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WATER TESTING
  WATER TESTING ADVICE
    SHOULD YOU TEST YOUR WATER?
    PUBLIC vs PRIVATE WATER
    WHEN TO TEST
    WATER TEST COSTS
    SPECIAL SITUATION TESTS
  ARSENIC in WATER
  BACTERIA TEST GUIDE
  CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS in WATER
CHEATING ON WATER TESTS
  Disappearing Septic Dye
  How much bleach to cheat
  Sources of chlorine in water
  How to avoid test dishonesty
  Re Testing Water
CHOICES of WATER TESTS
CORRECTING BAD WATER
EPA GUIDE to WATER QUALITY
FHA WATER TESTS REQUIRED
LEAD in WATER, ACTION GUIDE
  LEAD POISONING SYMPTOMS
  LEAD TEST VARIATION CAUSES
  ODORS IN WATER
SEWAGE CONTAMINATION
TOTAL COLIFORM TESTING
WATER CONTAMINANT LEVELS
WATER TEST INTERPRETATION
WATER TESTING GUIDE
WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES
WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE
WATER PUMPS & WELLS
WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT
WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT
WATER QUANTITY USAGE GUIDE
WATER SOFTENERS
WELL SHOCKING GUIDE
WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS
WATER PRESSURE LOSS
WATER TANK TYPES
WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCES
WELL TYPES
WELL, PUMP, TANK LIFE

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Photograph of  this open well in a home basement - many concerns

Drinking Water Testing Advice - Cheating on Water Bacteria Tests
InspectAPedia®  -    

  • How much bleach is used to try to cheat or foul up a water potability test?
  • Cheating on Water Tests
  • Cheating on Septic Tests
  • How to Catch Dishonest Water or Septic Testing
  • How to Avoid Water Test & Septic Test Cheating Problems
  • What to Do About Questionable Water Test Results
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/appointment.htm.

This article explains why people might do something that prevents you from obtaining an accurate water test, how to detect this bad behavior, and what to do about it. Cheating on drinking water tests may come as a surprise to most folks - who would do such a thing, and why?

Also see Choices of Water Tests & Fees: A Summary of Types of Water Tests, Degrees of Comprehensive Water Testing, Details of Water Test Parameters. and Water Testing Advice based on information from Cornell University of Maryland with extensive edits, text additions, and additional references.

© 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

How much bleach will be needed to cheat on water and septic testing?

Photograph of faded green septic dye.

How much bleach would you need to obscure a septic loading and dye test? Four grams of 12% bleach will remove the coloration of one gram of septic dye in solution according to Tramfloc Inc.

When performing a septic loading and dye test we use a minimum of one tablespoon of septic dye powder - which is about 2/10 of an ounce by weight to dye a 1000 gallon septic tank during a septic dye test. Since an ounce is about 28 grams by weight, this means we're using about 5 grams of powder.

So if my math is correct, 20 grams of 12% bleach would obscure a septic dye test. The cheapest household bleach is about 5.25% in strength. A gallon, or 128 oz, should be more than enough.

It doesn't take much bleach to lie to the dye.

As we mention in the list above, people might shock a well for a legitimate reason, as one step in determining if the building piping or well casing have become soiled and contaminated or after actually doing work on the well pump or piping in the well itself.

Shocking a well with bleach will have only a temporary effect in reducing the bacteria level in water if there is a persistent source of contamination in the water supply.

We discuss this water problem diagnosis procedure in detail at Interpreting Drinking Water Test Results and Correcting Unsatisfactory Drinking Water and the details of well shocking with bleach are located there.

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CHEATING ON WATER TESTS
  Disappearing Septic Dye
  How much bleach to cheat
  Sources of chlorine in water
  How to avoid test dishonesty
  Re Testing Water

WATER TESTING ADVICE
SHOULD YOU TEST YOUR WATER?
PUBLIC vs PRIVATE WATER
WHEN TO TEST
WATER TEST COSTS
SPECIAL SITUATION TESTS
CHEATING ON WATER TESTS
ARSENIC IN WATER
ODORS IN WATER
TOTAL COLIFORM TESTING

  • Thanks to Craig Young, Environmental Health Officer, Government of Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada, for noting page format snafu 3 Jan 2008

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WATER TESTING ADVICE

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11/03/2009 - 08/11/95 - InspectAPedia.com/water/watercheater2.htm - © 2009 - 1988 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark