Drinking Water Well Information

Whether you own a private well or manage a public water system, these resources provide valuable information on well maintenance, drinking water regulations, and federal standards. They offer guidance on protecting water supplies, understanding water quality concerns, and locating regulatory requirements that may affect sampling and testing. 

Regulatory Agencies

Environmental testing and compliance are guided by federal, state, and regional regulatory agencies. The following resources provide access to California and EPA regulations, permitting information, remediation guidance, and water quality programs that help protect public health and the environment. 

Test Methods and Regulatory References 

Accurate laboratory testing begins with recognized analytical methods and regulatory guidance. These references provide access to EPA-approved testing methods, water quality standards, contaminant information, and technical guidance commonly used by environmental professionals and accredited laboratories. 

Specific Analytes or Subjects of Interest 

Environmental testing often focuses on specific contaminants or specialized areas of study. The resources below provide additional information on common analytes, water quality issues, environmental organizations, and emerging contaminants that may affect groundwater, surface water, drinking water, and wastewater monitoring programs. 

Mercury

Mercury is a naturally occurring metal that can become an environmental contaminant through industrial activities and natural processes. These resources discuss mercury research, environmental monitoring, and potential impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health. 

Pesticides

Pesticides are routinely monitored in environmental and water quality studies due to their potential impact on groundwater, surface water, and ecosystems. These references provide information on pesticide regulations, monitoring programs, and analytical guidance. 

Pathogens

Monitoring for microbial contaminants helps protect public health and ensure compliance with water quality standards. These resources provide EPA guidance on pathogens and microbiological criteria used in water quality assessments. 

Water Quality Related Organizations 

These organizations support environmental science, laboratory professionals, water treatment specialists, and researchers through education, technical resources, industry standards, and professional development opportunities.

Other Sites You Might Enjoy 

Environmental laboratory science relies on sophisticated analytical instrumentation. This educational resource provides an overview of mass spectrometry and its role in modern scientific and environmental analysis. 

Pyrethroids Pesticides

Pyrethroid pesticides are commonly used for residential and agricultural pest control but can also affect aquatic environments when carried into waterways through stormwater runoff. These resources explore their environmental impacts and ongoing research into stream pollution. 

The following links are to educational sites related to instrument theory and operation. The sites were found useful for CWEA (California Water Environment Association) voluntary lab analyst certification training we provided. 

Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) is a well-established analytical technique used to measure metals in environmental samples. The following educational resources explain the principles behind atomic absorption, emission spectroscopy, and related analytical methods used in environmental laboratories.

 ICP-MS

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) is one of the most sensitive analytical techniques available for measuring trace metals in environmental samples. This educational resource explains how ICP-MS works and why it plays an important role in groundwater testing. 

Mass Spectrometers

Mass spectrometry is widely used for identifying and quantifying organic compounds, pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, and many other environmental contaminants. These resources provide an introduction to different mass analyzer technologies and the science behind modern laboratory instrumentation. 

Gas Chromatography

Gas chromatography (GC) is an essential analytical technique for separating and measuring volatile and semi-volatile compounds found in environmental samples. The following resource provides an introduction to the principles of gas chromatography and its applications in laboratory testing.