The District
made the decision to construct a District-owned laboratory to increase control of
the important sampling and analysis required to meet EPA mandated permit conditions and to be able to monitor and control important treatment processes
more effectively. The intent was to be able to better control the quality, accuracy,
and timeliness of the analysis results.
Laboratory Building
The lab is certified to perform the following analyses under the Clean Water Act:
specific conductance, pH, total suspended solids (TSS), volatile suspended solids
(VSS), oil and grease (two analysis methods), total s
IC Analyzer
olids (TS), ammonia, chlorine,
biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total coliforms,
fecal coliforms. The lab also
has certification to perform the following analyses under the Safe Drinking Water
Act: total coliform, fecal coliform, conductivity, turbidity, and chlorine residual.
Other analyses are performed by the laboratory for process control purposes including:
volatile acid, alkalinity, soluble BOD, metals, and digester gas analysis to determine
methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide concentrations.
Accurate, reliable, and timely laboratory analysis is of the utmost importance in
the operation of a successful wastewater treatment operation and an industrial pretreatment
program. The reports and data produced by the laboratory must meet the highest degree
of scrutiny and be defensible if called into question. Process decisions are many
times based solely on laboratory results. Confidence in the quality and accuracy
of those results is
Effluent Sampler
essential to enabling good process decision making.
For the laboratory analysis to be
recognized by the State and EPA, a certified laboratory must perform them. The processes
of obtaining and maintaining certification are very rigorous. Written standard operating
procedures (SOP’s), demonstrated competence, audits, quality assurance/quality control
procedures, and inspections by the State Bureau of Laboratory Improvement are all
required to obtain and maintain current certification.
The District’s laboratory facility and personnel are a valuable asset and provide
many benefits in being able to operate an efficient and effective treatment operation.
To schedule a tour of the lab, please contact;
Ken Burgener
Lab Director
801-728-6825
kenburgener@ndsd.org