Now available: Home Water Test Kits!

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

Nova is an FDA and EPA, GLP Microbiology Laboratory. Nova'sQuality Assurance Plan and processes meet the requirements of our clients withGMP, ISO, and FDA manufacturing conditions. Nova is FDA registered (Registration Number 1641521) and is designated by the FDA as a private laboratory and complies with the FDA's GLP and GMP requirements.  Nova is certified by the U.S. EPA's National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) and TDSHS (TDH) and participates in proficiency testing programs established by MicroCheck.