For the truly curious (or the truly paranoid), you can test for specific villains. Lead test kits are a must for older homes with pipes from the pre-1980s era. These kits are a bit more involved—you usually have to let water sit in the pipes for hours before testing, so plan your “water detective work” around your Netflix binge. Bacterial tests exist too, but they often need to be sent to a lab. Think of those as the “super-sleuth” level.
How to Test Water Quality at Home: Your Complete Guide – World Water
A Quick Note On “TDS” (Total Dissolved Solids)
You can buy a handy little gadget called a TDS meter for about ten bucks. You stick it in water, and it gives you a number. The lower the number, the purer the water. Distilled water is usually below 10. Tap water is often 100-400. Anything over 500 and your water is basically a mineral soup. It’s safe, but it might taste a little heavy.
