Test Your Tank Water
NATA-accredited laboratory testing kits, delivered to your door. Trusted by households, farmstays, B&Bs and rural properties across Australia.
Featured Products
NATA-accredited rainwater tank water testing kit. Mail-in lab analysis covering E. coli, 18 heavy metals including lead, pH and turbidity. All shipping included.
The core safety screen for rainwater tanks.
Tests for E. coli, the metals most likely to leach from roof and gutter catchments, and the basic physical quality indicators. The starting point for any tank supply where full chemistry is not yet a priority.
What's included
Complete sampling kit delivered to your door
All postage, including pre-paid express cold-chain return shipping
NATA-accredited laboratory analysis
Detailed report benchmarked against Australian and International drinking water guidelines
Plain-language exceedance explanations
23 Parameters
E. coli & Thermotolerant Coliforms
18 metals & metalloids — Lead, Zinc, Copper, Arsenic, Mercury, Cadmium, Chromium, Nickel, Iron, Manganese, Barium, Cobalt, Silver + more
Turbidity & pH
NATA-accredited tank water test kit. Full water profile: microbiology, 18 metals including lead, 14 chemistry parameters, UV system performance and nutrients. Plain-English report.
The recommended starting point for any tank supply used for drinking.
Adds full water chemistry, nutrients from animal waste, apparent colour from tannin staining, and mineral balance to the Basics core.
What's included
Complete sampling kit delivered to your door
Pre-paid express cold-chain return shipping
NATA-accredited laboratory analysis
Detailed report benchmarked against Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG)
Plain-language exceedance explanations
38 Parameters
E. coli & Thermotolerant Coliforms
18 metals & metalloids — Lead, Zinc, Copper, Arsenic, Mercury + 13 others
14 physical & chemical — EC, TDS, Hardness, Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Sulphate + more
Turbidity, pH & Apparent Colour
Nitrate & Ammonia
UV Transmission
Tank water testing kit for rural properties near farmland. Includes 55 pesticides + 10 triazine herbicides at trace level. NATA-accredited Eurofins lab analysis.
The full Essentials screen plus a 65-compound pesticide, insecticide, and herbicide panel at trace detection level.
For rural and peri-urban properties where agricultural spray drift is a credible risk. Organochlorine compounds including Dieldrin and DDT persist in tank water long after application has ceased. Organophosphate insecticides such as Chlorpyrifos and Diazinon enter through spray drift and are not removed by standard tank filtration.
What's included
Complete sampling kit delivered to your door
Pre-paid express cold-chain return shipping
NATA-accredited laboratory analysis
Detailed report benchmarked against Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG)
Plain-language exceedance explanations
104 Parameters
E. coli & Thermotolerant Coliforms
18 metals & metalloids
14 physical & chemical · Turbidity, pH & Apparent Colour · Nitrate & Ammonia
55 pesticides & insecticides at trace level — Organochlorines: Dieldrin, DDT, Heptachlor, Lindane, Endosulfan + others · Organophosphates: Chlorpyrifos, Diazinon, Malathion + others
10 triazine herbicides at trace level — Atrazine, Simazine, Propazine + 7 others
UV Transmission
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 drinking water guidelines, with the original NATA-accredited Certificate of Analysis included.
Four testing levels to match your concerns
| 01Microbiology — The Primary Risk | ||||
| E. coli & Thermotolerant ColiformsFaecal indicator bacteria — enters through bird and possum droppings, leaf litter, and inadequate first-flush diversion. Tank water has no disinfection residual to suppress bacterial growth. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 02Roof & Gutter Metal Leaching | ||||
| 18 metals & metalloids — incl. Lead, Zinc & CopperLead (flashing and solder joints), Zinc (galvanised roofing), Copper (gutters and downpipes), Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Mercury, Nickel, Iron, Manganese, Barium, Cobalt, Silver + more. Leaching is highest in the first flush after dry periods. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 03Nutrients from Animal Waste | ||||
| Nitrate, Nitrite & AmmoniaFrom bird and possum droppings, decomposing leaf litter, and organic debris in gutters. Elevated nutrients also promote bacterial growth inside the tank, compounding microbial risk. | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 04Physical & Aesthetic Quality | ||||
| Turbidity & pHTurbidity from sediment and poor first-flush diversion. pH from rainwater acidity — low pH accelerates metal leaching from tank linings and plumbing. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apparent ColourTannin staining from leaf litter and organic debris — one of the most common tank water complaints. | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| UV Transmittance (254nm)Measures dissolved organic carbon that affects UV disinfection system performance. A result below 75% indicates your UV system may not be operating at rated effectiveness — useful for households with UV treatment installed. | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 05Mineral Balance & Water Chemistry | ||||
| 14 physical & chemical parametersEC, TDS, Hardness, Total Alkalinity, Bicarbonate, Carbonate, Hydroxide Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Sulphate. Rainwater is naturally soft and acidic — low mineral content makes it more corrosive to fittings and appliances. | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 06Pesticides, Insecticides & Herbicide Spray Drift | ||||
| 55 pesticides & insecticides at trace detection levelOrganochlorines — Dieldrin, DDT, Heptachlor, Lindane, Endosulfan + others. Organophosphates — Diazinon, Chlorpyrifos, Malathion + others. Persist in water and not removed by standard filtration. | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 10 triazine herbicides at trace detection levelAtrazine, Simazine, Propazine, Terbuthylazine + 6 others. Among the most commonly detected agricultural chemicals in tank water via spray drift. | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 07PFAS — "Forever Chemicals" | ||||
| 30 PFAS compounds at trace detection levelPFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA + 26 precursors at 0.001–0.005 µg/L. Enters tank water near defence bases, airports, and industrial sites through atmospheric deposition. The 2025 ADWG tightened limits by up to 94%. | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| What's Included | ||||
| Complete sampling kit delivered to your door | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pre-paid express cold-chain return shipping | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| NATA-accredited laboratory analysis (No. 1261) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Colour-coded PDF report benchmarked against ADWG | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plain-language exceedance explanations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Total parameters tested | ~23 | ~38 | ~104 | ~134 |
What's actually in my rainwater — and is it safe for my family?
Order Now — A$499Could spray drift from nearby farms be in my tank water?
Order Now — A$749Is there PFAS in my tank water from a nearby base or airport?
Order Now — A$949Every contaminant class in a single kit — metals, PFAS, pesticides, herbicides, VOCs, PAHs, microbiology, nutrients, and disinfection by-products. Trace-level detection throughout. Works on any water source.
Lead, copper, zinc, arsenic, mercury, chromium and 12 more — standalone screen for roof and gutter catchment contamination pathways.
PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS + 27 precursors at trace detection (0.001–0.005 µg/L). For properties near defence bases, airports, or industrial sites.
PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET, PC, PMMA, PA particle counts in potable water. No safe limit has been set under the ADWG — we report what's present so you can make an informed decision.
All analysis performed by NATA-accredited laboratories under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 · All prices include GST · Cold-chain return shipping included
“We used this kit to check our rainwater for E. coli and heavy metals to ensure our filters were doing their job. Testing was incredibly easy, and the clear results gave us the confidence we were looking for.”
— M.C., St Andrews, VicWhat We Test
Rainwater tanks have no disinfection and no regulatory monitoring. What's in your tank depends entirely on your roof, your gutters, and what's in the air above your property.
Show 4 more categories we test
Independent Testing Run by Environmental Scientists
We test rainwater tank water for the contaminants that actually matter — bacteria from roof catchment, metals leaching from flashing and gutters, PFAS from atmospheric deposition, and pesticide drift from surrounding land. Many of these aren't routinely included in other water tests on the market. Your results are interpreted by environmental scientists and benchmarked against the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, so you can make an informed decision about your water.
We don't sell filtration systems, water softeners, or treatment products. Our job is to give you an accurate picture of what's in your water — what you do next is up to you. Many of our customers don't need any treatment at all once they see the results.
E. coli and thermotolerant coliforms cultured under accredited method. Lead, copper, and zinc quantified to µg/L. PFAS detected to 0.001 µg/L — well below current Australian guideline values. Pesticides and herbicides at trace level. The full picture, at the accuracy required to make decisions.
Safe Water Lab is operated by environmental scientists with backgrounds in water quality and contaminated land. Every kit is specified for tank water — we test for the contaminants that actually matter, choose the right test method and detection limit for each one, and write sampling instructions so the result reflects what's really in your tank. Every report is read by someone who understands what the numbers mean, before it reaches you.
Every result is colour-coded and compared against the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Where a parameter exceeds a guideline, we explain what it means, what's likely causing it, and what your options are — in plain English.
- ✕Cannot detect PFAS, pesticides, or solvents
- ✕Lead detection limits 100× higher than the guideline
- ✕No measurement of bacteria — only chlorine residual, which tank water lacks anyway
- ✕Colour-match accuracy varies by user and lighting
- ✓Up to 134 parameters at trace detection levels
- ✓Lead, copper, and 16 other metals quantified to µg/L
- ✓E. coli and thermotolerant coliforms cultured under accredited method
- ✓Results signed off by an accredited laboratory — auditable, traceable, defensible
Test strips are useful for swimming pools and aquariums. For drinking water that contains contaminants at parts-per-billion concentrations, you need a laboratory.
The same laboratories trusted by Australian councils, water utilities, and environmental regulators.
Your Report
More than just numbers. Every Safe Water Lab kit comes with a full Water Quality Analysis Report — written by an environmental scientist, in plain English, designed for actual decision-making.
Each report includes:
Results Summary at a Glance - A one-page overview grouping every result by contaminant category — microbiology, heavy metals, physical-chemical, nutrients, organics — with a pass/fail status against the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG 2025). Know where you stand in 60 seconds.
Detailed Results, Plainly Explained - Every analyte compared against the ADWG and WHO guideline values. Where a parameter exceeds a guideline, we explain what it means, what's likely causing it, and what level of concern is warranted — in language that doesn't require a chemistry degree.
Clear Next Steps for Any Exceedance - If we find something above guideline, you get a specific recommendation. Source-level fixes (clean the gutters, replace lead flashing, address first-flush diversion). Behavioural changes (boil before drinking, switch to bottled for infant formula). And where relevant, filtration guidance — what type of treatment would address the issue. Because we don't sell filters, the advice is genuinely independent.
NATA-Accredited Certificate of Analysis - The original Certificate from our partner laboratory. Auditable, traceable, defensible — suitable for council, insurance, or commercial supply documentation for farmstays, B&Bs and schools.
Questions Answered Directly - Reply to your report email and a scientist will answer. No call centres, no scripts, no upsells.
Tank Water - Common Questions
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The Australian residential water filter market operates without mandatory product certification or independent performance verification. Manufacturers are not required to substantiate contaminant removal claims before bringing a product to market — meaning the performance figures on the packaging are largely self-reported. A NATA-accredited laboratory baseline provides the only objective, scientifically defensible audit of whether your filtration system is performing as claimed, or creating a false sense of security.
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It is incredibly simple. When your kit arrives, it includes step-by-step instructions. You simply fill the provided bottles from your tap, write the date on the included form, and place everything into the pre-paid express return mailer. Drop it at any Australia Post Express Post collection point, and you are done.
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Our laboratory partner completes analysis within 5 business days of receiving your sample. Your report is typically delivered by email 1–2 business days after that. Total time from posting your sample to receiving results is around 7–9 business days depending on postal transit.
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As a general guide, annual testing is appropriate for most household tanks used for drinking. You should also test after any significant event — a prolonged dry spell followed by heavy rain, roof repairs, storm damage, or if you notice any change in taste, colour, or odour. If you have young children, elderly residents, or immunocompromised people in the household, more frequent testing is warranted.
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For most households, Tank Essentials covers the core risks — microbiology, metals from roof catchment, water chemistry, nutrients, and physical quality. If your property is rural or peri-urban with nearby cropping or horticulture, Tank Complete adds a 54-compound pesticide screen. If you are near a defence base, airport, or industrial site, Tank Advanced adds PFAS testing at trace detection levels.
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For most operators, Essentials covers base ADWG compliance — microbiology, metals, core chemistry, and nutrients. If your property is near agricultural cropping or spray operations, Advanced adds pesticides and herbicides. If you're near a defence base, airport, or industrial site, Complete adds PFAS. Your local health district or council may specify which parameters they require — we can help match the kit to your regulator's testing schedule.