Flood photos fade from the news within days, but the water question often lingers. This week, The Guardian reported on record-breaking high tides across California, with reporter Gabrielle Canon describing how "Seawater surges into low-lying communities from San Diego to San Francisco Bay Area," submerging streets, homes and businesses. If you live near that shoreline, or on a low-lying lot that floods when the tide runs high, you may be wondering whether salt water reached the water you drink and cook with. You do not need to panic. You do need a plan that answers the question with evidence.
Why a tide event is a water question
Seawater is mostly sodium and chloride, so a surge that carries salt water can change how your water tastes and push up readings for those minerals. The risk depends on where your water comes from. A well close to the coast, or a shallow well in ground that connects to salt water, deserves more attention than a well set well inland on rock. Flooding can also carry surface contamination, which is a separate concern from salt and is why bacteria testing belongs on your list too.
Public water systems usually monitor their supply, but that monitoring does not answer questions about your own service line, plumbing or private well. A utility can report that its treated water met standards at the plant while a particular street or building still deserves a closer look. Think of the utility's data as a starting point, not the final word on your house.
If you are on city water
Start with paperwork. Most utilities publish an annual water quality report, often called a consumer confidence report, that lists what was tested and what was found. Look for it on the utility's website, or call the office and ask two direct questions: Were any notices issued after the recent high water, and has the utility tested anything new in your area since then? If a notice went out, follow its instructions exactly. If nothing was announced, save the report. It becomes a useful baseline if you need to compare results later.
If you are on a private well
Well owners carry the testing job themselves, and nobody will call to remind you. Ask a state-certified laboratory for a panel that includes sodium, chloride, total dissolved solids and bacteria. Field meters that read electrical conductivity can give a quick signal, but the lab report is the document to keep. Follow the lab's sampling instructions closely, because how and when the sample is collected affects what the number means. If the first result comes back high, test again after a few weeks. A single reading may catch the water on a bad day, and a repeat result shows whether the change lasted.
Read the signs, but do not trust them alone
A salty or unusual taste, a change in color, or a sudden shift in how your water behaves are reasons to act, not proof of anything. The reverse is also true. Water that tastes normal can still carry salt at levels a lab would detect. Keep a simple record with the date, the water source, what you noticed, and any lab results. Over time that record will tell you more than any single reading, and it gives a technician or inspector something concrete to review.
Where a home visit fits
If you would rather have someone come to the house and collect samples, Jones Air & Water offer free in-home water tests, and that is one option to weigh alongside a certified lab. Ask what the test covers, which laboratory processes the sample, and whether you will receive the full lab report yourself rather than a summary. A free visit can be a useful first step, but the report you will want to file, share with a buyer or show an insurer is the one with the lab's name and the sampling date on it.
What to do this week
Check whether your street or block was affected by the high water. Pull your utility report or your well records. If you are on a well, schedule a certified test and write down what you have noticed. None of this requires special equipment or a rushed decision. It requires a clear answer, and the lab report is the best way to get one.