Drinking water must be safe and testing confirms safety.
The most important safety concern is keeping water free
from organisms that cause disease. We test for
"indicator organisms" or coliform
bacteria.
The presence of coliform bacteria in drinking water
demonstrates that the water is unsafe to drink because it
is contaminated with human or animal fecal material.
The water bacteriology test for total coliform bacteria is
the most frequently performed test on drinking water. This
test is required by law (Safe
Drinking Water Act) and is routinely performed on all
public drinking water systems. For example, each year in
Texas, there are more than 500,000 coliform tests
performed. Nova is Texas' largest independent drinking
water testing
laboratory.
The second concern for drinking water safety is chemicals
that can have detrimental health effects. Lead, copper,
iron, petroleum hydrocarbons, trihalomethanes (THMs),
herbicides, pesticides, and radon are among the chemicals
that contaminate drinking water.
Finally, after the water is known to be safe, it should be
aesthetically pleasing i.e. clear, odor-free, and pleasant
tasting.
For more information about drinking water standards, potential health effects and possible sources of contamination, visit
www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html#mcls
