The EPA revised the Total Coliform Rule (TCR) in 2013, but these changes need to be implemented soon. By April 1, 2016, all compliant public water systems will have to implement the revised TCR requirements. At WETLAB, we take a great interest in the new regulatory measures that affect our clients, and we decided to take a closer look at what the Revised Total Coliform Rule entails.

According to the EPA, the RTCR is intended to “protect public health by ensuring the integrity of the drinking water distribution system and monitoring for the presence of microbial contamination.” Which essentially means that the RTCR confirms what the TCR has already established since 1989, and then expands upon the initial rule. The RTCR requires that all public water systems (PWS) show that they meet the legal limit for E. coli through expanded required monitoring. The rule also goes on to specify what the actual frequency and timing of the required microbial testing is; which is based on the populations served by the PWS, the type of PWS, and what type of source water the PWS uses.

To find the exact requirements of the new rule, we highly suggest visiting the EPA’s page on the RTCR here. These changes do not have to be implemented until April 1, 2016, but it is crucial to have an accurate understanding of the new rule.

At WETLAB, we strive to provide our clients with the most accurate and up-to-date information available.  If you have any questions, about this rule or any other, please call us at (775) 355-0202. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, recently finalized the Clean Water Rule.  This rule is aimed at protecting our nation’s water resources from pollution and human ruin, especially the smaller streams and wetlands.

This rule is an attempt to make a difference in larger waterways by cleaning the smaller upstream streams and wetlands that feed them.

There is no expanded authority with the instatement of the Clean Water Rule, because the EPA already has the authority to impose these regulations based on the authority granted in the Clean Water Act.

Some farmers and property owners have expressed concern about regulations regarding smaller streams, but environmental groups laud the new rule as long overdue.

WETLAB continues to test water for EPA compliance.  See how we can help you comply with the new regulations by calling us at (775) 355-0202, or emailing us at info@wetlaboratory.com

 

More information about the Clean Water Rule can be found here, via the Environmental Protection Agency.

Tahoe Governing Body Passes Water Quality Plan

Here at WETLAB,  Western Environmental Testing Laboratory, we keep an eye on water quality issues throughout Northern Nevada and the surrounding region, and perhaps no other place within the region gets more attention than Lake Tahoe.

Recently, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, a bi-state agency that governs Lake Tahoe, passed an update to it’s 1987 regional plan in a 12-1 vote – an update that took the better part of a decade, according to an article in the Tahoe Daily Tribune.

The overarching goal of the plan is to reduce polluting runoff into the lake that reduces clarity – specifically targeting fine sediments that stay suspended in the water and nutrients that aid in growth, according to the article.

The updates specifically will allow investment in old, outdated properties that are known sources of runoff into Lake Tahoe.

But the TRPA has drawn criticism from both developers and from environmentalists, and it’s contentiousness has drawn the discussion out over many years.

Developers believe the Regional Plan to be to restrictive of construction and development so far as to hamper economic growth, while environmental groups contend the plan does not do enough to address the TRPA’s environmental goals.

The update allows increased building height, building density and developed coverage around the lake, according to critics, the article states.

“Earthjustice has represented local interests and conservation groups in the past to protect the lake and regions around its shoreline from unbridled construction and development,” said Earthjustice Attorney Wendy Park on the issue. “The population of California is growing rapidly and Lake Tahoe needs stronger, not weaker, protections to stay the very special mountain lake everyone cherishes.”

Whether the update is faced with legal challenges is not yet known, according to the article.

This will be an interesting water quality issue to watch, both for Northern Nevada and Northern California.

At the 15th annual Lake Tahoe Summit in Homewood, CA this summer, hosted by Senator Dianne Feinstein and attended by Senator Harry Reid, Senator Dean Heller, California Governor Jerry Brown and Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, policy makers came up with an important plan for Lake Tahoe.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to restore the lake’s clarity to 97.4 feet by 2076, a lofty goal aiming for historic levels before runoff and pollution clouded the mountain lake’s clear waters.

Most recent measurements have the lake’s clarity – measured by lowering a white disk (called a Secchi disk) into the water and seeing how far down it can still be spotted – at 64.4 feet.

The plan, developed by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection, is called the Total Maximum DailyLoad (TMDL), capping the amount of pollution and runoff working its way into the lake – particularly from urban storm water runoff.
It calls for area jurisdictions – the City of South Lake Tahoe, the bordering county governments in both California and Nevada and their respective road departments, to reduce sediment going into the lake by 32 percent over the next 15 years – and that’s where precise water quality monitoring comes into play.
Not only do sediments and pollutants have to be monitored, but nutrients as well, which can cause algae blooms that dramatically cloud the water. The plan targets fine sediments (which tend to “hang” in the water rather than settling to the bottom of the lake), phosphorus, and nitrogen pollutants.
Top sources of those contaminants being targeted include urban and forest storm water runoff, stream channel erosion and atmospheric deposition.
When government agencies take steps like stabilizing and re-vegetating road shoulders and eroding slopes, street sweeping, better landscaping, runoff treatment and filtration, the creation of wetlands, the re-vegetation of ski slopes, and other projects – close monitoring will be necessary to measure success.
And success is critical, considering the plan could cost as much as $100 million per year for the next 15 years, according to the Lahontan regional Water Quality Control Board, so monitoring will insure that is money well spent.

Despite the controversy that has surrounded it since its inception, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency has been the most effective funding funnel that Lake Tahoe environmental projects have ever seen. Hundreds of millions of dollars in environmental restoration work has been brought to the Tahoe Basin through Tahoe’s unique, bi-state planning organization.

Recently, however, the agency has been under fire like never before. A bill introduced in the Nevada legislature threatens to pull out of the agency if certain significant changes are not made to the way the agency operates. Just days ago, the bill passed the Nevada legislature, and it now awaits the governor’s signature to become law.

For background on the controversy surrounding the TRPA, and details on the Nevada bill that threatens to pull out of the agency by 2015, visit these links:

http://www.moonshineink.com/articles.php/0/2355

http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20110607/NEWS/110609908/1056&parentprofile=1056

Do you work in environmental restoration, water monitoring or regulation at Lake Tahoe? What would the dissolution of the TRPA mean for your business? What are your opinions about Lake Tahoe’s environmental future without a bi-state planning agency?

To share your thoughts, look us up on Facebook and post your comments on our page.

Western Environmental Testing Laboratory

SPARKS OFFICE
475 E. Greg St, Suite 119
Sparks, NV 89431
Monday – Friday (8:00 am – 6:00 pm)
(775) 355-0202 – Phone
(775) 355-0817 – Fax

Natural resources are important for the livelihood and survival of populations.  One of the most important resources is water, and to be even more specific clean water.  The distribution of water serves many purposes, from aquatic ecosystems, domestic use to commercial and industrial use.  Clean and safe drinking water can be monitored through microbiological testing.  At WETLAB – Western Environmental Testing Laboratory we are proud to offer four certified microbiology analyses and two non-compliance tests.  We are certified in Nevada and California to analyze Presence/Absence (P/A), Quanti-tray, Fecal Coliform, and Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC).  The two non-compliance tests we offer are tests to determine Iron Related Bacteria and Sulfate Reducing Bacteria.  WETLAB is continuously evolving each department and strives to offer quality data for clients and we encourage method development by researching new tests in order to meet our client needs.

This post is provided to help clients better understand the microbiology analyses at WETLAB.  Each test will be described in detail with regards to what we are testing for, what type of sample matrices can be analyzed for certain tests, brief description of the analyses and the hold times for each test (please note there are two different hold times for Quanti-tray).  The definition that we follow at WETLAB for sample hold time is the time from sample collection to when analysis MUST begin.

 

For more information on microbiology analysis, please refer to Standard Methods, Part 9000, Methods 9222 and 9223.

 

Bacteria Sample Bottle, Volume and Sample Integrity

• Plastic, sterile bottle
• Sample bottle contains sodium thiosulfate.
• Fill to 100 mL line.
• Chill to 2-6^o C.
• Cleanliness is required!

 

SM 9223 B

Presence/Absence (P/A)

Laboratory Hold time (HT)

• P/A  =  30 Hour HT

Sample Matrix

• This test is recommended for the analysis of potable drinking water and fresh source waters

 

Biology Background

• The scope of this test is to analyze for the presence or absence of Total Coliform bacteria and Escherichia Coli. Total Coliform bacteria are abundant in the environment and are easily identified in the laboratory.  While these bacteria may not be pathogenic they are used as “indicator bacteria,” for the sanitation of drinking water.  If Total Coliform bacteria are present, there is a chance that E.Coli could also be present.  Some types of E.Coli can be found in the guts of living organisms as beneficial co-factors in the daily health of that individual.  Because E.Coli is found in the gut, the purpose of testing for it is to determine the possibility of fecal contamination, which is used as an indicator for the sanitation of a water source.

Laboratory Analysis

• Tests for Total Coliform and E. coli only.
• Strictly a qualitative result is obtained.
• Used almost exclusively for drinking water.
• 24 hour incubation.
• Incubation temperature, 35.0 + 0.5 ^oC
• Analysis performed in sample bottle.
• Commercially available chromogenic substrate (ONPG)-known as “Colilert” is used.
• Colilert is used to detect the enzyme b-D-galactosidase, which is produced by total coliform.
• Total coliform detection produces a yellow color.
• Colilert is used to detect the enzyme b-glucuronidase, which is produced by E. coli.
• E. coli detection produces a fluorescent product when viewed under long-wavelength UV light.

 

SM 9223 B

Quanti-tray (MPN)

 

Laboratory Hold time (HT)

• Quanti-tray =  30 Hour HT for Drinking water/Source water
• Quanti-tray =  6 Hour HT for Wastewater samples

Sample Matrix

• This test is recommended for the analysis of potable drinking water, fresh source water or wastewaters

 

Biology Background

• The scope of this test is to analyze for a “most probable number” index of the number of Total Coliform bacteria and Escherichia Coli, present in the sample.. Total Coliform bacteria are abundant in the environment and are easily identified in the laboratory.  While these bacteria may not be pathogenic they are used as “indicator bacteria,” for the sanitation of drinking water.  If Total Coliform bacteria are present, there is a chance that E.Coli could also be present.  Some types of E.Coli can be found in the guts of living organisms as beneficial co-factors in the daily health of that individual.  Because E.Coli is found in the gut, the purpose of testing for it is to determine the possibility of fecal contamination, which is used as an indicator for the sanitation of the water source.

Laboratory Analysis

• Tests for Total Coliform and E. coli only.
• Quantitative result is obtained.
• Most commonly used for source water.
• 24 hour incubation.
• Incubation temperature, 35.0 + 0.5 ^oC
• Uses Colilert just like presence/absence.
• Sample poured into analysis tray, then incubated.
• Count yellow/fluorescent wells in tray, this produces MPN-Most Probable Number result.

SM 9222 D

Fecal Coliform

Laboratory Hold time (HT)

• Fecal Coliform  =  8 Hour HT

Sample Matrix

• This test is recommended for the analysis source water, wastewaters and sludge’s.

 

Biology Background

• The scope of this test is to analyze a direct count of colony forming units of fecal coliform.  Fecal coliform can originate in feces (e.g. E.Coli) or non-fecal origin, such as plant materials and paper mill effluents examples of bacteria are Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Citrobacter.  The assay is intended to detect E. Coli as an indicator organism for fecal contamination.

 

Laboratory Analysis

• Tests for fecal contamination in water.
• Quantitative result is obtained.
• Most commonly used for waste water and surface water.
• 24 hour incubation in water bath.
• Incubation temperature, 44.5. + 0.2 ^oC
  • Sample is filtered (0.45 mm), microorganisms collect on filter and grow due to media used in petri dish.
  • Count blue colonies.

SM 9215 B / SimPlate

HETEROTROPHIC PLATE COUNT (HPC)

Laboratory Hold time (HT)

• HPC  =  8 Hour HT

Sample Matrix

• This test is recommended for the analysis of potable drinking water, fresh source water or wastewaters.

Biology Background

• Heterotrophic bacteria, must consume carbon sources for energy and growth.  They are found prevalent in the environment as decomposing bacteria as well as being normal flora of the human body.  Current research is investigating the use of Heterotrophic bacteria testing for similar purposes as P/A and Fecal Coliform, to evaluate the composition of the water, using Heterotrophic bacteria as the “indicator” organism for possible contamination in water.

 

 

 

Laboratory Analysis

• Tests for Heterotrophic bacteria
• Quantitative result is obtained.
• Most commonly used for drinking water.
• 48 hour incubation.
• Incubation temperature, 35.0 + 0.5 ^oC
• Uses IDEXX’s Multiple Enzyme Technology media.
• Sample poured into analysis tray, then incubated.
• Count blue fluorescence, this produces MPN-Most Probable Number result.

SM 9240 B

Iron Related Bacteria (IRB)

 

SM 9240 C

Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB)

Laboratory Hold time (HT)

• IRB/SRB  =  WETLAB would prefer to use a hold time of 30 Hours

Sample Matrix

• This test is recommended for the analysis of treated water, distribution systems and water used in for industrial use, such as cooling and boiler waters.

 

Biology Background

• The scope of these tests are very similar, hence the reason they have been grouped together.  The metabolic processes of Iron Bacteria and Sulfur Bacteria chemically change the constituents they are associated with.  The metabolic wastes can be bothersome because they can form slimes that clog pipelines or affect the aesthetic properties of water.

Laboratory Analysis

• Tests for either Iron Related Bacteria or Sulfate Reducing Bacteria
• Strictly a qualitative result is obtained.
• Most commonly used for water used for industrial and distribution systems.
• 8 Day incubation.
• Incubation temperature, 20-25^oC
• Uses BART^TM test kit for IRB or SRB analysis
• Sample poured into analysis tray, then incubated.
• Visually inspect for reactions of presence/absence.

On January 11^th, 2011 The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Mining Regulation and Reclamation (BMRR) issued a statement clarifying the acceptable methods for the analysis of Weak Acid Dissociable, or “WAD”, cyanide. The statement listed two acceptable methods: ASTM D2036-082 and SM 4500CN I.

Keep in mind this concerns only compliance monitoring samples that are being reported to BMRR. The issued statement doesn’t cover any sample that is not for compliance, or is being reported to any other agency.

Both acceptable methods are manual distillation methods that use a weak acid (glacial acetic acid) to break up easily dissociated cyanide complexes, capture the free cyanide in solution, and then analyze the solution using a few different techniques. These two methods have long been thought to be the most reliable techniques for the quantification of cyanide in waters. BMRR stated that only data obtained using one of these two methods would be acceptable for compliance monitoring.

Western Environmental Testing Laboratory (WETLAB) has been using SM4500CN I for the analysis of WAD cyanide for many years and is currently certified by the State of Nevada, Bureau of Water Quality Planning. Just like any method or technique that WETLAB wishes to use for compliance monitoring sample analysis, we have gone through a rigorous certification program that includes an on-site audit and the analysis of “blind” QC samples.

Over the last decade new techniques have been developed for the analysis of the easily dissociated cyanide complexes that WETLAB hopes become acceptable for BMRR reporting. One specific method is known as Flow Injection Ligand Exchange or F.I.L.E. cyanide. WETLAB is already certified and equipped to use this more efficient and environmentally sound testing method, which would provide clients with quicker turn-around time for results. Should BMRR choose to accept data generated from this technique, WETLAB will contact clients to inform them of our wish to change methodologies.

As always, if you have any questions regarding the information contained in this blog, don’t hesitate to call (775) 355-0202.