Water Quality Testing
The quality of water in the buildings where we work and live is becoming an increasingly important issue. From heavy metals such as lead and copper to bacteria (and bacterium) such as Coliform, E. coli, and Legionella, serious health issues can exist in our homes and workplaces. Testing for water quality can reveal issues that need fixing, or reassure you that your water is healthy for drinking and showering.
Waterborne germs can be found in inadequately treated public and private water systems and can also live and grow in pipes and other parts of a building’s water system that are not maintained properly. By identifying the problem, we can implement solutions to protect the lives of those drinking the water in our buildings.
Cromwell Environmental has over 40 years of experience in testing water quality in the US and Canada. Our professional water quality technicians carefully collect samples before sending them off to our accredited laboratory and then interpret the results, preparing a written report that is clear and easy to understand. If there are any results that are above guideline levels we will clearly outline the next steps you would need to take to ensure your water is safe.
Why You Should Test Your water
In almost all cases you cannot smell or taste even a serious contamination problem in your water supply. Heavy metals like lead, and bacteria like E. coli aren’t recognizable without water quality testing. Testing the water in our buildings is recommended by the CDC and required by the General Services Administration (GSA) for all buildings leased by the government.
Cromwell Environmental has over four decades of experience in water quality testing for homes and commercial buildings, including the water quality testing required by the GSA for leased facilities. Cromwell can help ensure that your home or office water supply is safe and will help you comply with the new 2024 water quality testing requirements from the GSA.
Armed with good data about the water in a building, we can develop a sound water-quality management plan to ensure compliance with the law and, most importantly, protect the health and safety of building occupants.
Contact us for water quality testing.
Legionella testing
The CDC reports that Legionnaires’ Disease and Pontiac fever are on the rise. These serious forms of pneumonia are spread from the bacteria Legionella in our water. Legionella is naturally found in water and can live in air conditioning cooling towers, pipes, drinking fountains, and shower heads.
When we breath in water mists from showers or cooling towers or accidentally get some drinking water into our lungs we can get infected with Legionella bacteria. The CDC notes that infections are most serious in those over 50 years old or with existing health concerns. An alarming 1 out of 10 infected persons dies from Legionella, making Legionella testing an important safety step.
If excess Legionella is found in water there are ways to reduce it to safe levels through proper maintenance of water systems. But testing is required to detect the presence of Legionella in the first place.
Contact us for Legionella testing.
Test for E. coli in water
Problems with a building’s water system can result in contamination with E. coli and other related coliform bacteria. E. coli is commonly found in the intestines but can cause real problems when consumed by children, those 65 or over, and those with compromised immune systems.
An E. coli infection starts when someone drinks water contaminated with the bacteria. Infection can lead to severe diarrhea, sepsis, kidney failure, and even death. Testing for E. coli in water is simple and easy to do, and can cave lives and prevent illness.
Contact us for E. coli water testing.
Testing for lead and copper in drinking water
Lead, copper, and other metals typically enter our water through pipes, faucets, and fixtures containing those metals or when lead solder was used to connect pipes and fixtures. The source of the contamination can be local to the building or may be in the city water service. As the pipes corrode they leach the lead and other metals into our drinking water. A test for lead in your water can reveal if levels are high enough to worry about.
According to the EPA, there is no safe level of lead, and drinking water with lead in it can lead to serious problems. Higher levels of lead, copper, and other metals are most likely to be seen in homes and commercial buildings built before 1986. But there is no date of construction that eliminates the risk of high lead in drinking water as the source of the lead or other metals in drinking water can be from the city water supply.
Health risks associated with lead and other metals in drinking water are most pronounced in children and pregnant women as the metals can affect brain development, but even adults ingesting these metals can see serious problems including issues with reproductive organs, the cardiovascular system and the liver and kidney.
Testing your water for lead and copper can identify a serious problem before it causes you any harm. Once you know your water has tested positive for lead, you can take remedial actions to fix the problem.