Complete Farm, Bore & Irrigation Testing
Mail-order bore water testing for residential garden bores and rural irrigation. NATA-accredited laboratory analysis delivered to your door — no site visit, no consultant required.
The same laboratories used by water utilities, irrigation consultants, and agricultural testing services across Australia.
Common Irrigation Water Problems
Iron leaves rust-coloured deposits and manganese causes darker black-brown staining on any surface contacted by irrigation spray or runoff — pavers, fencing, shed roofing, and stock troughs. Even a single cycle per day builds up staining within weeks. Among the most common bore water complaints from residential and rural properties across WA, SA, and coastal QLD.
Elevated electrical conductivity is one of the most common reasons bore-irrigated lawns, pasture, and crops fail to thrive. Shallow aquifers across coastal WA, SA, and Queensland frequently deliver saline water that stresses grass varieties, reduces pasture yield, and damages salt-sensitive crops and garden plants over time. The cumulative salt load across irrigated areas compounds with every season.
High hardness and bicarbonate combine to deposit mineral scale inside drip emitters, soaker fittings, and irrigation infrastructure. Bicarbonate is the primary driver of carbonate precipitation; hardness accelerates it. Emitters block progressively, creating dry patches and uneven coverage — and increasing maintenance costs on larger rural irrigation systems.
Rural bore water is used for irrigation, livestock drinking, and general farm use — often without any baseline analysis. Elevated salinity, sodium, and SAR affect soil structure under sustained irrigation. High EC and chloride can reduce stock water palatability and intake. Knowing what's in the water is the first step to managing it — whether that's adjusting irrigation scheduling, blending water sources, or planning treatment.
Most irrigation water problems aren't obvious until the damage is done. Staining, plant stress, scale, and reduced yield all trace back to water chemistry — and most properties have never tested theirs.
What We Measure
Twenty-one parameters — covering staining, plant stress, soil structure, and dripper performance.
Choose your Test
Independent, NATA-accredited bore water analysis for garden irrigation. Choose your test below.
- Sampling kit delivered to your door
- Pre-paid return satchel included
- NATA-accredited laboratory analysis
- 21 irrigation parameters tested
- Results benchmarked against ANZECC guidelines
- SAR calculated from your results
- Plain-language PDF report
- NATA certificate of analysis included
- Everything in Bore Irrigation Screen
- E. coli & Thermotolerant Coliforms tested
- Insulated sample bag & ice pack included
- Express return post for 24-hr holding time
- Faecal contamination risk assessed
- Recommended for edible gardens & rural irrigation
- NATA-accredited microbiology certificate
- Combined report — irrigation + microbiology
Suitable for testing all untreated irrigation sources:
Deep & Shallow Bores (Groundwater)
Dams, Catchments & Ponds
Creeks, Rivers & Surface Water
Recycled & Grey Water Systems
Hydroponic Source Water
How It Works
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Step 1 - Select and purchase your test
We mail you a testing kit complete with laboratory testing bottles and step by instruction of how to collect your sample.
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Step 2 - Collect a water sample
Fill the supplied laboratory testing bottles with a sample of your drinking water. Place the bottles in the supplied postage parcel complete with pre-paid express shipping return label and place in post.
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Step 3 - Laboratory Testing
Your water sample will be sent to a NATA accredited Australian laboratory for testing. Our laboratory partners typically complete the analysis within 5 business days.
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Step 4 - Receive your results
Your detailed Water Quality Analysis Report is delivered as a digital PDF — plain-English results benchmarked against Australian irrigation guidelines, with the original NATA-accredited Certificate of Analysis included.
Your Report
Your results are summarised and compared against ANZECC/ARMCANZ 2000 irrigation water quality guideline values. Each parameter is assessed relative to the published guideline level and reported as below, approaching, or exceeds.
Where a parameter approaches or exceeds a guideline level, a brief factual note describes the physical effect associated with that concentration range in irrigation contexts.
- Results compared against ANZECC/ARMCANZ 2000 irrigation guideline values
- Each parameter reported as below, approaching, or exceeds the guideline level
- Guideline value shown alongside your result for each parameter
- Factual notes for any parameter approaching or exceeding a guideline level
- NATA-accredited laboratory certificate of analysis included
| Parameter | Result | Guideline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| EC | 1,450 µS/cm | 800 µS/cm | Approaching |
| Iron | 1.8 mg/L | 0.3 mg/L | Exceeds |
| Manganese | 0.08 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | Below |
| pH | 7.4 | 6.5–8.5 | Below |
| Total Hardness | 285 mg/L | 200 mg/L | Approaching |
| Sodium | 210 mg/L | 460 mg/L | Below |
| SAR (calc.) | 4.2 | 6.0 | Below |
Irrigation Water - Common Questions
Your kit arrives with a pre-labelled sample bottle, a pre-paid return satchel, and a one-page sampling instruction card. Collection takes about two minutes — run your bore for a few minutes to flush the line, then fill the bottle directly from the outlet. Seal, place in the satchel, and drop it at any Australia Post outlet.
If you've added the E. coli screen, your kit also includes an insulated sample bag and ice pack. The microbiology sample must be returned via express post on the same day to meet the 24-hour holding time requirement.
Most bore water quality issues are invisible at the tap. Elevated salinity, sodium, boron, and bicarbonate — all of which stress plants or degrade soil structure over time — have no visible colour, odour, or taste. The damage accumulates slowly across irrigation seasons before it becomes obvious.
Iron staining and rotten-egg smell are the exceptions — those are detectable without testing. But they represent only two of the twenty-one parameters in this screen.
Filter and bore companies typically offer in-house testing as part of their sales process. The analysis is often limited to a few parameters relevant to filter selection, and the result is used to recommend a treatment system.
Safe Water Lab is independent — we have no filter products to sell and no commercial interest in your result. Your sample goes to a NATA-accredited third-party laboratory, and your report is benchmarked against ANZECC/ARMCANZ 2000 irrigation guideline values, not a proprietary scale. You get the result as it is.
No. The Garden Bore Screen is designed for garden irrigation use only. Results are benchmarked against ANZECC/ARMCANZ 2000 irrigation water quality guideline values — not the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG).
If you or your household are drinking from this bore, you need a separate drinking water assessment. See our bore water safety kits →
Each result is compared to the published ANZECC/ARMCANZ 2000 guideline value for that parameter and reported factually as:
Below guideline — your result is within the published reference range for that parameter.
Approaching guideline — your result is elevated relative to the guideline and warrants awareness.
Exceeds guideline — your result is above the published guideline value for that parameter.
These are factual comparisons, not declarations of suitability or safety. The ANZECC/ARMCANZ guidelines themselves describe these as reference trigger values, not mandatory standards. Where a result approaches or exceeds a guideline level, your report includes a brief factual note on the physical effect associated with that concentration range.
Results are benchmarked against the ANZECC/ARMCANZ 2000 Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, Chapter 9.2 — Water Quality for Irrigation and General Uses. These are the national reference guidelines for irrigation water quality in Australia.
Where no specific ANZECC irrigation guideline exists for a parameter, the report notes this and uses the best available published reference value. The SAR (Sodium Adsorption Ratio) is calculated from your measured sodium, calcium, and magnesium results.
If you're using bore water solely for lawn and ornamental garden irrigation with no direct contact between the water and edible produce, the standard Garden Bore Screen is sufficient.
If you're irrigating a vegetable patch, herb garden, fruit trees, or any food-producing plants — particularly with overhead sprinklers that wet edible portions — we recommend adding the E. coli screen. Bore water has no disinfection treatment and faecal contamination from nearby septic systems, animal activity, or bore casing failure is not detectable by appearance or smell.
Your report includes a factual note for each parameter that approaches or exceeds a guideline level, describing the physical effect associated with that concentration range. This gives you the information to make your own decisions.
For treatment options, we recommend consulting a licensed water treatment specialist or bore technician who can assess your specific setup. Safe Water Lab does not recommend specific products or suppliers.
We recommend retesting annually, or sooner if you notice any change in your bore — reduced flow, new odour, discolouration, or following nearby construction, heavy rainfall, or any work on the bore itself. Groundwater quality can shift seasonally, particularly in shallow superficial aquifers.
Yes — we service all of Australia. Kits are dispatched from our fulfilment partner and returned via Australia Post. If you're in a remote area with limited post office access, contact us before ordering and we can confirm logistics for your location.