ELS offers a comprehensive range of tests to confirm the make-up, quality and safety of water sources including drinking water and environmental water samples.

Tests are designed to detect and monitor the presence or absence of contamination by total coliform bacteria and fecal coliform bacteria (i.e. E. coli). Tests are conducted on potable (drinking) water, such as well water, and in non-potable treated water, such as swimming pools.

ELS also performs tests to check levels of chlorine in treated well water and in household tap water for bacteriological testing purposes.

Click here for a listing of the water tests ELS performs.

Need to take a water sample?

Follow these instructions to take a proper water sample for accurate analysis:

  1. If you have an aerator/screen on the faucet where you are taking the water sample, remove it.
  2. Put bleach in a sandwich bag and hold it up at the end of the faucet, forcing a little bleach into the faucet end. This will sanitize the end of the faucet.
  3. Allow the cold water tap to run for 3-5 minutes.
  4. Fill the bottle to the indicator line or slightly above with cold water. Do not under fill the bottle and do not overflow the bottle. This will cause loss of the preservative inside.
  5. Sample must arrive at the lab within 30 hours of sampling.
  6. Sample drop off hours are 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. – noon on Friday.

Resources

If you are submitting a water sample, please be sure to include the proper paperwork with your sample: