It is the ability of water to neutralize acid. Drinking water should have a pH of 7 meaning that it's neutral. The Alkalinity of the water can maintain a neutral Ph even in the event of pollution. Alkalinity is usually only a problem at very high levels and is only a problem in heated water, for example your hot water tank or your radiators. Highly alkaline water can cause corrosion of hot water pipes, tanks and fittings. The recommended level of Alkalinity in drinking water is 20-200 mg/L.

Your result: Your water’s Alkalinity level is below the Advisory recommended value so you should not be experiencing any problems.

Ammonia is toxic to some fish and other aquatic organisms at concentrations below 1 mg/l (ppm) in water. Long-term ingestion of water containing more than 1 mg/l (ppm) ammonia may be damaging to internal organ systems. Solutions having concentrations greater than 1000 mg/l (ppm) can cause severe burns and scarring of sensitive skin and mucous membranes.

Organic matter present in water provides nutrients for bacteria growth. This causes a depletion of dissolved oxygen in the water. The BOD is the amount of oxygen used by microorganisms to break down organic matter. Oxygen demand affects fish and other flora and fauna. Sources of high BOD are domestic, industrial and agricultural waste discharge, decaying plants and animal wastes.

Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is a measure of the ability of water to use oxygen when organic matter breaks down. It is an important factor in water quality as it indicates how wastewater will impact the environment. At high levels COD can affect human health as well as the environment. For all other water types the COD limit is compared to an individual company or persons discharge license or waste permit.

Conductivity is the ability of water to conduct electricity. Conductivity can increase when water is released over soils high in salts or minerals. It's measurement can indicate impact a water system may have on the environemnt. High conductivity can affect a persons blood and water ballance and affect blood pressure. The drinking water limit for conductivty is 2,500 μS/cm.

Dissolved solids are the minerals, salts, metals, cations or anions dissolved in water. Total dissolved solids (TDS) are inorganic salts such as calcium and magnesium. A low TDS may result when treating water for hardness. This can cause the water to lose it's mineral content which is not ideal. Low TDS can make water taste bad and prevent a person from drinking it thereby preventing someone from getting a daily dose of natural essential minerals. A TDS of less than 500 mg/l is advisable.

Your result: Your water’s Dissolved Solids level is below the Advisory recommended value so you should not be experiencing any problems.

This test measures the acidity of your water. Acidity has no direct health effects as such, but acid water generally contains high levels of metals leached from underground deposits. In addition, if your piping is copper your water will have elevated copper levels, leading to indirect health effects, as well as potential problems with corrosion of copper hot water tanks and piping. A very low pH can also have an aggravating effect on some peoples skin.

An elevated total suspended solids (TSS) or total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration is not a health hazard. The TDS concentration is a secondary drinking water standard and therefore is regulated because it is more of an aesthetic rather than a health hazard. High total dissolved solids may effect the aesthetic quality of water, interfere with washing clothes and corroding plumbing fixtures.

This test measures the clearness of your water. Turbidity is a very good indicator of water quality, as it is caused by a variety of factors such as clay particles, silt, sand, sewage solids, bacteria, and organic or biological sludge. The exact health effects of high turbidity depend on the particular material(s) causing it.