Iron Water Test Results Guide

What this test measures

This test measures iron — the classic cause of orange-brown staining on sinks and laundry, metallic-tasting water and discoloured supplies. It’s common in older mains, and very common in wells and boreholes.

The UK standard

UK drinking water regulations set 200 µg/l (0.2 mg/l) for iron. Above that level you’ll often see or taste it before any strip does — staining and discolouration are the usual giveaways.

Reading your strip

Dip a strip into your sample for two seconds, hold it level and wait 30 seconds. Match the iron pad against the colour chart on your instructions card and read off the closest band. Strips give you a clear range rather than a lab-precise number — exactly what you need for spotting problems and tracking changes over time.

What to do next

• Confirm it first. One strip is a snapshot — re-test with a fresh strip and a fresh sample before acting on a result.
• A burst of discoloured water after works on the mains usually settles — run the cold tap and re-test once it clears.
• If a reading on a mains supply stays above the standard after re-testing, contact your water supplier — they investigate quality concerns free of charge.
• On a private supply (well, borehole or spring), your local council’s environmental health team can arrange accredited lab testing. Iron filters are a well-established fix for borehole supplies.
• Thinking about a filter? Test before and after fitting it so you can see exactly what it changed.