DSRSD Certified For Water Quality Testing

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DSRSD Certified For Water Quality Testing

The Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) laboratory has been state-certified to conduct required tests for dissolved metals in groundwater using an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrument

With the new certification, the District can analyze samples from groundwater monitoring wells located around the regional wastewater treatment facility, thereby saving $3,000 per year in outside laboratory expense.

"The District has invested in ultra-sensitive analytical equipment in order to perform required monitoring as cost-effectively as possible," said Operations Manager Dan Gallagher. "It takes considerable staff expertise to earn the state accreditation for the many tests we are required to do."

DSRSD acquired the ICP-MS system two years ago. In 2013, the district earned state certification for trace metals analysis of wastewater. This year the lab earned the separate certification required to test for metals in groundwater.

To obtain ELAP certification for a new test, a laboratory must develop standard operating procedures for collecting and analyzing samples and documenting results, pass performance evaluation studies for all applicable test parameters, and meet quality control requirements for accuracy and precision. ELAP recertifies the DSRSD lab every two years.

District chemists and technicians run approximately 10,000 tests throughout the year on samples of wastewater, drinking water, recycled water, groundwater, and biosolids in order to report to regulatory agencies at required intervals. The District's operations staff also use test results to manage wastewater treatment processes and monitor the quality of potable and recycled water distributed to customers.

Under the conditions of its wastewater discharge permits, the District tests groundwater samples from 14 monitoring wells around the wastewater treatment facility, which is located in Pleasanton near the intersection of I-680 and I-580. Twice a year, the District is required to report test results for 10 dissolved metals, as well as for general water quality parameters such as turbidity, total dissolved solids, chloride, nitrate, and ammonia. Every five years, the District tests for seven additional metals and numerous pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and herbicides.

Source: The Dublin San Ramon Services Districtwebsite

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