25 in 1 Water testing kit

Description

 

A full water check-up in one box

The TCSC 25-in-1 Water Test Kit screens your water for chemicals, metals, nutrients and bacteria in a single test. It’s ideal for a one-off check of a borehole, a new property, a dam or a water source you’re unsure about. It shows you quickly whether there’s a problem worth treating or sending to a laboratory.

Who it’s for

• Borehole and wellpoint owners: a first check before you drink or irrigate
• Households: tap, tank or bottled water you’re unsure about
• Farms and agriculture: ammonia, phosphate and nitrate in dam, river or irrigation water
• Pools and recreational water: chlorine, bromine, cyanuric acid, pH and alkalinity
• Filter and RO system owners: confirming your treatment is working
• Schools, students and researchers: hands-on water science projects

What’s in the box

• 2 × multi-parameter test strips (Strip A and Strip B, 11 parameters each)
• 2 × ammonia nitrogen reagents (activator and colouring solution)
• 1 × phosphorus colouring reagent
• 1 × E. coli / coliform test
• 1 × test tube (for the strips)
• 2 × small test tubes (for the ammonia and phosphate tests)

What it tests

Strip A

• Nitrate: 0–500 mg/L
• Nitrite: 0–80 mg/L
• Free bromine: 0–20 mg/L
• Total chlorine: 0–10 mg/L
• Residual chlorine: 0–20 mg/L
• Fluoride: 0–200 mg/L
• Potassium: 0–240  mg/L
• Sulfate: 0–1,600 mg/L
• Zinc: 0–100 mg/L
• Chromium (VI): 0–100 mg/L
• pH: 6.2–8.4

Strip B

• Salt: 1,500–5,000 ppm
• Copper: 0–300 mg/L
• Cyanuric acid: 0–300 mg/L
• Iron: 0–500 mg/L
• Lead: 0–500 mg/L
• Manganese: 0–5 mg/L
• Mercury: 0–0.08 mg/L
• Aluminium: 0–250 mg/L
• Total hardness: 0–1,000 mg/L
• Total alkalinity: 0–240 mg/L
• Carbonate: 0–180 mg/L

Reagent tests

• Ammonia nitrogen: 0–500 mg/L
• Phosphate: 0–500 mg/L

Microbiology

• E. coli / total coliforms: present or absent

How to use

Test strips (60 seconds)

1. Collect your sample in a clean container or the test tube provided.
2. Dip each strip for no more than 5 seconds.
3. Hold the strip horizontally and tap off the excess water so the pads don’t bleed into each other.
4. Compare against the colour chart in good light within 60 seconds. Ignore colour changes at pad edges or after 2 minutes.

Phosphate test (1 minute)

1. Add 2 ml of sample water to a small test tube.
2. Add 1–2 drops of phosphorus colouring solution and shake well.
3. Compare against the colour chart after 1 minute.

Ammonia nitrogen test (about 12 minutes)

1. Add 2 ml of activator solution to a small test tube, add 1–2 drops of sample water, and shake well. Wait 2 minutes.
2. Add 1–2 drops of ammonia colouring solution and shake well.
3. Compare against the colour chart after 10 minutes.

E. coli / coliform test (48 hours)

1. Wash your hands thoroughly.
2. If testing a tap, run it for 3–5 minutes first.
3. Open the bottle without touching the inside of the cap or bottle.
4. Fill with cold water to the line, close tightly and shake for about 20 seconds until the powder dissolves.
5. Keep the bottle out of direct sunlight at 20–32 °C.
6. Read the result after 48 hours.

Testing conditions: ambient temperature of 2–30 °C and relative humidity below 80%.

Screening vs. laboratory testing: read this before you rely on a result

This kit is a semi-quantitative screening tool. It is designed to flag likely problems quickly and affordably. It does not replace accredited laboratory analysis.

• Heavy metals (lead, mercury, chromium): SANS 241 health limits are far lower than the strip’s colour steps. A reading of zero does not confirm that your water meets drinking-water standards.
• Salt pad range: the pad reads 1,500–5,000 ppm, so it is not suitable for sea water.
• Possible interference: coloured or cloudy water, very high mineral content, samples outside 2–30 °C, and reading outside the stated times can all affect results.
• A positive E. coli result means the water should not be drunk untreated until a laboratory has confirmed it.

For drinking-water compliance, a new borehole, or a result that concerns you, choose our SANS 241:2015 laboratory panel. TCSC runs it in partnership with an accredited reference laboratory, with results in 5–10 working days.

Which kit is right for you?

• 25-in-1 Kit (this kit), R500: a one-off, broad check. It includes ammonia, phosphate and salt.
• 21-in-1 Kit + 2 E. coli Tests, R1,750: 100 strips per panel, for regular monitoring at about R17.50 per chemical screen.

Something flagged? Here’s what to do next

• Not sure what your colours mean? Book a 30-minute consultation with a TCSC water scientist (from R649.50).
• Want to re-check bacteria? Add a standalone E. coli test (R250, results in 48 hours).
• Need compliance-grade results? Request a SANS 241:2015 Basic Panel (R4,278 incl. VAT).

Why TCSC

This kit was developed in Cape Town by The Chemistry Solutions Company and has been used across more than 100 environmental projects. TCSC was named second runner-up in the UNIDO Global Cleantech Innovation Programme South Africa (2024). Every kit sold also supports the Water Warrior Project, which provides free community water testing.

Storage

• Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
• Keep the reagent bottles tightly closed, and don’t touch the strip pads.

Frequently asked questions

How many tests does one kit do?
One full test: one of each strip, one ammonia test, one phosphate test and one E. coli test.

Is my water safe to drink if everything reads normal?
Not necessarily. Strips screen for gross contamination. Only a SANS 241 lab panel confirms drinking-water compliance, especially for heavy metals.

Can I test sea water or effluent?
Not sea water, because it is well above the salt pad’s range. Effluent can be screened, but results should be confirmed by a laboratory.

Does it test for arsenic or cadmium?
No. These require laboratory analysis.

See our product disclaimer. Results are indicative screening values.