0.5 Ppm-1 Ppm Nitrite After 50% Water Change

Update 2: The water analysis guy called me back this morning before work, suggested I clean the tap out with bleach and retest, and sent an email to the person that actually can order the tests.

The test guy called me at work and I called back after getting home. He said before doing anything to have the water tested, and that they will come out and test it tomorrow from my buildings outside tap. Failed to mention if it was going to cost me anything, and I didn’t think to ask until after I hung up.

So should I still clean out the tap with bleach? Or wait for water test results?

 

Update 2: The water analysis guy called me back this morning before work, suggested I clean the tap out with bleach and retest, and sent an email to the person that actually can order the tests.

The test guy called me at work and I called back after getting home. He said before doing anything to have the water tested, and that they will come out and test it tomorrow from my buildings outside tap. Failed to mention if it was going to cost me anything, and I didn’t think to ask until after I hung up.

So should I still clean out the tap with bleach? Or wait for water test results?

Wow, good question... I wonder why the test guy says not to do any cleaning if he plans on using a different water tap to do the test...

Maybe you want to go out and test the water at the outside tap yourself to see how it compares to your tap inside? Might be worth it, so that you will know if cleaning your tap would solve anything.

But I guess I would follow the test guy's advice, and do no cleaning until after. He may have a specific reason for asking you not to. For one thing, if it's in the lines of the building, he may not want to risk bleach at the end of the faucet skewing his test results if he has to test at your tap. Maybe that is his line of thinking? I'm not sure, but he must have some reason for saying not to.

Edit:
elwe1996 , also maybe test water from your other taps in your condo... bathroom sink, bathtub, kitchen... whichever ones you didn't collect your first samples from. It would be one way to help rule out that tap being a problem tap, and to see if the problem is throughout the lines in your condo. I think "analysis guy" is thinking you might have an isolated contamination to that tap, but with that level of nitrite occurring, along with the ammonia level and nitrates... I have a hard time believing it would be restricted to that tap.

I don't know for sure, but I would certainly hope that the city will pay for the testing... it is up to them to make sure your water is safe..., or that you will be able to submit it to whoever runs the building, if it is determined that it is a problem within the pipes of the building. I know things don't always work the way I think they should though... but I want to be right this time.

 

I just tested the tap water in both bathrooms, and the tap water outside. They all turned the vibrant shade of purple as the original test source the kitchen. I’m very tempted to start going around and testing all of the complexes outside taps after work, along with asking my neighbors if I can test their tap water for nitrites as well.

 

I just tested the tap water in both bathrooms, and the tap water outside. They all turned the vibrant shade of purple as the original test source the kitchen. I’m very tempted to start going around and testing all of the complexes outside taps after work, along with asking my neighbors if I can test their tap water for nitrites as well.

Sounds like a plan, because this does not sound like it's something that is just affecting you, but likely your entire complex at the very least. But now you know that cleaning your tap wasn't going to solve the issue.

It sounds to me like you are unlikely to have to foot the bill. At least I continue to hope so, and would put up a stink if they asked me to.

It will be nice to get professional test results. You've maybe just tripped onto a problem that the city wasn't aware of yet themselves. I'd like to think they would always be first to catch this sort of thing, but if something is happening in the lines, it may not show up at the water treatment plant and therefore not in any of the tests they are doing. It is very possible that this will lead to some line flushing to kill the nitrifying bacteria. Lets hope it will be as easy as that for them to solve.

 

so After a busy weekend I was finally able to get back in touch with the water test guy. He told me the nitrite was at 0.2 when they tested it, and actually told me there was 0.26 ammonia in the water, which is around what I tested. As for the Nitrate level I can't remember what he said it came to. But he said it was safe to drink and I wasn't charged anything. I would like to believe him that it's safe to drink, but I'm still a bit wary.

 

Ok, so he is saying there is a little over 1ppm ammonia according to the API test kit, and about 0.7ppm of nitrite also using API...so just under 1ppm using API. So...between those lighter two shades of purple. Your boyfriend was thinking it was maybe closer to 2ppm...Our API test kit does have room for error...

If you wanted and if you have an oral syringe, you could use 2.5ml or 1/2 tsp of your bottled water and then the exact same of your tap water...that should take you up to the line on the test tube. Make sure the bottom of the U shape is on the line, when you hold the test tube at eye level. That should effectively cut the water sample in half. Then test that sample. The test result will be half of what you were getting and maybe that lower half of the chart will be easier to compare to.

Test your bottled water first just to verify a 0 reading on it. It definitely should be, but let's make certain.

If the new test result is between .25 and .50 that would confirm his result using your kit. It will also give you a method of monitoring the water from here on out, you would just have to remember to double your reading to get the actual amount.

He will have likely used a special device that will give a digital readout of the contaminant. Their method is pretty accurate. If you wanted, you could get a professional lab to test a water sample that you draw yourself to also confirm the results...you can usually obtain a test container and instructions from them...but that test will cost you a fee.

My biggest concern about these results, isn't even the current test results. It is the fact that nitrification is happening somewhere and there is a supply of ammonia to feed it, so nitrite levels may increase at some point. They might be using enough chlorine/chloramine to keep bacteria levels low enough, and therefore keep nitrites from increasing, but if the above method of testing helps you to test periodically and monitor it for yourself, I think that would be optimal on a comfort level.

So, according to the EPA MCL, your water is safe to drink. But I would want to monitor it.

 

Alright I tested half the tap water with half the bottled water, after making sure the bottled water had 0 nitrite, and it reads 0.50 ppm.

How would I double my reading when testing my tap water monthly?

 

Ok, we'll use this test result as an example, because you will use the same 50/50 blend of water whenever you want to do a tap water test.

The test result of 50/50 was 0.5 so, doubling this result gives 1.0 ppm of nitrites with API
So the conversion is 3.3 So divide 1.0 by 3.3 = 0.303 or just 0.3 The test result you got from your water company was 0.2 so this method is still showing slightly higher, but it at least makes it a little more possible to monitor and watch for an increase.

If 50/50 were to climb to 1ppm, then 1ppm X 2 = 2ppm
So 2 divided by 3.3 = 0.606 or just 0.6 So even then it will be under the EPA limit of 1.

Unfortunately the API test kit goes straight from 1.0 to 2.0 and if it got up to 2.0 in the diluted 50/50 test result, at that point it would be higher than the EPA limit for nitrites. But maybe if it climbs that high you just want to take precautions again, and have the city retest.

The trick here is to remember that when doing a 50/50 to double the result, because you have diluted the test by half...so .5 becomes 1.0 So the 1.0 should be the result you would be seeing if you used all tap water for the test.

I am hoping the city will do some line flushing and be able to resolve this, so that at some point in the not too distant future, you'll receive a 0ppm nitrite test when you test your tap water.

You can also choose not to test and leave it to the city. I certainly don't want you to become too stressed over any of this. The city's job is to make sure your drinking water is safe.

Any thoughts or confusion you want to run past me? I know this stuff can be pretty confusing, and I don't always do the best job of explaining things. So feel free.

 

That made perfect sense thank you.

 

Well, good luck elwe1996. You have been very easy to work with. It has been a pleasure.

 

You too