Drinking Water Treatment

Introduction Monitoring involves sample collection, delivery, storage, testing, and recording and reporting the results. GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) is as true for water monitoring as it is for any other endeavour, perhaps more than many. One cannot expect to obtain good data if a sample is taken incorrectly (or even inappropriately), no matter how good the laboratory procedures are. This issue is made all the more important when we recognise that many of the determinands we are looking for in water are often at very low concentrations, particularly for finished drinking-water. Generally there is a lot of information on analytical techniques, and when a doubtful result is obtained it is a natural reaction to check the test procedure. However, in the analysis of errors, it is not unusual to find that the reporting process is often the cause. Common causes include poor handwriting, entering results in the wrong column (ie, transcription errors), and calculation errors. Reporting procedures also require a quality assurance step. A sound approach is to get someone else to check all calculations and data entries. Whatever process is used, it should be documented. Risk management issues related to monitoring are discussed in the MoH Public Health Risk Management Plan Guide PHRMP Ref: G2: General – Monitoring.

Introduction : The first step in solving any water quality problem is to have a proper analysis performed on the water. The Department of Health and Environmental Control provides this service as technical assistance to the owners of private wells in South Carolina. For a routine chemical analysis of the water, a one-half gallon sample of the water is required. The sample must be collected in a clean, spillproof plastic container. This group of analyses includes: pH, alkalinity, chlorides, hardness, nitrates, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc. Fluoride may also be tested as requested. Other analyses are available upon request and at the discretion of the EQC (Environmental Quality Control) Regional office in your area. Because many kinds of analyses require special containers, preservatives, or sample collection techniques, we recommend contacting one of the DHEC Regional EQC offices prior to submitting any special requests for analyses. A list of these offices may be found in the back of this booklet. Water samples may be submitted at most of the 46 county health departments, or at the Regional EQC Office in your area. Courier service to the DHEC laboratory is restricted in some areas. Always call ahead to determine the best time to bring in your water sample.