Drinking Water Quality Evaluation

A typical survey to address drinking water quality concerns for public, commercial, and residential clients will involve the collection of water samples at one or more locations from the site in question. Several samples are collected at each location using a “first run” technique, meaning that the water was collected immediately after turning on the faucet. This technique prevents flushing of the plumbing system prior to sampling and allows for a worst-case scenario.

All water samples are collected using recommended sample volumes and submitted to analytical laboratories specializing in such analyses. In California, findings are compared directly to the applicable California Primary Maximum Contaminant Levels (Primary MCLs) and/or established Secondary MCLs as defined in Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, Division 4 Environmental Health, Chapter 15 Domestic Water Quality and Monitoring Regulations. A Primary MCL is an enforceable standard established to protect the public against consumption of drinking water contaminants that present a risk to human health and is the maximum allowable amount of a contaminant in drinking water which is delivered to the consumer. Secondary MCLs set non-mandatory water quality standards for specific contaminants. California does not enforce these secondary standards, and the select contaminants are not considered to present a risk to human health at or below the applicable secondary standard. They are established only as guidelines to assist public water systems in managing their drinking water for aesthetic considerations, such as taste, color, and odor. Note that HygieneTech has also performed drinking water quality evaluations in areas outside of California that require comparison to other water quality standards and/or guidelines such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) and the National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWRs), which are similar to the California Primary and Secondary MCLs.

Additional HygieneTech water quality assessments have been performed to quantify the environmental effects to bodies of water that may have been impacted by nearby activities. These survey types are not performed to determine if the water is potable, but rather to make a determination of potential contamination and any needs for treatment. Samples are collected for the purposes of identifying contaminants such as metal concentrations, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), bacteria levels, and hydrocarbon concentrations. The specific sample analyses requested will vary depending on the suspected contaminant(s).