City-Test Instructions

Watersafe® City Water Test Kit Instructions. 

Kit can be found here

The Watersafe City Water Test Kit contains everything you need to find out simply and accurately if your water contains unsafe or undesirable levels of 8 common contaminants. Follow the instructions carefully for each test, and compare results to the desired values.

Drinking water which tests outside the desired values may be dangerous to your health.

EPA maximum contaminant levels or guildline standards

Before you begin...

1. Contents: 
- One Bacteria Test Vial 
- One Lead / Pesticide Test Packet 
- One Nitrate / Nitrite Test Packet 
- One pH / Hardness / Chlorine Test Packet

2.Keep tests out of reach of children or pets. Do not ingest anything from this test kit. Do not drink water sample used for testing. 
Store and use at room temperature (60-86 F). 
Do not use on hot water or water containing bleach detergents. Do not re-use any part of the test kit. 
3. Do not open packets or vial until you are ready to perform the tests. 
4. Read and follow all instructions carefully.

Bacteria Test Instructions

1. Take out the Bacteria Test vial and set upright on a flat surface. 
2. Collect water sample or turn on tap to a very slow stream. 
3. Carefully twist off cap and fill vial to 1/2 inch below the top (to 5 ml line). DO NOT OVERFILL and DO NOT SPILL the bacterial growth powder in the vial. 
4. Replace cap and twist on tightly. Shake the vial vigorously for 20 seconds. 
5. Place the capped vial upright in a warm area (70-90 F) where it cannot be disturbed for 48 hrs. 
6. After 48 hrs., observe the color of the liquid without opening the vial: 

Purple Color: Negative Result (No bacteria were detected). 
 
Yellow Color: Positive Result (It is highly likely that potentially harmful bacteria were detected). 
 

7. For positive results, add bleach to the sample before pouring down the toilet, then wash hands carefully. Negative samples may be poured directly into the toilet. Discard vial in the trash.

Lead / Pesticide Test Instructions

The Watersafe Lead Test can detect dissolved lead at levels below the EPA Action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb). The Watersafe Pesticide Testdetects two of the most common pesticides used in the US at or below the EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (atrazine - 3 ppb, and simazine - 4 ppb). 


1. Open Lead / Pesticide packet and take out all contents. The packet contains a test vial, a dropper pipette, two Watersafe test strips, and a desiccant (to be discarded). 

2. Using dropper, place exactly TWO dropper-fuls of water sample into test vial. To pick up the sample, tightly squeeze the bulb at the end of the dropper and place the open end into the water sample. Release the bulb to pick up the sample, then squeeze again to expel the sample into the vial.

3. Swirl vial gently for several seconds. Place on a flat surface.

4. Place both test strips into the test vial, with arrows pointing DOWN.

5. Wait 10 minutes. Do not disturb strips or vial during this time. Blue lines will appear on the strips.

6. Take the strips out of the vial and lay them on a flat surface with the arrows pointing to the LEFT. 
Read Results.

If you only see the LEFT line (next to number 1), the test is negative) 
Negative: The LEFT line (next to number 1) is darker than the RIGHT line (next to number 2) 
 
Positive: The RIGHT line (next to number 2) is darker than the LEFT line (next to number 1), or lines are equally dark (Both LEFT and RIGHT lines are equally dark) 
 

7. Note: If no lines appear, or both lines are very light, the test did not run properly and the result is not valid. 
If a test strip shows a positive result, your water sample may contain lead or pesticides at a toxic level.

Nitrate / Nitrite Test Instructions

1.Carefully open Nitrate / Nitrite Test packet and take out test strip. 
2. Immerse the reagent pads into water sample for 2 seconds, remove, after 1 minute match colors with the chart below. 
3. Colors are stable for 1 minute. 

pH | Hardness | Chlorine Test Instructions

1. Carefully open pH/ Hardness/ Chlorine Test packet and take out strip. 
2. Immerse the reagent pads into water sample and remove immediately. Hold the strip level for 15 seconds. 
3. Match pH, Total Hardness and Total Chlorine pads (in that order) to the color chart.