JHS Analytic Traders supplies the Palintest Wagtech Potatest across Nepal — a portable, field-ready microbiological water quality testing kit that brings laboratory-grade analysis out of the lab and into the field. Developed by Palintest, a Halma Company and one of the world's leading names in water analysis, the Potatest is designed to verify drinking water safety on-site, without access to a fixed laboratory or specialist staff.
What It TestsThe Potatest covers the five parameters most critical for drinking water safety verification: total coliforms and faecal coliforms — the primary indicators of biological contamination — alongside free and total chlorine to confirm disinfection has been effective, pH, and turbidity. The core method is membrane filtration, a standard laboratory technique adapted for field use. A water sample is filtered to capture bacteria on a membrane, which is then incubated in the kit's portable dual-temperature incubator. After incubation, visible bacterial colonies are counted to give a quantitative contamination result. Only minimal training is required to operate it.
Why It Matters for NepalNepal's geography makes centralised water quality testing difficult. Large parts of the country — from remote hilly districts to flood-affected Terai lowlands — rely on springs, boreholes, rivers, and tankered water as their primary drinking water source, often with no nearby laboratory to verify safety. Earthquakes and monsoon flooding regularly disrupt or contaminate water systems, creating urgent need for rapid, field-deployable testing. The Potatest is built precisely for these conditions: compact, battery-operable, and capable of producing results using methods aligned with WHO and international drinking water standards.
Who Uses ItThe Potatest is used across Nepal by NGOs and INGOs running WASH programmes, municipalities verifying the effectiveness of chlorinated piped water systems, district public health offices conducting field water safety surveys, and research institutions working in areas without laboratory infrastructure. Both models in the range — the Potatest Classic (PTW10005) and the Potatest 2 (PTW10020, with dual incubators for higher throughput) — are available through JHS Analytic Traders in Kathmandu. Our team can advise on the right model for your application and provide ongoing local support.