Frog Blog

Water Treatment Professionals Best Practices – Water Testing

Recently Michael Urbans met with Marianne Metzger to discuss the best methods for collecting water samples.  You can give a listen to the podcast It’s Your Water or read the highlights here.

• Meeting with the Customer

  • Talk to the end user about what they’re experiencing.
  • What do they see, taste, smell?
  • Are there health considerations?
    • Allergies
    • Autoimmune disease
  • Talk about contaminants which can’t be seen or tasted, regional or neighborhood issues.  Share these maps with your customer. WQRF Contaminant Map &  USGS Contaminant Dashboard  There is information about local or regional contaminants such as arsenic and uranium.
• It is important to have water tested before commercial or industrial processes like fracking take place.

• Use the appropriate test for the application.

  • Simple Water Analysis
  • VOC, TOC, Pesticides
  • Complete anion, cation

• Grabbing a Raw Sample

  • Bypass the equipment and take your samples from the well tank.
  • Flush using a washing machine hose.
  • Well tanks collect a lot of crud. This may cause a false or elevated iron or manganese reading.

• Grabbing a Treated Sample

  • Take the sample after the equipment.

• Grabbing a Bacteria Sample

  • Collect from the right type of sink.
    • Don’t collect from a faucet that has one valve for hot and cold because bacteria can collect in there.
  • Remove the aerator.
  • Use an alcohol swab to disinfect the end of the spigot.
  • Wear gloves. If you don’t have gloves wash your hands thoroughly before collecting the sample.
  • When you take the cap off the bacteria bottle, don’t set it down, you can contaminate your own sample. Hold the cap in your hand while filling the bottle to avoid cross contamination.

• Grabbing a VOC Sample

  • VOC vials are small and have a preservative in them.
  • When collecting certified samples, you’re probably going to have to add acid to that sample as well, but this typically isn’t done by dealers. Instead make sure you fill the bottle and there are no air bubbles.
  • Don’t flush out the preservatives that are in the vials. Add a little extra water to the cap before capping it. This helps displace any air bubbles and forms a meniscus.
  • Don’t overfill it to avoid losing the preservative.

• Grabbing a PFOS sample

  • Contact the lab for more information.

• Finding a Laboratory

  • Make sure the lab’s certified for what you need.
  • Make sure you have a good, helpful point of contact.
    • If you’re not sure what to test for, your point of contact should be able to walk you through and make suggestions.
    • Smaller labs and industry specific labs are geared towards helping you determine what you should test and tell you proper detection levels.
    • Establish a good relationship with your point of contact at a lab. Contact them when you need a little extra help or guidance on unfamiliar procedures.

Laboratories

• Resin Tech Lab Services 
• National Testing Labs