Linnaeus Water Testing
Water

"There is an increasing awareness of the need in New Zealand to clean up our waterways."

DRINKING WATER

Water that is supplied for drinking purposes by businesses (for example motels, food outlets and water tankers) and Schools or Marae should be compliant with the Ministry of Health 'Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand 2005 (Revised 2008)'.

Testing must be carried out by a laboratory that is listed on the Register of Recognised Laboratories by the Ministry of Health. Private homes can have their tank or bore supplies tested to give ‘peace-of-mind’ about their drinking water supply.

Refer to the Ministry of Health website for more information on household water supplies.

ENQUIRE ABOUT TESTING

STANDARD TESTS
Alkalinity

Measure the capacity of water to neutralize acids, indicating the health and balance of the water supply.

Arsenic

Detect and quantify arsenic levels in drinking water to ensure it is safe for consumption and meets health standards.

Boron

Test for boron to evaluate its concentration in drinking water, which is crucial for both health and environmental assessments.

Calcium

Determine the calcium content in water, essential for assessing water hardness and its suitability for daily use.

Chloride

Measure chloride levels to assess the salinity of drinking water, which can influence taste and corrosion in pipes.

Copper

Test for copper to ensure drinking water is free from excessive levels, which can affect health and water quality.

Conductivity

Evaluate the electrical conductivity of water, which reflects the water's total ionic content and quality.

E. COLI

Test for E.coli to ensure the safety of marine, river, and ground waters. Linnaeus Laboratory is IANZ accredited for this test, offering reliable detection and results.

FLUORIDE

Fluoride may occur naturally in water or it may be added in controlled amounts.  Some fluorosis may occur when the fluoride level exceeds the recommended limit.  Accurate determination of fluoride has increased in importance with the growth of the practice of fluoridation of municipal water supplies, so maintenance of an optimal concentration is essential in maintaining effectiveness and safety of the fluoridation procedure.  Levels in fluoridated public drinking water should be in the range of 0.7-1.0g/m3.  Results are reported in g/m3, using APHA Method 4500-F- C.

iStock 163034774 resized for web

FREE AVAILABLE CHLORINE (FAC) & TOTAL CHLORINE (TC)

Chlorine is used to provide disinfection of the pool water, FAC levels should be maintained at 1.0-3.ppm or parts per million (also reported as g/m3 or grams per cubic metre). Too little chlorine leads to bacterial growth and waterborne illness. Too much affects eyes, nose and skin and is unhealthy long-term. Chlorine that has been ‘used up’ disinfecting pools will form Combined Chlorine. 

Chlorine can be present in water as free available and as combined chlorine (where free chlorine reacts with ammonia to form chloramines).  Both forms can exist in the same water.  FAC can be determined alone or both can be determined together as total chlorine. Testing for Total Chlorine will give the level of FAC and Combined Chlorine together, and subtracting the FAC from this gives the Combined Chlorine reading. Results are reported in g/m3.  Samples requiring chlorine testing must be in a container filled to the top and brought in to the laboratory as soon as possible to minimise chlorine loss.

APHA Method 4500-Cl G (adapted)

Swimming Pool Resized For Web2

FAECAL COLIFORMS

Faecal coliforms are a sub group within Total Coliforms and are present in the gut and faeces of warm-blooded animals. If present in food they can cause severe stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

This test is performed by APHA Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods 5th Edition 9.81 & 9.91. 

The results are available in 72 hours using a 3-replicate, 3 dilution multiple tube procedure.  This is reported as MPN/g (Most Probable Number).

This test identifies faecal coliforms in various water bodies to assess contamination levels. Linnaeus Laboratory is IANZ accredited for this test, ensuring precise and accurate outcomes.

Heterotrophic Plate Count

Evaluate the microbial content of drinking water accurately with our testing. Linnaeus Laboratory is IANZ accredited for this test, ensuring detailed and reliable analysis.

Iron

Determine iron concentrations to prevent staining, taste issues, and plumbing damage in water systems.

Lead

Test for lead to ensure drinking water safety.

Magnesium

Measure magnesium levels to assess water hardness and its impact on appliances and taste.

Manganese

Detect manganese levels to maintain aesthetic quality and prevent potential health issues.

Nitrate

Measure Nitrate concentrations to ensure water safety, particularly in agricultural areas susceptible to runoff.

Pesticides

Test for traces of pesticides to confirm the safety and purity of drinking water.

PH DETERMINATION

Measurement of the pH determination is one of the most important and frequently used tests in water chemistry.  Practically every phase of water supply and wastewater treatment are pH dependent.  At a given temperature the intensity of the acidic or basic character of a solution is indicated by hydrogen ion activity and referred to as pH. On a scale of 1 – 14, pH 1 is considered strongly acidic and pH14 highly alkaline (or ‘base’).  pH 7 is described as neutral.

APHA method 4500-H+ B

Potassium

Evaluate potassium levels in water, important for both human health and agricultural applications.

Sodium

Test for sodium to manage its concentration in drinking water, crucial for taste and health, especially in areas with soft water.

Sulphate

Measure sulphate levels to assess the water quality and potential for scale formation or corrosion.

TOTAL COLIFORMS

Evaluate total coliform presence in marine, river, and ground water to maintain water quality. Linnaeus Laboratory is IANZ accredited for this test, providing dependable and detailed analysis.

TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS (TDS)

Total dissolved solids (TDS) are the total amount of mobile charged ions, including minerals, salts or metals dissolved in a given volume of water.  TDS is directly related to the purity of water and the quality of water purification systems.  The Ministry of Health Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand 2005 (Revised 2008) set a guideline maximum of 1000 g/m3, but taste may become unacceptable at over 600 g/m3.  Results are reported in g/m3.

APHA method 2540 C (modified)

TURBIDITY

Turbidity is a test of the intensity of scattered light in a sample and indicates the clarity of the water. If the sample contains debris and rapidly settling coarse sediment, the suspended solids test may be more appropriate. Results are reported in NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit), using APHA method 3130 B and EPA 180.1.

Zinc

Test zinc levels to ensure water quality and to prevent issues related to metal corrosion in plumbing.

STANDARD TESTS
Alkalinity

Measure the capacity of water to neutralize acids, indicating the health and balance of the water supply.

Arsenic

Detect and quantify arsenic levels in drinking water to ensure it is safe for consumption and meets health standards.

Boron

Test for boron to evaluate its concentration in drinking water, which is crucial for both health and environmental assessments.

Calcium

Determine the calcium content in water, essential for assessing water hardness and its suitability for daily use.

Chloride

Measure chloride levels to assess the salinity of drinking water, which can influence taste and corrosion in pipes.

Copper

Test for copper to ensure drinking water is free from excessive levels, which can affect health and water quality.

Conductivity

Evaluate the electrical conductivity of water, which reflects the water's total ionic content and quality.

E. COLI

Test for E.coli to ensure the safety of marine, river, and ground waters. Linnaeus Laboratory is IANZ accredited for this test, offering reliable detection and results.

FLUORIDE

Fluoride may occur naturally in water or it may be added in controlled amounts.  Some fluorosis may occur when the fluoride level exceeds the recommended limit.  Accurate determination of fluoride has increased in importance with the growth of the practice of fluoridation of municipal water supplies, so maintenance of an optimal concentration is essential in maintaining effectiveness and safety of the fluoridation procedure.  Levels in fluoridated public drinking water should be in the range of 0.7-1.0g/m3.  Results are reported in g/m3, using APHA Method 4500-F- C.

iStock 163034774 resized for web

FREE AVAILABLE CHLORINE (FAC) & TOTAL CHLORINE (TC)

Chlorine is used to provide disinfection of the pool water, FAC levels should be maintained at 1.0-3.ppm or parts per million (also reported as g/m3 or grams per cubic metre). Too little chlorine leads to bacterial growth and waterborne illness. Too much affects eyes, nose and skin and is unhealthy long-term. Chlorine that has been ‘used up’ disinfecting pools will form Combined Chlorine. 

Chlorine can be present in water as free available and as combined chlorine (where free chlorine reacts with ammonia to form chloramines).  Both forms can exist in the same water.  FAC can be determined alone or both can be determined together as total chlorine. Testing for Total Chlorine will give the level of FAC and Combined Chlorine together, and subtracting the FAC from this gives the Combined Chlorine reading. Results are reported in g/m3.  Samples requiring chlorine testing must be in a container filled to the top and brought in to the laboratory as soon as possible to minimise chlorine loss.

APHA Method 4500-Cl G (adapted)

Swimming Pool Resized For Web2

FAECAL COLIFORMS

Faecal coliforms are a sub group within Total Coliforms and are present in the gut and faeces of warm-blooded animals. If present in food they can cause severe stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

This test is performed by APHA Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods 5th Edition 9.81 & 9.91. 

The results are available in 72 hours using a 3-replicate, 3 dilution multiple tube procedure.  This is reported as MPN/g (Most Probable Number).

This test identifies faecal coliforms in various water bodies to assess contamination levels. Linnaeus Laboratory is IANZ accredited for this test, ensuring precise and accurate outcomes.

Heterotrophic Plate Count

Evaluate the microbial content of drinking water accurately with our testing. Linnaeus Laboratory is IANZ accredited for this test, ensuring detailed and reliable analysis.

Iron

Determine iron concentrations to prevent staining, taste issues, and plumbing damage in water systems.

Lead

Test for lead to ensure drinking water safety.

Magnesium

Measure magnesium levels to assess water hardness and its impact on appliances and taste.

Manganese

Detect manganese levels to maintain aesthetic quality and prevent potential health issues.

Nitrate

Measure Nitrate concentrations to ensure water safety, particularly in agricultural areas susceptible to runoff.

Pesticides

Test for traces of pesticides to confirm the safety and purity of drinking water.

PH DETERMINATION

Measurement of the pH determination is one of the most important and frequently used tests in water chemistry.  Practically every phase of water supply and wastewater treatment are pH dependent.  At a given temperature the intensity of the acidic or basic character of a solution is indicated by hydrogen ion activity and referred to as pH. On a scale of 1 – 14, pH 1 is considered strongly acidic and pH14 highly alkaline (or ‘base’).  pH 7 is described as neutral.

APHA method 4500-H+ B

Potassium

Evaluate potassium levels in water, important for both human health and agricultural applications.

Sodium

Test for sodium to manage its concentration in drinking water, crucial for taste and health, especially in areas with soft water.

Sulphate

Measure sulphate levels to assess the water quality and potential for scale formation or corrosion.

TOTAL COLIFORMS

Evaluate total coliform presence in marine, river, and ground water to maintain water quality. Linnaeus Laboratory is IANZ accredited for this test, providing dependable and detailed analysis.

TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS (TDS)

Total dissolved solids (TDS) are the total amount of mobile charged ions, including minerals, salts or metals dissolved in a given volume of water.  TDS is directly related to the purity of water and the quality of water purification systems.  The Ministry of Health Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand 2005 (Revised 2008) set a guideline maximum of 1000 g/m3, but taste may become unacceptable at over 600 g/m3.  Results are reported in g/m3.

APHA method 2540 C (modified)

TURBIDITY

Turbidity is a test of the intensity of scattered light in a sample and indicates the clarity of the water. If the sample contains debris and rapidly settling coarse sediment, the suspended solids test may be more appropriate. Results are reported in NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit), using APHA method 3130 B and EPA 180.1.

Zinc

Test zinc levels to ensure water quality and to prevent issues related to metal corrosion in plumbing.