. It is listed under the secondary standards for
water.
Water Hardness
Water hardness is a measure of calcium and magnesium in
water, neither of which are potential health risks in
and of themselves. But hard water above 125 ppm tends
to form scales inside pipes that, over time, can actually
help to form a barrier from a dangerous lead contaminating
drinking water from surrounding lead pipes. However, too
much hard water buildup can clog pipes and heaters making
cleaning operations much more difficult.
Low water hardness of less than 54 ppm can be corrosive
to plumbing and should only be considered a problem if
you have lead soldered pipes.
Water Acidity (pH)
Measurements below 7 indicate that the water is corrosive
to plumbing, resulting in lead leaching into your tap
water.
A desirable reading is between 7 and 7.5.
With PRO-LAB's kit you can easily test for all of these
water quality problems. All five tests should take less
than 5 minutes and will provide accurate and reliable
results.
The PRO-LAB Professional Water Quality Test Kit contains
eight (8) individually foil wrapped, laboratory grade
test strips (patented), allowing you to perform a total
of sixteen (16) water tests, (2 or each test) in order
to determine the quality of your water. There are also
directions on this page, to check for two (2) additional
contaminates, iron bacteria and hydrogen sulfide. Each
test has its own directions. For accurate results, you
must follow the directions exactly.
pH is a measure of the acidic or basic character of water.
Results below 7 indicate acidity and one above 7 indicates
alkalinity. Water with low pH can be corrosive to plumbing
fixtures, hot water systems, and leave red stains on galvanized
pipe, blue-green stains on copper, and may also release
harmful amounts of lead into your water from solder joints
and pipes.
Total Alkalinity is the ability of water to resist change
in pH. A low total alkalinity may cause your water to
appear cloudy and contribute to scaling. When the total
alkalinity is too high the pH tends to be high as well.
Total Chlorine consists of both free chlorine and combined
(already reacted) chlorine. Free chlorine affects the
taste and odor of you water and may irritate your skin
and eyes. Chlorine is used to disinfect water in both
private and Public Water Systems. However, during the
disinfection process, excessive amounts of chlorine may
react with decaying organic matter to form trihalomethanes,
which can cause cancer.
Total Hardness is a measure of calcium and magnesium in
your water. Hard water over 125 parts per million tends
to form scales inside pipes creating a barrier between
lead solder and the water itself thereby helping to prevent
lead from entering into you drinking water. Low hardness,
(soft water), less than 54 parts per million, can be corrosive
to your plumbing.
Copper
Copper, is a metal which is commonly found in drinking
water. Small amounts are generally not a problem. However,
copper levels above 1ppm can cause jaundice, pancreatitis,
poisoning of the red blood cells, gastrointestinal problems
and anemia. The presence of copper also affects water's
taste and may stain your porcelain toilets and sinks.
Nitrate/Nitrite
Nitrate/Nitrite is a chemical which has seeps our drinking
water from fertilizer, sewage, feed lots and other geological
elements. Nitrate over 10 ppm reduces the amount of oxygen
available to the fetus in pregnant woman causing “Blue
Baby syndrome” (methemoglobulinemia) It is also considered
an immediate threat to children 6 months to 1 year old
and is considered a major health threat.
Iron
Iron is a mineral found in the ground which leaches into
drinking water. Although a certain amount of iron is essential
to good health, iron levels above .3 ppm cause water to
taste bitter, stain and discolor our laundry, fixtures
and hair.
Water Hardness
Water Hardness is a measure of calcium and magnesium in
water, neither of which are potential health risks in
and of themselves. However, hard water above 125 ppm tends
to form scales inside pipes which, can actually help to
form a barrier from dangerous lead contaminated drinking
water from surrounding lead pipes. However, too much hard
water buildup can clog pipes and heaters and make cleaning
operations much more difficult. Low water hardness of
less than 54 ppm can be corrosive to plumbing and should
only be considered a major health problem if you have
lead or lead-soldered pipes. Although water is monitored
and regulated for lead contamination at the source of
all our public water supplies, in most cases it does not
become lead contaminated until after it leaves the supply
source. That is why it becomes important for individuals
to test their water directly from their pipes. To identify
lead contaminates from lead pipes or lead solder, use
Lead Surface Test Kit by PRO-LAB.
Water Acidity (pH)
The pH balance of water is the measure of acidity/basic.
Measurements below 7 indicate the water is corrosive to
plumbing resulting in lead leaching into your drinking
water. Lead poisoning is a known cause of learning disabilities,
brain damage, central nervous system damage and even death
in children as well as high blood pressure, heart attacks
and strokes in adults.The Professional Lead in Water Test
Kit by PRO-LAB utilizes EPA testing methods to detect
the precise amount of lead in drinking water and is available
in most major retailers.
How Do I Know
If My Water Is Contaminated?
With the use of a water quality test kit such as the Professional
Water Quality Test Kit manufactured by PRO-LAB, the homeowner
can quickly and easily test for Chlorine, Water hardness,
Nitrate/Nitrite, Iron, pH, copper, and alkalinity of your
water. All tests should take less than 5 minutes and provide
quick reliable results.
Water Quality Tester Kit by PRO–LAB™
The Professional Water Quality Test Kit is an inexpensive,
easy-to-use and reliable means to check water quality
at home with instant results. The Professional Water Quality
Test Kit accurately monitors municipal and well water
as well as the efficiency of home water filtration devices
and is recommended for use every 3 months. The product
features laboratory grade test strips which will measure
for potentially major water problems such as chlorine,
iron, pH, copper, alkalinity, nitrate/(nitrite) and water
hardness. By placing the test strips under cold water
according to the directions, and comparing the results
against the color charts provided, home-owners can have
accurate test results indicating “danger”, “caution”
or “safe” levels in as little as 1 minute. |
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2002-2005 PRO-LAB, Inc. All rights reserved.
