Free Water Test in Brevard County, FL

A basic in-home test checks hardness, pH, chlorine or chloramine and total dissolved solids. For well homes it also checks iron and the rotten-egg smell. Those numbers tell you whether a softener, a carbon filter, an iron filter or reverse osmosis makes sense, or whether you need nothing at all.

A kitchen test doesn't check bacteria, nitrate, lead, arsenic or PFAS. The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County recommends that private well owners test for coliform bacteria and nitrate every year and for lead every three years. DOH-Brevard's handout puts typical costs at about $20 to $70 if you collect the sample yourself, or about $50 to $100 with professional collection.

The same handout gives advice we agree with: don't buy water treatment equipment unless your test results show a problem.