Water report analyzer
Your water test, in plain words.
Add a lab test or your city's water report. We check every result against the standard that fits it.
Read on this device. Your file is never uploaded.
How it works
Three steps.
No guesswork.
Add your report
A PDF, a photo of a printed report, a spreadsheet, or the numbers typed in.
Check what we read
Nothing counts until you confirm it.
See it in plain words, and what treats it
Each result against the standard that fits it, health first, with the kind of treatment that handles it.
Photos are illustrative.
What it checks
The right yardstick
for every reading.
Health limits
EPA's drinking water limits for contaminants such as arsenic, nitrate, lead and PFAS.
Taste, smell and staining
EPA's secondary standards for iron, manganese, TDS and more. Guidelines, not health limits.
pH
A range, 6.5 to 8.5. Below it EPA lists corrosion; above it, deposits.
Hardness
The USGS scale, from soft to very hard. Hardness has no health limit.
EPA's maximum levels for common contaminants
Results that often show up on US water reports, with the level EPA sets for each. The analyzer checks your report against these and more.
EPA sets these levels for public water systems, in its National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and its secondary standards. mg/L is the same as ppm, µg/L as ppb and ng/L as ppt.
| Contaminant | EPA level |
|---|---|
| Health limits | |
| Arsenic | 0.010 mg/L |
| Coliform bacteria, including E. coliEPA's health goal. Coliforms show that other harmful bacteria may be present. | Zero |
| CopperAn action level, not a maximum. | 1.3 mg/L |
| FluorideEPA's guideline for tooth discoloration is 2.0 mg/L. | 4.0 mg/L |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5)A byproduct of disinfection. | 0.060 mg/L |
| LeadAn action level, not a maximum. EPA's revised level of 0.010 mg/L starts November 1, 2027. | 0.015 mg/L |
| NitrateMeasured as nitrogen. | 10 mg/L |
| NitriteMeasured as nitrogen. | 1 mg/L |
| PFOA and PFOS (PFAS)EPA has proposed keeping these limits, with an option for water systems to ask for more time. | 4.0 ng/L each |
| Radium 226 and 228, combined | 5 pCi/L |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)A byproduct of disinfection. | 0.080 mg/L |
| Uranium | 30 µg/L |
| Taste and staining guidelines, not health limits | |
| IronRusty color and reddish or orange staining. | 0.3 mg/L |
| ManganeseBlack to brown color and black staining. | 0.05 mg/L |
| Total dissolved solids (TDS)Deposits, staining and a salty taste. | 500 mg/L |
Reports it reads
Bring the report
you already have.
- A lab test for a well or a home.
- Your water company's yearly report. It describes the whole system, not your tap.
- A photo of a printed report.
- A spreadsheet: CSV, TSV, TXT, XLS, XLSX or ODS.
- No file? Type the numbers you know.
Questions
Good to know
before you start.
Is my report uploaded?
No. Your file is read here, in your browser, and the file itself is never uploaded. For photos and spreadsheets, your browser first downloads our reading tools. Like every page on our site, this page may be recorded to help us improve it, and a recording can show the numbers on your screen. Your readings go to a Crystal Quest specialist only if you ask for a check.
Which reports can it read?
Lab tests for a well or a home, and the yearly water quality report from your water company. PDF files, photos of a printed report, and CSV, TSV, TXT, XLS, XLSX and ODS spreadsheets, up to 30 MB. No file? Type the numbers you know.
Is this a lab test?
No. It reads the numbers already on your report and compares each one with a published standard. It cannot test your water. If your report is missing a result that matters, it says so.
Which standards does it use?
EPA's drinking water health limits, EPA's secondary standards for taste, smell and staining, the 6.5 to 8.5 pH range, and the USGS hardness scale. Hardness has no health limit, so it is shown on its own scale.
Does a city water report describe my tap?
No. It describes your water company's whole system. Your home's pipes can change what reaches your faucet, especially lead and copper.
What if my water needs a specialist?
Choose "Have a specialist check it". Your confirmed readings go with your plan to a Crystal Quest water specialist, and you can leave the values out. Or call 1-800-934-0051.
Get your water plan in minutes.
Add your report, check what we read, and see every result in plain words, with what treats it.
