NABL Accredited · IS 10500 · IS 14543

Types of Water Testing

A complete guide to water testing categories in India — drinking water, groundwater, packaged water, pharmaceutical water, wastewater, and FSSAI compliance testing. NABL-accredited analysis covering all parameters.

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Water Testing — Overview

Water quality testing is a broad field that encompasses many different types of analysis, each serving a specific purpose — from verifying that drinking water is safe for human consumption, to ensuring industrial process water does not corrode equipment, to confirming that pharmaceutical water meets pharmacopoeial purity standards.

Choosing the right type of water test depends on three factors: the source of the water (municipal supply, bore well, river, treated effluent), the intended use (drinking, food processing, industrial, pharmaceutical), and the regulatory requirement (IS 10500, IS 14543, FSSAI, CPCB/SPCB, USP/IP). Auriga Research's NABL-accredited water testing laboratory offers all major water testing categories under one roof.

8 Types of Water Testing at Auriga Research

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Drinking Water Testing

IS 10500:2012

Complete potability testing for municipal supply, bore wells, tanker water, and household purifiers. Covers physical, chemical, heavy metals, and microbiological parameters.

pH, Turbidity, TDS, Colour
Total Hardness, Alkalinity
Fluoride, Nitrate, Chloride
Total Coliform, E. coli
Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium
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Packaged Drinking Water

IS 14543

Compliance testing for packaged water brands per IS 14543 and BIS certification requirements. Includes Pseudomonas aeruginosa, bromate, and ozone residual testing.

Full IS 14543 parameter list
Bromate and ozone residual
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Container material migration
BIS-required test reports
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Groundwater / Bore Well Testing

IS 10500 + Geochemistry

Comprehensive groundwater quality assessment covering potability, geochemical parameters, and irrigation suitability (SAR, RSC) for bore wells, open wells, and aquifers.

Major ions: Na, K, Ca, Mg, HCO₃
SAR, RSC for irrigation use
Nitrate, Fluoride, Arsenic
Total Coliform, E. coli
Electrical Conductivity, TDS
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Industrial Process Water

Application-specific

Water quality analysis for cooling towers, boilers, textile, paper, and manufacturing processes. Parameters chosen based on process requirements and CPCB discharge norms.

Hardness, Alkalinity, TDS
Silica, Iron, Manganese
Chloride, Sulphate, pH
Langelier Saturation Index
Specific conductance
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Pharmaceutical Water (PW/WFI)

IP / USP / EP / BP

Purified water (PW) and Water for Injection (WFI) testing per Indian Pharmacopoeia, USP, and European Pharmacopoeia. NABL-accredited reports for GMP compliance.

Conductivity (stage 1/2/3)
TOC (Total Organic Carbon)
Nitrate, Heavy metals
Microbial enumeration
Endotoxin / pyrogen (WFI)
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Wastewater & Effluent

CPCB / SPCB norms

Effluent and wastewater characterisation for CPCB and SPCB discharge compliance. Includes BOD, COD, TSS, heavy metals, and sector-specific parameters.

BOD, COD, TSS, TDS
pH, Oil & Grease
Heavy metals: Pb, Cr, Hg, Cd
Ammoniacal nitrogen
Phenols, Cyanide (sector-specific)
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FSSAI Water Testing

IS 10500 + FSSAI

Water test reports for FSSAI food business licence applications and renewals. NABL-accredited reports accepted by FSSAI regional offices across India.

Full IS 10500 parameter set
Physical, chemical, heavy metals
Microbiological: Coliform, E. coli
NABL-accredited report
Accepted for FoSCoS applications
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Swimming Pool Water

IS 3025 / BIS / WHO

Pool water quality monitoring for hotels, residential complexes, and public swimming pools. Covers disinfection, turbidity, pH, and microbiological parameters.

Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine
pH, Turbidity, TDS
Cyanuric Acid (stabilised pools)
Total Coliform, E. coli
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
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Water Testing Parameters — Quick Reference

Physical Parameters

  • pH
  • Turbidity (NTU)
  • Colour (Hazen units)
  • Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
  • Electrical Conductivity
  • Temperature
  • Odour & Taste

Chemical Parameters

  • Total Hardness
  • Total Alkalinity
  • Bicarbonate Alkalinity
  • Chloride
  • Fluoride
  • Nitrate & Nitrite
  • Sulphate
  • Iron & Manganese
  • Residual Chlorine

Heavy Metals (ICP-MS)

  • Lead (Pb)
  • Arsenic (As)
  • Cadmium (Cd)
  • Chromium (Cr)
  • Mercury (Hg)
  • Selenium (Se)
  • Copper (Cu)
  • Zinc (Zn)
  • Nickel (Ni)

Microbiological Parameters

  • Total Coliform (MPN)
  • Faecal Coliform / E. coli
  • Total Plate Count (TPC)
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Salmonella (packaged water)
  • Yeast & Mould

Indian Water Quality Standards — Quick Reference

Standard Scope Published by
IS 10500:2012 Drinking water specification BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards)
IS 14543:2016 Packaged drinking water (other than natural mineral water) BIS
IS 3025 Methods of sampling and test for water/wastewater (50+ parts) BIS
FSSAI Schedule Water used in food manufacturing and processing FSSAI
IP 2022 Purified Water and Water for Injection (pharmaceutical) Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission
CPCB Standards Effluent discharge norms for industry-specific wastewater Ministry of Environment
WHO Guidelines Global drinking water quality guidelines World Health Organisation

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main types of water testing?
Water testing is broadly categorised into: (1) Microbiological testing — detects bacteria, coliforms, E. coli, fungi, and viruses; (2) Physical testing — measures turbidity, colour, taste, odour, and TDS; (3) Chemical testing — determines pH, hardness, alkalinity, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, sulphate, and dissolved minerals; (4) Heavy metals analysis — quantifies lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and other toxic metals using ICP-MS; and (5) Organic contaminants — pesticides, herbicides, and disinfection byproducts. The appropriate combination depends on the water source and intended use.
What standard is used for drinking water testing in India?
IS 10500:2012 (Indian Standard Specification for Drinking Water) is the primary standard for potable water quality in India. It specifies acceptable and permissible limits for over 40 parameters including physical, chemical, and microbiological quality. IS 3025 (Methods of Sampling and Test for Water and Wastewater) governs the analytical methods. For packaged drinking water, IS 14543 applies. FSSAI regulations govern water used in food processing and manufacture.
What is the difference between drinking water testing and groundwater testing?
Drinking water testing (IS 10500) focuses on potability — whether water is safe and acceptable for human consumption. It includes aesthetics (taste, colour, odour) and health parameters (coliforms, nitrate, fluoride, heavy metals). Groundwater testing covers a broader geochemical profile: major ions (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, sulphate, chloride), trace elements, pH, TDS, hardness, and potential contamination from agricultural or industrial sources. Groundwater testing also includes parameters relevant to irrigation (SAR — Sodium Adsorption Ratio, RSC — Residual Sodium Carbonate) and bore well suitability.
How often should water be tested?
Testing frequency depends on the source and use: municipal drinking water — at least twice a year (before and after monsoon); bore wells and tanker water — quarterly, more frequently if water quality is variable; food processing water (FSSAI requirement) — annually for licence renewal, and whenever the water source changes; industrial process water — monthly to quarterly depending on the process; pharmaceutical water (purified water, WFI) — daily/weekly in-process monitoring with full USP/IP testing quarterly. New water sources should always be fully tested before use.
What is potability testing of water?
Potability testing determines whether water is safe and acceptable to drink. It covers the full range of IS 10500:2012 parameters — physical (turbidity, colour, TDS), chemical (pH, hardness, alkalinity, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, sulphate, iron, manganese, residual chlorine), heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, selenium), and microbiological (Total Coliform, E. coli, Total Plate Count). A NABL-accredited potability report from Auriga Research is accepted for FSSAI licence applications, bore well commissioning, and regulatory compliance.
What is the difference between physical and chemical water testing?
Physical testing evaluates properties detectable by the human senses or simple instruments: turbidity (cloudiness), colour, odour, taste, total dissolved solids (TDS), and temperature. These parameters give an immediate indication of aesthetic quality. Chemical testing quantifies the dissolved ionic and molecular species in the water: pH, hardness, alkalinity, major anions (chloride, fluoride, nitrate, sulphate, phosphate), major cations (sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium), and trace elements. Chemical testing determines whether water meets safety thresholds and is suitable for the intended use — drinking, industrial processes, or food manufacturing.

Not Sure Which Water Test You Need?

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