Services & Capabilities
Submitting your Samples
Submitting your drinking water for analysis is a simple process.
First, pick up your drinking water test kit at our facility in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Monday - Friday from 8am - 5pm at no charge. If you live too far away to stop by, please contact us for instructions for submitting your samples by mail.
Your test kit includes sample containers, safety information, gloves, chain of custody form (to record your information) and sampling instructions. See below for an outline of our sampling instructions.
Samples can be dropped off Monday - Thursday at the lab. Samples should be submitted the same day they the bottles are filled. No samples can be accepted on Fridays or the day before a holiday. If you have any questions please call and ask for Jen.
Sampling Instructions
I. Bottles in the Standard test kit
Bottle 1 is labeled Metals: This bottle is used to test for Metals including Lead, Iron, Arsenic, Copper, Manganese, Sodium and also Hardness.
Bottle 2 is labeled Anions: This bottle is used to test for Chloride, Fluoride, Nitrate, Nitrite and pH.
Bottle 3 is labeled Bacteria: This bottle is used to test for Bacteria.
Note: VOC analysis is not included in the Standard Water Quality package. Sample bottles for VOC analysis are added upon request. Please inquire about the sampling procedure.
II. Sampling Instructions
- Samples must be returned to the lab on the day they are collected. They can be dropped off Monday -Thursday.
- The sample should be taken from the most frequently used tap (usually the kitchen sink).
- Remove the screen/aerator from your faucet.
- Using a 50:50 bleach and water solution on a cloth or paper towel, wipe down the faucet head.
- Run your cold water for no less than 5 minutes.
- Once water temperature has stabilized, reduce the flow to 1/8 inch.
- Put on the gloves included in your sampling kit.
- Fill bottles 1 and 2 to the neck, replace caps securely.
- Bottle 3 (bacteria) has a white powder preservative inside of it (sodium thiosulfate). Please do not wash it out. This bottle is sterile. Once you remove the lid collect the sample right away. Do not touch inside or near the opening of the bottle. Do not touch the inside of the lid. Fill this bottle up to just above the 100mL line.
- Return the samples to the zip lock bag and add ice.
- Fill in the information on the Chain of Custody form.
- Return the samples to our facility Monday - Thursday from 8am - 4pm.
