Test any off-grid water before you drink it. If you can't test it first, you can use a combination of methods to treat and purify it: water treatment tablets from the local sporting goods store, or household bleach (sodium hypochlorite, 3 to 6 percent) at a ratio of 1 teaspoon to 5 gallons of water.
Lab samples for testing for microorganisms, ncluding Giardia cysts, and chemicals need to be fresh (less than twenty-four hours old). Use an independent testing service to do the tests. Comprehensive testing will cost a couple of hundred dollars. The local health department will be able to have the testing done for less, but getting the HD involved may be a mistake. If they shut you down, it could be nearly impossible to get them "uninvolved."
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