- Samples for Total Coliform bacteria testing need to be collected in a sterile container. We would be happy to provide you with a sterile container, however if you only want to make one trip to the Laboratory you may use a brand new personal bottled water container (about 16 ounces) that is currently sealed, and use that as your sterile container. Open your kitchen sink faucet, cold water and run the water for a good three to five minutes to get some good fresh water into the house. Simply open the bottled water container and pour the water into something else and use the sterile water bottle to collect a sample of the kitchen faucet water. It is best to collect and bring the sample directly to the Laboratory the same day. The Laboratory accepts these samples Monday through Thursday during regular business hours.
- Samples for lead testing need to be collected in a quart sized container. We would be happy to provide you with a quart size container or you may use a clean quart sized container of your own. It is recommended that the sample be collected from the kitchen sink faucet; cold water side after the water has been stagnant in the pipes for a minimum of 6 hours. So typically, first thing in the morning, before water is used at the kitchen sink faucet, simply collect the first quart of water from the faucet and deliver to the Laboratory.
- Samples for nitrate testing require a pint sized container of water. Sample kits are available at the Laboratory or you may use your own clean pint sized container. This sample should be collected prior to any filtration systems after running the water for three to five minutes prior to collection. It is best to collect and then bring the fresh sample directly to the Laboratory the same day.
- Samples for the Filter Survey require at least a pint sized container of water. Sample kits are available at the Laboratory or you may use your own clean pint sized container. This sample should be collected prior to any filtration system (unless the goal is to check the performance of a filter system) after running the water for three to five minutes prior to collection. It is best to collect and then bring the fresh sample directly to the Laboratory the same day.
- Samples for the Well Survey require two containers: a quart sized container and a sterile container. Sample kits are available at the Laboratory or you may use your own quart sized container and a sealed personal bottled water container may be used as a sterile container once the seal is broken and the bottled water poured into something else. This sample should be collected prior to any filtration system (unless the goal is to check the performance of a filter system) after running the water for three to five minutes prior to collection. It is best to collect and then bring the fresh sample directly to the Laboratory the same day. The Laboratory accepts these samples Monday through Thursday during regular business hours.
- Samples for the Health Survey require four containers: a quart sized container for the lead analysis, a quart sized container for the chemical analyses, a pint sized container for the nitrate analysis and a sterile container for the bacteria analysis. Sample kits and sampling instructions are available at the Laboratory or you may use your own quart and pint sized containers and a sealed personal bottled water container may be used as a sterile container once the seal is broken and the bottled water poured into something else. The health survey needs to be collected in the following order: after a minimum of 6 hours stagnation time, for example first thing in the morning before the kitchen faucet has been used, collect the first draw of water into a quart container for the lead analysis. Then let the water run for three to five minutes to get some good fresh water into the house and fill up the next quart container completely full, the pint sized container, then simply open the bottled water container and pour the water into something else and use the sterile water bottle to collect a sample of the kitchen faucet water. It is best to collect and then bring the fresh sample directly to the Laboratory the same day. The Laboratory accepts these samples Monday through Thursday during regular business hours.
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HOW DO I COLLECT A WATER SAMPLE FOR MY HOME?
