DHHS → MeCDC → Division of Public Health Systems → HETL → Water Testing → Public Water Testing Guide
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING LABORATORY
PUBLIC WATER TESTING GUIDE
221 STATE STREET, STATION #12
AUGUSTA, MAINE 04333
| Tel #: 207-287-1716 | |
| Toll Free #: 866-LAB-HETL (866-522-4385) | |
| TDD #: 207-287-4479 | |
| FAX#: 207-287-1884 |
Oct 2, 2006
This Guide is intended to summarize the State Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory's ability to provide analytical support for the most recent EPA Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements. The SDWA has undergone at least 8 major rule changes for analytical testing since its inception in 1975. Phase II and Phase V regulations increase the number of parameters monitored from 35 to 84 (including regulated and unregulated parameters) and significantly increase the technical complexity of the analytical procedures and instrumentation.
| Test Conductivity | Conductivity |
Test TNN |
Nitrate and Nitrite |
| Test Color_Lachat | Tests for Color |
| Test E1 | Inorganics/Coliform (Phase II and Secondary) |
| Test E2 | Inorganics (Phase II and Secondary) |
| Test E3 | Extended Inorganics (Phase V) |
| Test E4 | Lead and Copper (Lead and Copper Rule) |
| Test E5 | Alkalinity, Calcium, Conductivity, and Silica |
| Test F_Lachat | Tests for Fluoride |
| Test TG | Tests for Total Coliform (Coliform Rule) |
| Test TG | Tests for Total Coliform Recheck (Coliform Rule) Required for rechecking an initial positive Coliform |
| Test HAA-552 | Haloacetic Acids |
| Test VOC_524 | Volatile Organics (Phase II and V) |
| Test SVO_525 | Semi-Volatiles by GC/MS (Phase II and V) |
| Test THM 524 | Tri Halomethanes |
| Test Chlorinated Acids | Herbicide Screen (Phase II and V)) |
| Test Carbam_531 | Carbamate Screen (Phase II and V) |
| Test Radon Water | Radon in water |
| Test Standard Plate Count | Standard Plate Count |
| Test TURB | Tests for Turbidity |
| Test Gamma Scan | Gamma activity in water |
| Test Tritium | Tritium in water |
| Test Gross Alpha | Gross Alpha |
| Test UV Treatment | UV Treatment |
| Test UX | Combined test for Gross Alpha and Gross Beta in water |
| Test V | Radium 226 & 228 |
| Test Radium 228 | Only Radium 228 in water |
| Test Gross Beta | Gross Beta |
Currently the State of Maine HETL is not certified for Asbestos and Diquat. The State of Maine has been granted Waivers for Glyphosate, Dioxin, EDB, and DBCP. Other tests are available and may be listed in other testing guides: Private drinking water testing, Environmental, or special requests. Prices are the result of regulatory administrative procedures, either from individual price determination, or from the application of the approved regulated hourly rates.
INORGANIC WATER TESTS |
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* TEST Conductivity $16.00
Conductivity
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*TEST TNN $31.00
Nitrate and Nitrite
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* TEST Color Lachat $16.00 per Test
Color on 1-4 samples.
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* TEST E1 $165.00 (Test E2 with total coliform)¹
* TEST E2 $154.00¹
This is a required initial test for community water supplies and meets EPA Phase II guidelines for most inorganics. The test includes:NITRATE AND NITRITE NITROGEN, CHLORIDE, HARDNESS, FLUORIDE, COPPER, IRON, MANGANESE, ZINC, ARSENIC, BARIUM, CADMIUM, CHROMIUM, LEAD, MERCURY, SILVER, SELENIUM, SODIUM, COLOR, TURBIDITY, pH and optional TOTAL COLIFORM
¹IF EPA MANDATES ADDITIONAL DIGESTION, AN ADDITIONAL $17.00 IS NECESSARY
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* TEST E3 $154.00
This is a test for Phase V inorganics. The test includes:
Nickel, Antimony, Beryllium, Sulfate, Cyanide, and Thallium
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* Test E4 LEAD & COPPER $30.00
Lead by EPA Method 200.8
Copper by EPA Method 200.8
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* Test E5 Corrosion Treatment Parameters $66.00
If the lead and copper rule is exceeded, the parameters include: alkalinity, Calcium, Conductivity, and Silica
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* Test FLUORIDE $16.00
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New Test Code TG
* Test G1 - G4 Total Coliform $16.00 per Test ¹
Example: TG1 Single bottle for Total Coliform.
¹ The testing for total coliform now includes the EC MUG confirmation for fecal coliforms and E. Coli at no additional charge for all positive samples.
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New Test Code TG
* Test GR1 - GR4 Total Coliform Recheck $16.00 per Test ¹
Example: TGR2, Two bottle recheck for total coliform $32.00.
Recheck samples are required when the initial bacteria test is positive for total coliforms. Three or four recheck samples are required depending on the number of samples taken each month.
¹ The testing for total coliform now includes the EC MUG confirmation for fecal coliforms and E. Coli at no additional charge for all positive samples.
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New Test Code Standard Plate Count
* Test SPCP1 - SPCP4 $16.00 per Test
Standard Plate Count for 1-4 samples.
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New Test Code Turb
* Test TPUB1 - TPUB4 $16.00 per Test
Turbidity on 1-4 samples.
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New Test: UV Treatment $157.00
This must be done prior to installing UV Treatment as described in the Maine Drinking Water Program UV Light Policy and will test for:
PH, Total Suspended Solids, Hydrogen Sulfide, E. Coli, Total Coliform, Iron Bacteria, Total Hardness, Dissolved Iron, Magnesium, Dissolved Manganese, Turbidity, & UV 254nm Transmittance.
TESTS FOR ORGANIC COMPOUND CONTAMINANTS |
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New Test Code HAA_552
* TEST HAAC $140.00
This test is performed according to Safe Drinking Water Act criteria for total HALOACETIC ACIDS that result from chlorination of water. The four HALOACETIC ACIDS: Chloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Bromoacetic acid and Trichloroacetic acid are tested by EPA method 552.2
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New Test Code VOC_524
* TEST N $150.00
The VOLATILE ORGANICS SCREEN utilizies EPA method 524.2.
Listed below are all the compounds routinely tested for using the HETL Volatile Organic Test (EPA Method 524.2). Fuel mixtures such as gasoline may also detected by this method; but are not quantitated. If a fuel mixture is detected in your sample we recommend that it be retested by the Volatile Petroleum Screen (GROW) which is specifically designed to test for fuel mixtures.
| Benzene | Bromobenzene | |
| Bromochloromethane | Bromomethane | |
| n-Butylbenzene | sec-Butylbenzene | |
| tert-Butylbenzene | Carbon tetrachloride | |
| Chlorobenzene | Chloroethane | |
| Chloromethane | 2-Chlorotoluene | |
| 4-Chlorotoluene | 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane | |
| 1,2-Dibromoethane | Dibromomethane | |
| 1,2-Dichlorobenzene | 1,3-Dichlorobenzene | |
| 1,4-Dichlorobenzene | Dichlorofluoromethane | |
| 1,1-Dichlorethane | 1,2-Dichloroethane | |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethene | 1,2-Dichloropropane | |
| 1,3-Dichloropropane | 2,2-Dichloropropane | |
| 1,1-Dichloropropene | Ethlybenzene | |
| Hexachlorobutadiene | Isopropylbenzene | |
| p-Isopropyltoluene | Naphthalene | |
| Methylene chloride | n-Propylbenzene | |
| Styrene | 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane | |
| 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane | Tetrachloroethene | |
| Toluene | 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene | |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | 1,3,5-Trichlorobenzene | |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | |
| Trichloroethene | Trichlorofluoromethane | |
| 1,2,3-Trichloropropane | Trichlorotrifluoroethane | |
| 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene | 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene | |
| Vinyl chloride | o-Xylene | |
| m-Xylene | p-Xylene |
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New Test Code SVO_525
* TEST O $220.00 The SEMI-VOLATILES ORGANIC SCREEN test uses a solid phase extraction technique to extract higher boiling compounds from the water sample. This is an EPA GC/MS method 525.2.Current analytes include:
Hexachlorobenzene, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate, Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, Alachlor, Endrin, Lindane, Simazine, Aldrin, Heptachlor, Heptachlor Epoxide, Methoxychlor, Atrazine, and Dieldrin.
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New Test Code THM_524
* TEST P $90.00This test is performed according to Safe Drinking Water Act criteria for total TRIHALOMETHANES. Trihalomethanes result from chlorination of water.The four chlorination byproducts: chloroform, bromodichloromethane, chlorodibromomethane, and bromoform are tested by EPA method 524.2.
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New Test Code Chlorinated Acids
* TEST Q1 HERBICIDE SCREEN $220.00 HERBICIDE SCREEN - A general screening method for the detection of the chlorinated acid herbicides (2,4-D) and residues of Dalapon , Dinoseb (DNBP), DICAMBA and PENTACHLOROPHENOL with EPA Method: 515.2
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New Test Code Carbam_531
* TEST Q3 Carbamate Pesticides $140 This is EPA Method 531.1. Current analytes include:
Carbofuran, Oxamyl, Aldicarb, Aldicarb Sulfoxide, Aldicarb Sulfone, 3-Hydroxycarbofuran, Carbaryl, Methomyl
RADIOLOGICAL TESTS |
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New Test Code Gamma Scan
* TEST GX $55.00
This test measures GAMMA activity in water.
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New Test Code Radon Water
* TEST S $28.00
The RADON WATER test tests for naturally occurring radioactive gas present in many drilled wells.
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New Test Code Tritium
* TEST TX $55.00
Test for TRITIUM in water.
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New Test Code Gross Alpha
* TEST U $60.00
This test measures GROSS ALPHA, the naturally occurring radioactivity in water, but does not test for radon. This test is required for public water supplies.
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* TEST UX $99.00
Combined test for GROSS ALPHA and GROSS BETA in water.
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* TEST V $215.00
Test for RADIUM in water. This test is mandated if gross alpha (Test U) is more than 5 picocuries.
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New Test Code Radium 228
* TEST VY $165.00
Test for only RADIUM 228 in water.
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New Test Code Gross Beta
*TEST X $60.00
Test for GROSS BETA in water
NOTE: HETL ANALYSIS PROCEDURE FOR PHASE II AND V TESTING
The HETL has agreed to send water collection kits to those systems identified by the DHE. These systems have been grouped in segments in order to allow better scheduling of complex tests. Sample containers are sent out using the DHE listing. If the water supply chooses not to use the HETL, the bottles should be sent back to the HETL along with a notification to DHE indicating the name of the certified laboratory that will perform the analysis.
Filled water bottles should be sent to the HETL the day the sample is taken. Bottles (full or empty) that are not received within a 30 day time frame shall indicate non-compliance with mandatory testing. The names of systems not returning sample bottles will be reviewed by DHE and you will be assessed a restocking fee to cover materials and postage.
