Sodium Water Test

Sodium in Your Drinking Water: More Than Just a Salty Taste

Sodium is a naturally occurring mineral found in groundwater at varying concentrations depending on local geology and land use. While sodium is essential to human health in normal dietary amounts, elevated levels in drinking water are a meaningful concern for certain individuals and a useful indicator of what else may be entering your water supply. You may not be able to taste elevated sodium in your water at all, which is precisely why testing is the only reliable way to know what your levels actually are.

Where Does Sodium in Drinking Water Come From?

In private wells the most common sources of elevated sodium are road salt infiltration, septic system influence, saltwater intrusion in coastal areas, and water softeners. Road salt is a particularly significant and underappreciated source in northern states where heavy winter salting of roads causes sodium and chloride to percolate through soil and into the groundwater that feeds private wells. At ETR Laboratories we have documented this firsthand over 31 years of well testing and field inspections. Water softeners are another important factor. Softeners use sodium as part of the ion exchange process that removes hardness minerals and a unit set to a high efficacy level can meaningfully increase the sodium concentration in your finished water. On municipal water systems elevated sodium is less common but can still occur in coastal communities or areas with older infrastructure.

Is Sodium in Drinking Water Harmful?

The EPA has set a secondary maximum contaminant level of 20 milligrams per liter as a guideline for individuals on sodium restricted diets, though many utilities report levels well above this without it being a regulatory violation. For the general population moderate sodium levels in drinking water are not a health emergency. However for individuals managing hypertension, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, or liver disease, sodium intake from drinking water is a relevant factor worth knowing and discussing with a physician. Elevated sodium also makes water more corrosive, accelerating damage to pipes, water heaters, and household appliances over time.

How It Works

Order your test and we will mail you a sample collection kit with easy to follow instructions. Collect a water sample from your tap and send it back to our in-house laboratory. Results are delivered within 1 to 2 business days from the date your sample arrives at our lab.

Understanding Your Results

Sodium results are reported in milligrams per liter and interpreted in the context of your overall water chemistry and health situation. Every test includes a free consultation with one of our in-house water quality experts. If your sodium comes back elevated we will walk you through the likely source based on your specific situation, what it means for your household, and what treatment options are most appropriate.

This test is recommended for well owners in northern states where heavy road salting is common and sodium infiltration into groundwater is a documented concern, households with a water softener that has not been recently evaluated for sodium output, anyone on a sodium restricted diet due to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or kidney or liver conditions who wants to know their actual exposure from drinking water, coastal homeowners whose wells may be subject to saltwater intrusion, and anyone who has noticed a salty or unusual taste in their water that has not been explained by previous testing.