Water testing in San Diego can mean three different things, and the right one depends on the question you are asking. Is my water hard? What does the city say about its water? Is there something specific in the water at my tap, or in my well? Each has its own test.
Start with your provider’s report
If you are on City of San Diego water, the city has already published its own account of its water. Its annual Drinking Water Quality Report, also called the Consumer Confidence Report, is issued by July 1 for the previous year. Outside the city, in Chula Vista, La Mesa, El Cajon or Poway, check your bill for your provider and read its report. It costs nothing and it is the right first step before paying for any test.
A hardness test at your tap
If you are thinking about a softener, the number you need is hardness in grains per gallon. The city says its water typically averages about 16 grains per gallon and ranges from 16 to 18 depending on demand and the area of the city. That range is why a test at your own tap is worth having before a softener is sized: the size is figured from your hardness times your daily water use.
A water treatment pro can test hardness at your home. Ask for the result in grains per gallon, written down, and keep it: it is the first line of any softener quote, and it lets you compare two quotes on the same footing. See water softener installation for how the number is used.
A laboratory test for something specific
If your question is about a particular contaminant, a home strip is not the tool. EPA’s advice for private wells is to use only laboratories certified to do drinking water testing, and that is good practice for any specific contaminant question. Decide first what you want to know: good advice on home treatment starts with the same question, what contaminant you want to remove or reduce.
- Lead: a test of water from your own tap, since a provider’s report describes the water it delivers, not your home’s plumbing
- Staining: EPA’s secondary standards link reddish or orange stains to iron (0.3 mg/L) and black stains to manganese (0.05 mg/L)
- Salty taste: chloride (250 mg/L) and total dissolved solids (500 mg/L) are on EPA’s secondary list
- PFAS: read your provider’s report first; EPA has set limits for PFOA and PFOS
If you are on a well
A private well has no provider report. EPA says private well owners are responsible for delivering safe drinking water to their households, and recommends testing every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. Test right away if there are known problems in the area, if conditions near the well change (flooding, land disturbance, new construction or industry), or if any part of the well is replaced or repaired. EPA notes the local health department may provide private well testing for free. More in the article on well water treatment in San Diego.
Reading the result
| Result | What it points to |
|---|---|
| Hardness over 180 mg/L (about 10.5 gpg) | Very hard on the USGS scale: a water softener installation question |
| Chlorine taste or odor | A filter certified to NSF/ANSI 42 |
| Lead found | A filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead, or RO under NSF/ANSI 58 |
| Iron or manganese over EPA’s guideline | A filter matched to it; see water treatment |
| Bacteria in a well | Ask a well professional; follow the lab’s and health department’s advice |
Once you know what is in the water, the choice of equipment is much simpler. See water filtration for drinking water and the whole house water filter page for every tap.
Be clear about what a test is for
A hardness test at your tap is a sizing tool for a softener. A lab test answers a specific question about a contaminant. Neither is a reason to buy equipment the result does not call for. Ask anyone testing your water what they tested for, the unit of each result, and which piece of equipment each result points to, in writing.
Questions people ask
Where can I get my water tested in San Diego?
For hardness, a water treatment pro can test at your tap. For a specific contaminant, use a laboratory certified for drinking water testing. Start with your provider’s annual report.
How often should a well be tested?
EPA recommends every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH, and right away after repairs or changes near the well.
Do I need a test before buying a softener?
It helps. City water ranges from 16 to 18 grains per gallon by area, and a softener is sized from your own figure.
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