- 53
- Lab markers
- 10
- Days until results
Drinking Water Test: Level 1 + Bacteria
Water lab test kit
Price
$185
The broad first look at your drinking water: the metals and minerals it carries, the shape of the water itself, and whether bacteria are getting in.
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Free 2-day shipping
What’s included
- All sampling materials
- Easy-to-follow instructions
- Full contaminant details for your address
- Prepaid 2-day return shipping
- Accredited lab network
- Regulatory analytical methods
- Per-location results
- Scored against EPA + CDC standards
- HSA/FSA eligible via TrueMed
It’s worth testing for if…
- You have never tested, and want one test that covers the common ground
- You are on a private well and have no utility report to read
- You have just moved in and do not know the plumbing
What is in your water?
53 measurements
Three different kinds of thing arrive in one panel. The metals are mostly geology and plumbing: arsenic and uranium come out of the rock an aquifer runs through, while lead and copper dissolve out of your own pipes, solder and brass fittings on the way to the tap. The inorganics are what people put on the land — nitrate from fertiliser and septic systems, fluoride added or naturally present. The bacteria are not measured for themselves but as an indicator: coliforms mean surface water is finding a way in, and whatever else is out there can follow the same path.
How to Test
Fill the bottles from the tap you drink from, first thing in the morning before anyone has run the water. That first draw is the water that has been sitting in your own pipes overnight, which is where lead and copper show up.
Supports concern around
The brain and nervous system, short-term toxic effects at high doses, fertility and reproduction, cancer, allergies and skin irritation.
30 of the 53 substances this kit measures have a hazard classification on file. The other 23 do not yet — which means nothing has been established about them either way.
Every measurement, explained
At Nestwell, we provide science backed ranges for all the exposures in your home, allowing for personalized suggestions of in home remediation.
53 measures across 5 groups, 40 of them written up by our advisors. Open a group to read what it covers.
Also measured
- Irondetects to 0.0466 ppm
- Titaniumdetects to 0.0011 ppm
- Tindetects to 0.007 ppm
“Detects to” is the method detection limit — the lowest concentration this kit's method can distinguish from zero. The lab may substitute an equivalent or updated method, in which case its limit may differ from the one shown.
What these substances are linked to
Health effects that researchers have associated with the substances on this panel, from the EPA's CompTox database. This describes the substances themselves — not your home. Whether any of them are present, and at what level, is what the test is for.
- The brain and nervous system22 of the 30 classified substances on this panel — including Arsenic, Cadmium and Copper
- Short-term toxic effects at high doses14 of the 30 classified substances on this panel — including Arsenic, Cadmium and Copper
- Fertility and reproduction12 of the 30 classified substances on this panel — including Arsenic, Cadmium and Lead
- Cancer9 of the 30 classified substances on this panel — including Arsenic, Cadmium and Lead
- Allergies and skin irritation8 of the 30 classified substances on this panel — including Chloride, Copper and Mercury
30 of the 53 substances this kit measures have a hazard classification on file. The other 23 do not yet — which means nothing has been established about them either way. A classification means a substance has been associated with an effect in published research — usually at doses well above what a home test would find. It is not a diagnosis, and it is not a prediction.
Designed To Understand Your Whole House
A single kit answers one question properly rather than several vaguely. Whichever you start with, it is the same lab, the same methods, and the same reporting — so results from one kit sit beside results from the next, in one place, on the same scale.
Accredited labs, regulatory methods
Every sample is analyzed by an accredited environmental lab with the same methods regulatory testing uses.
Numbers with regulatory context
Results come back as a measured value next to the standard it is judged against, not just a "detected".
One box, no home visit
Everything arrives at once and we tell you both where and how to sample, no outside home inspection needed.
How Nestwell Testing Works
How Collection Works
Collect
Fill the bottles from the tap you drink from, first thing in the morning before anyone has run the water. That first draw is the water that has been sitting in your own pipes overnight, which is where lead and copper show up.
Mail
Everything goes back in the same box with the prepaid return label. No appointment, nobody in your house, and easy to send back when convenient for you.
Read
Results land in your Nestwell dashboard in about 10 days, each scored against the standard that applies to it.
Why Nestwell?
| Capability | Nestwell | Hardware Store Strips | In Person Inspector |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samples from across your home | Yes | One sample, one place | Yes |
| Real exposure concentrations | Yes | Paper colour key | Sometimes |
| Accredited lab, regulatory methods | Yes | No | Sometimes |
| Nobody has to come into your home | Yes | Yes | No |
| Results tracked over time in one place | Yes | No | One time result |
A number is only useful next to its limit.
At Nestwell, we provide science backed ranges for all the exposures in your home, allowing for personalized suggestions of in home remediation.
Accredited labs only
Samples are analysed by accredited environmental laboratories using the analytical methods used for regulatory compliance work: the same reading a professional consultant would order.
Each result has a standard
A number on its own is not an answer. The EPA action level for lead in water is 15 ppb; the CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Each finding is shown against the limit that applies to it.
Where there is no limit, we say so
The EPA sets no numeric limit for mold, and moisture control is the real remedy. Mold results are reported as what is growing and at what relative level, never as just a pass or a fail.
Built with leading medical experts
Dr. Malathi Srinivasan
Clinical Professor of Medicine, Primary Care and Population Health
Stanford University
“Our physical & home environment is a direct determinant of our health, and is immunoregulatory. In a year, we breathe about 6 million times, drink 250 gallons of liquid, and eat almost 2 tons of food, with hundreds of compounds interacting on our skin and immune systems. Small environmental changes make a big difference, especially in early childhood development and for vulnerable adults.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? Find answers to common customer concerns below.
What does the Drinking Water Test: Level 1 + Bacteria actually measure?
The panel runs 53 measures, covering Metals, Water properties, Inorganic compounds and Minerals. Every one is listed on this page with its detection limit, so you can check for a specific substance before you buy.
How do I take the sample?
Fill the bottles from the tap you drink from, first thing in the morning before anyone has run the water. That first draw is the water that has been sitting in your own pipes overnight, which is where lead and copper show up. It takes about 5 minutes, and everything you need comes in the box.
How long until I get results?
The kit reaches you in about 3 days. Once the lab receives your sample, results appear in your Nestwell account in about 10 days. Return shipping is prepaid and included.
Who analyses the sample?
An accredited environmental laboratory, using published analytical methods — the same methods and the same labs used for regulatory and commercial testing. Nestwell does not run the analysis itself.
Why do some substances on the panel have explanations and others do not?
Our advisors have written up 40 of the 53 measures on this panel so far. The rest are still measured, reported and held to the same detection limits — they are listed under "Also measured" until the write-up exists. We would rather show you the gap than fill it with something we have not checked.
What happens if something comes back high?
Your results are shown against the relevant reference values rather than as a bare number, so you can see which measures stand out and by how much. The lab reports what it measured; it does not diagnose, and a lab result is not medical advice.
Can I pay with an HSA or FSA?
Most Nestwell kits are HSA/FSA eligible through Truemed. Eligibility is shown on the kit page at checkout, and where it applies you can pay with pre-tax dollars.
