What the free in-home screening is for
Jorge comes to your home, tests your water, explains the results in plain words and recommends only what fits. There is no obligation. The screening helps answer practical questions: Is the water hard? How much disinfectant taste is there? Is a softener, a filter, RO or a combination right for this home? It is the basis for an itemized quote.
It is not a certified laboratory analysis and is not a verdict on whether water is safe.
Side by side
| In-home screening | Certified-lab analysis | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to you | Free with Living Waters | Paid; ask the lab or health department |
| Where | At your tap, during the visit | Sample collected and sent to a lab |
| Results | Same visit | After lab processing |
| Typical use | Choosing and sizing treatment equipment | Confirming specific contaminants such as bacteria, nitrate or lead |
| Formal report | Explained in person | Written lab report |
When you need a certified lab
- Private wells: the Florida Department of Health recommends testing well water for bacteria and nitrate at least once per year, and testing for coliform bacteria, nitrate and lead when buying a home with a well.
- Lead questions: lead needs a lab test.
- A specific contaminant concern you want measured precisely.
- Real estate, insurance or lender requirements.
Where Florida residents get lab testing
According to the Florida Department of Health, your county health department can give you instructions to collect samples yourself and have them tested, and staff can collect samples for an additional fee. Private state-certified laboratories also perform testing, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection maintains a searchable database of certified laboratories. Contact the health department in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach County for current options.
How to read results either way
Numbers alone do not tell you what to do. A useful result explains what each parameter means, how your water compares with the standard or the typical range for your utility, and which treatment options, if any, address it. Jorge explains the in-home results in plain words. For a lab report, ask the lab or your county health department to walk you through it, and bring it to the visit so the recommendation reflects both.
City water: start with your utility's report
If you are on city water, your utility tests it regularly and publishes an annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report). Read it alongside the in-home screening. Many city homes need no lab test at all to choose a filter, softener or RO system. Learn more in what happens during a home water assessment.
Updated 2026-10-17 · Living Waters · Jorge Canela, Water Quality Specialist