{"id":23691,"date":"2025-05-06T16:09:32","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T16:09:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=23691"},"modified":"2025-05-06T16:18:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T16:18:32","slug":"new-study-reveals-inconsistent-results-in-at-home-water-testing-kits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/new-study-reveals-inconsistent-results-in-at-home-water-testing-kits\/","title":{"rendered":"New Study Reveals Inconsistent Results in At-Home Water Testing Kits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">A recent UMass Amherst study highlights the inconsistency of at-home water testing kits, emphasizing the need for better regulation and more reliable options for concerned homeowners.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A new study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst is raising questions about the reliability of at-home water testing kits. The research indicates significant variability in the ability of these kits to detect potential contaminants in drinking water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople might be concerned about their drinking water, whether they\u2019ve heard things in the news, or they notice it tastes different, or the color is different,\u201d senior author Emily Kumpel, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UMass Amherst, said in a news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study, <a href=\"https:\/\/iwaponline.com\/jwh\/article\/23\/3\/350\/107444\/Evaluation-of-drinking-water-quality-test-kits-for\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in the Journal of Water and Health, highlights a critical gap in water quality assurance. While public utilities provide water quality reports, these reports often exclude private well owners and fail to address issues originating from home plumbing systems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSome of these issues, like brown water, can come from home plumbing, and that\u2019s something that the utility doesn\u2019t always know,\u201d Kumpel added. \u201cA test to understand more about your home plumbing can be very helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, selecting an effective test kit can be challenging. The study identified hundreds of kits available, with their availability fluctuating daily within this unregulated market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research team focused on eight kits measuring levels of iron, copper, manganese and fluoride, discovering substantial variability in their accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study categorizes the kits into two types: single-parameter tests, which measure one element, and multi-parameter tests, which claim to measure multiple elements simultaneously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Kumpel, single-parameter tests yielded more consistent results compared to their multi-parameter counterparts. For instance, while none of the multiparameter tests could accurately detect low levels of iron, three out of four single-parameter tests did, albeit with some over- and underestimation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The inconsistency in results extends to testing guidelines provided by the kits. Some kits classified certain levels of iron as \u201cOK,\u201d while others considered the same levels \u201chigh,\u201d highlighting a lack of standardized metrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis really points to the fact that this is an unregulated space,\u201d added Kumpel. \u201cThis shouldn\u2019t just be on the homeowner. These tests should be better checked for how well they actually perform, particularly under real-world conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kumpel also recommended strategic timing for sample collection. Testing the first draw from a tap (water that has sat in pipes overnight) can indicate metal contamination from plumbing, while allowing water to run for a few minutes before sampling can better represent water straight from the well or distribution system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s widespread mistrust in tap water across the U.S.,\u201d Kumpel notes. \u201cHaving access to be able to test your own water and confirm that it is okay &#8230; is a really good thing. I think this could be a positive tool if we can get these to work [reliably] and get people to really understand more about their water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For those seeking reliable test results, Kumpel recommends certified labs listed on state departments of environmental protection or public health websites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Homeowners with wells, aging plumbing or recent exposure to natural disasters should consider professional testing, especially in the wake of events like flooding or wildfires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study highlights the need for regulatory oversight in the at-home water testing market to ensure public health and safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:12px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umass.edu\/news\/article\/are-home-water-tests-worth-it-new-umass-amherst-study-shows-quality-can-vary-widely\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">University of Massachusetts Amherst<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst is raising questions about the reliability of at-home water testing kits. The research indicates significant variability in the ability of these kits to detect potential contaminants in drinking water. \u201cPeople might be concerned about their drinking water, whether they\u2019ve heard things in the news, or they [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[250],"class_list":["post-23691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sustainability","tag-umass-amherst"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A new study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst is raising questions about the reliability of at-home water testing kits. The research indicates significant variability in the ability of these kits to detect potential contaminants in drinking water. \u201cPeople might be concerned about their drinking water, whether they\u2019ve heard things in the news, or they&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23691"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23772,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23691\/revisions\/23772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}