Why do I need to get my water tested?
- If you get your water from your own private well or small group scheme, it is your own responsibility to ensure that it is safe to drink. No one else will alert you to the fact that it could be contaminated with chemicals. Nor will you get a boil notice from Irish Water if bugs have entered you water supply, as a result of run off from animal slurry, septic tanks or other sources.
- The EPA recommends that you get your private well or small private group scheme drinking water tested in an INAB accredited laboratory once every year for microbial contamination and once every three years for chemical contamination.
- If your private well or group scheme supplies more than 50 people or a commercial business (such as a creche, hotel, restaurant or care home) you are LEGALLY REQUIRED to have you water supply tested twice a year for microbial contamination.
Are there microbes (bugs) in my water?
- Our microbial water analysis test package will tell if you water is contaminated by microorganisms (bugs), which can cause frequent stomach upsets, especially to children, the elderly, those with a weakened immune system or visitors to your home, who may not be used to drinking the water.
- The EPA estimates that between 15% and 30% of household wells are contaminated with a bacterium (bug) known as Escherichia coli (usually shortened to E. coli).
- This bug can enter your well or private water supply as a result of cattle grazing nearby, run-off from slurry being spread on nearby land or runoff from a nearby septic tank that has been badly sited or is in some way defective.
How do I treat problems with my water supply?
T.E. Laboratories (TelLab) specialises in water analysis/testing services. To ensure our independence and credibility, we don’t sell treatment technologies. However, we have put together a guide outlining some the treatments available if your test reveals that you water quality falls short of Irish drinking water standards.
Are there chemicals in my water?
- Our chemicals test package will provide you with information such as whether part of your plumbing system may still contain lead (only a risk in pre-1970s properties) or whether your drinking water may contain elevated levels of nitrite/nitrate, which can be harmful especially to bottle-fed infants
- It will explain why you might be having issues such as staining of sanitary ware. Blue/green is usually attributable to copper, while red/brown staining normally occurs as a result of elevated iron or manganese levels.
- It will put a value or the hardness or otherwise of your water – or, at the other end of the scale, its acidity – and potential to corrode your pipes and hot water tank.
Is there a grant to pay for any necessary work?
If your water analysis test indicates that the quality of drinking water from your well or small private group doesn’t meet Irish Drinking Water Standards, you may be eligible for a grant from your local authority to carry out improvement works to your water supply system – provided you meet certain eligibility criteria.
How Do I Get My Water Tested?
- Simply call us on 059 91 52881, email us at info@tellab.ie, fill out the online contact form, or drop by our offices for your FREE Sample Bottle test kit (with instructions and a form to be completed before submitting your samples)
- When you are ready, fill the bottles, complete the form and return to TelLab within six hours
- Pay onsite via credit card, cheque or cash
- Sample results will be issued within 12 working days. Reports are issued in electronic and hard copy format. (Where results are required urgently, we can provide faster turnaround times, subject to a surcharge.)
Cost
Microbiological Testing €45.00
Chemical Testing €150.00
Chemical & Microbiological Testing €180
T.E. Laboratories (TelLab) is an independent laboratory. We are ISO 9001 certified for water analysis and our water testing laboratory is accredited by the Irish National Accreditation Board. View accreditation here.
