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[ta5]

Can someone recommend a way to test the mineral content of my home tap water? I'm especially interested in the copper content.

 

Is there a good testing kit or service I should use?

 

Thanks.

[Dorian Grey]

If you're on municipal water, this is usually analysed routinely, with results available on request.  If you're on a well, you might ask a local municipality who they use to do their testing. 

 

If you're worried about copper plumbing in your home, look to situations where water stands in pipes before being used.  Ice makers & water dispensers in refrigerators with copper supply lines are often a problem.  The water may stand in the copper pipe for a considerable length of time before being tapped and it's difficult to flush the line to get fresh water.  The result can mean very high levels of copper in ice or dispensed-on-demand water.  

 

With a normal tap, simply running the water briefly should flush the high copper out within a few seconds.  Water flowing from the main won't absorb much copper while actively in transit. 

 

I imagine high copper water might tend to leave greenish/blue stains in toilets much like iron leaves rust, but I really don't know.