Essential City Water Test
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The recommended home water quality test to provide a baseline analysis of common concerns facing anyone who lives or works in a home or building connected to a public water utility.
- Certified lab testing
- Fast turnaround at lab (5 business days)
- Free shipping, both ways
- Unbiased treatment advice
About the Essential City Water Test:
This is the right test for you if:
- Served by a water utility with known contamination issues.
- Live in a home built before 1986 or an area served by old infrastructure.
- Have young children or other vulnerable individuals in your home.
- Mainly concerned about metals and other inorganics.
1. Sample
You'll get everything you need to collect your drinking water sample, including easy-to-follow instructions.
2. Ship
Shipping is free, so getting your sample to the lab won't cost you a thing.
3. Test
We route your sample to an independent, certified lab in our network that's best equipped to analyze your water.
4. Report
Once the lab analysis is complete you'll get an interactive digital report that explains your results and what to do next.
Sampling Instructions
Sampling Materials
Shipping to Lab IncludedThe Essential City Water Test kit includes analysis for 49 analytes:
Properties: 4
Alkalinity (as CaCO3) / Hardness / Total Dissolved Solids / pH
Inorganics: 6
Boron / Chloride / Fluoride / Nitrate (as N) / Phosphorus / Sulfate
Metals: 25
Aluminum / Antimony / Arsenic / Barium / Beryllium / Cadmium / Chromium (Total) / Cobalt / Copper / Iron / Lead / Lithium / Manganese / Mercury / Molybdenum / Nickel / Selenium / Silver / Strontium / Thallium / Tin / Titanium / Uranium / Vanadium / Zinc
Minerals: 4
Calcium / Magnesium / Potassium / Sodium
Calculated Parameter: 8
Bicarbonate / Carbonate / Chloride-to-Sulfate Mass Ratio / Expanded Hardness / Grains per gallon / Hardness (Calculated) / Langelier Saturation Index / Sodium Adsorption Ratio
Self Tests: 2
Free Chlorine / Total Chlorine
Choose your preferred shipping method at checkout:
1. Standard (Both Ways)
- Orders shipped to you via FedEx.
- Typically shipped within 12-36 hours of placing your order.
- Arrives within 2-3 business days of shipment.
- Includes 2-day shipping to the lab via FedEx.
2. Standard to You | Overnight To Lab
- Orders shipped to you via FedEx.
- Typically shipped within 12-36 hours of placing your order.
- Arrives within 2-3 business days of shipment.
- Includes overnight shipping to the lab via FedEx.
3. Overnight (Both Ways)
- Orders shipped to you via overnight FedEx.
- Typically shipped same day as order placed.
- Arrives within 1 business day of shipment.
- Includes overnight shipping to the lab via FedEx.
4. Urgent Orders
- Questions about shipping? Contact our support team.
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"Once you get your results back use the chat feature to connect with someone who will be able to help you interpret the results, a great help!"
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"This lab is incredible at receiving samples and getting results in a timely manner. But where they truly shine is going above and beyond to discuss results with clients and help bring clarity to what those results mean."
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"The service was fast, the instructions were very clear, and the test results arrived quickly with an impressive amount of detail."
| Recommended | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Which core kit is right for me? |  Essential City Water Test
|  Advanced City Water Test
|  Extended City Water Test
|
| Number of Analytes | 49 | 111 | 120 |
| Free Shipping | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Business Days at Lab | 5 | 5 | 12 |
| General Properties | 12 | 14 | 14 |
| Coliform & Microbiology | — | — | — |
| Inorganics & Fertilizers | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Metals & Minerals | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| VOCs & SVOCs | — | 50 | 57 |
| Petroleum Compounds | — | 7 | 7 |
| Pesticides | — | 2 | 2 |
| Radiologicals | — | — | 2 |
| PFAS | — | — | — |
| Other | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| $189.00 | $299.00 | $815.00 |
Independent, Accurate & Actionable Lab Reports.
After our labs evaluate your water, we generate your Tap Score™ using an algorithm that removes subjectivity and supports unbiased solutions.
- Contaminant Breakdown
- Health Risks & Considerations
- Impact on Home & Plumbing
- Treatment Recommendations
Certified, Regional Lab Testing.
With over 250 world-class testing facilities in our network, we can test your water with greater specialization, faster speeds and higher standards.
Customer service meets science.
Our Support Team includes water quality engineers, scientists, and toxicology experts who help make sense of your results.
- Insight into health, aesthetic & plumbing risks
- Recommendations based on your data
- Available by live chat, phone, or email
Go ahead. Ask us anything
We know this stuff feels complicated, but we are dedicated to keeping it simple. Answers to all your questions are always a chat or FAQ away.
Which test is right for me?
When in doubt, start with a Core Kit to analyze multiple contaminants with a single test. If you have more specific motivations for testing, try our Customize My Kit feature to match your needs to the right test(s).
What's the turnaround time?
Most people receive results within 3-5 business days after the lab receives their sample. However, some tests may require additional analytical time so be sure to check each kit’s product page for the most accurate estimate.
What will my report include?
Your report will rank your water against local and federal safety benchmarks, provide a thorough breakdown of any contaminants detected and how they may be affecting your health or plumbing, and provide non-biased treatment recommendations.
Are Tap Score labs certified?
Every lab facility in our network is certified with accreditations ranging from ISO to NELAC/ELAP, Direct State, DoD, DoE, DoH and beyond. Need a specific certification? Let us know so that we can meet your needs accordingly.