Water Testing Services

Quinn Home Inspections and Environmental Testing / D. Quinn Construction, Inc

Protecting your family’s health starts with knowing what’s in your water.

Private wells are not regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act. That means the responsibility for testing and ensuring safe drinking water rests entirely with the well owner. Contaminants can enter a well from surface runoff, failing septic systems, agricultural fertilizers, livestock waste, nearby industry, or naturally occurring minerals in Montana’s geology.

Quinn Home Inspections and Environmental Testing can collect water samples during your home inspection and send them to a certified laboratory. Results help you make informed decisions about treatment, repairs, or further investigation.

Call (406) 755-5322 to schedule testing or request current pricing.

Why Water Testing Matters

EPA and CDC guidelines recommend that private well owners test at least once every year for:

  • Total coliform bacteria
  • Nitrates
  • pH
  • Total dissolved solids (TDS)

Test more frequently if:

  • You notice changes in taste, odor, or appearance
  • There has been flooding or heavy rain
  • The well or plumbing has been repaired
  • Infants, pregnant individuals, or people with weakened immune systems live in the home
  • You live near agriculture, livestock, or older septic systems

Key Contaminants We Test For

Total Coliform Bacteria & E. coli
Coliform bacteria are common in the environment (soil, plants, and the intestines of warm-blooded animals). Their presence in well water is an indicator that a pathway exists for surface contamination or sewage to reach the water supply. Most coliforms themselves are not harmful, but they signal that disease-causing organisms (bacteria, viruses, or parasites) could also be present.

  • E. coli (a type of fecal coliform) is a stronger indicator of recent fecal contamination from humans or animals.
  • Any detection of total coliform or E. coli means the water should not be consumed untreated until the source is identified and corrected.

Nitrates, Nitrites & Nitrogen
Nitrate is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. The EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) is 10 mg/L as nitrogen (NO₃-N).

High levels can cause methemoglobinemia (“blue baby syndrome”) in infants under six months, reducing the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. Pregnant individuals and some adults with certain health conditions are also at elevated risk. Emerging research has linked long-term exposure (even below the MCL) to possible associations with thyroid issues, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and certain cancers.

Common sources in Northwest Montana and rural areas include:

  • Agricultural fertilizers and manure
  • Failing or poorly maintained septic systems
  • Livestock operations
  • Lawn fertilizers and stormwater runoff

Other Important Parameters

  • Arsenic – Naturally occurring in some Montana aquifers; linked to long-term health risks.
  • Lead & Copper – Usually from household plumbing (especially older homes) rather than the well itself.
  • pH, Hardness, Conductivity, Sulfate, Chloride, Fluoride, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium – Affect taste, scaling, corrosion of pipes, and the effectiveness of water treatment systems.

Our Water Testing Packages

All samples are analyzed by certified laboratories. Some results are available in about a week; more comprehensive panels can take up to two weeks. Call for current pricing.

1. Basic / “Bare Minimum” Bacteriological Test

  • Total Coliform Bacteria & E. coli
    Ideal for a quick check of sanitary quality. Results typically available in about one week.

2. FHA / VA Loan Package
Required or recommended by many lenders:

  • Lead
  • Conductivity
  • Total Nitrates / Nitrites
  • Total Coliform Bacteria & E. coli

3. EPA-Suggested Panel for Private Wells (“A Bit More Than Bare Minimum”)

  • Arsenic
  • Conductivity
  • Fluoride
  • Total Nitrates
  • Total Coliform Bacteria
  • pH

4. Suggested Analysis for Domestic Drinking Water
A solid mid-level panel that includes:

  • Total Coliform Bacteria
  • Total Nitrate / Nitrites
  • Magnesium
  • Chloride
  • Conductivity
  • Sulfate
  • Fluoride
  • Calcium
  • Hardness
  • Arsenic
  • pH

5. Comprehensive Domestic Drinking Water Analysis
Our most complete package for a thorough baseline:

  • Arsenic
  • Iron
  • Calcium
  • Lead
  • Chloride
  • Magnesium
  • Conductivity
  • Nitrate
  • Copper
  • Total Nitrates / Nitrites
  • Fluoride
  • Total Coliform Bacteria
  • Hardness
  • Sulfate
  • pH

Additional tests available upon request (call for pricing and turnaround times).

What Happens After Testing?

  • We collect the samples properly and deliver them to a certified lab.
  • You receive a clear laboratory report.
  • If any results exceed recommended levels, we can refer to a certified company for the next steps (shock chlorination for bacteria, treatment systems for nitrates or metals, well inspection, etc.).
  • We do not perform water treatment or remediation ourselves, so our testing remains independent and unbiased.

Helpful Resources

  • EPA Private Wells information: epa.gov/privatewells
  • CDC Guidelines for Testing Well Water
  • Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services – Water Laboratory Certification Program

Ready to test your water?
Contact Quinn Home Inspections today.

Phone: (406) 755-5322

Serving the Flathead Valley and all of Northwest Montana — Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Bigfork, Lakeside, Polson, and surrounding areas.

Protect your family. Know what’s in your water.