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POTABLE, NON-POTABLE & PROCESS WATER TESTING
Microbiological and Selected Water-Quality Analysis
Water quality can affect public health, sanitation, manufacturing processes, product quality, equipment, and facility operations.
Biotrax provides third-party water testing for potable water, non-potable water, process water, and applicable wastewater or environmental samples. Testing may help clients evaluate microbial quality, investigate a concern, monitor a water system, meet customer or program requirements, and support routine quality or operational decisions.
The correct analysis depends on the water source, intended use, applicable requirements, and reason for testing. Contact us before collecting your sample when you are unsure which container, volume, preservation, method, or delivery time applies.
WHAT IS YOUR TYPE OF WATER?
The intended use of the water determines which analyses, methods, and sample-handling requirements may apply.
POTABLE WATER
Potable water is water intended or approved for drinking and other human-consumption uses.
Testing may support:
- Drinking-water monitoring.
- Facility or production-water verification.
- Investigation of changes in water quality.
- Private or internal water-quality programs.
- Customer or operational requirements.
- Follow-up after maintenance, treatment, or system interruption.
NON-POTABLE WATER
Non-potable water is not intended for drinking. This may include wastewater, influent, effluent, utility water, reclaimed water, or other environmental and operational water samples.
Testing may support:
- Wastewater and treatment-system monitoring.
- Process or utility-water evaluation.
- Sanitation and facility programs.
- Environmental-quality programs.
- Investigation of possible fecal or microbial impact.
- Customer, permit, or internal specifications.
PROCESS WATER
Process water is water used during manufacturing, cleaning, rinsing, formulation, cooling, or other operational activities.
Depending on how it is used, process water may need to meet potable-water requirements or a separate internal, customer, or industry specification.
Tell us how the water contacts your product, equipment, or process so we can help clarify the appropriate testing path.
PROCESS WATER MICROBIOLOGY
Process water is used during manufacturing, formulation, rinsing, cleaning, cooling, or other operational activities. Its microbiological requirements depend on how the water is used, whether it contacts products or equipment, and the facility’s internal, customer, or industry specifications.
Biotrax offers selected membrane-filtration microbiology testing for applicable process-water samples.
Important: Process-water membrane-filtration testing is not included under Biotrax’s NYS ELAP scope. These analyses may support internal quality, process-monitoring, investigation, or applicable customer programs that do not require an ELAP-certified result.
USP AEROBIC PLATE COUNT—MEMBRANE FILTRATION
This method passes a measured volume of process water through a membrane that captures microorganisms. The membrane is then placed onto an appropriate growth medium and incubated so viable aerobic microorganisms can be counted.
Testing may help:
- Monitor the general microbial condition of a process-water system
- Compare sampling points or production dates
- Evaluate changes following maintenance, sanitation, or filtration
- Investigate unexpected microbial findings
- Support internal low-bioburden or process-control specifications
The significance of the result depends on the process, water use, sampling location, historical data, and facility acceptance criteria.
YEAST & MOLD—MEMBRANE FILTRATION
This method concentrates viable yeast and mold from a measured volume of process water onto a membrane before incubation and counting.
Testing may help facilities investigate or monitor fungal contamination in process-water systems, especially where yeast or mold could affect product quality, shelf life, manufacturing conditions, or equipment cleanliness.
Results are often most useful when compared across recurring sampling locations and reviewed over time.
BEFORE SUBMITTING PROCESS WATER
Tell us:
- How the water is used.
- Whether it contacts products, packaging, or equipment.
- Where in the system the sample will be collected.
- Whether the request is routine or investigative.
- The facility specification or acceptance criteria, when available.
- Whether a specific USP or customer method is required.
SELECTED WATER CHEMISTRY
Microbiological testing is only one part of evaluating water quality. Biotrax also offers selected chemistry analyses based on the water type, intended use, testing objective, and required method.
Availability, certification status, and whether testing is performed in-house or coordinated through a qualified partner laboratory may vary by analyte.
Contact Biotrax before collection when a specific method or certified result is required.
pH
pH measures how acidic or alkaline the water is.
Water pH may influence:
- Treatment effectiveness
- Corrosion and scaling
- Cleaning and sanitation chemistry
- Equipment performance
- Product formulation
- Microbial behavior
- Overall suitability for the intended process
The appropriate pH range depends on the water source, use, and applicable specification. Testing may support routine process monitoring, troubleshooting, and evaluation against internal or customer specifications.
NITRATE & NITRITE
Nitrate and nitrite testing measures nitrogen-containing compounds that may enter water through agricultural activity, wastewater impact, treatment processes, or natural sources.
Testing may support:
- Water-quality investigations
- Environmental or agricultural concerns
- Treatment-system evaluation
- Internal or customer specifications
- Applicable drinking-water requirements
Important: The correct container, preservation, holding time, method, and certification needs should be confirmed before collection.
LEAD
Lead testing measures the concentration of lead in a submitted water sample.
Lead may enter water through:
- Plumbing materials
- Fixtures
- Solder
- Service lines
- Source-water contamination
Testing may support evaluation of drinking water, investigation of plumbing-related concerns, or applicable customer and regulatory requirements.
The sampling procedure can affect what the result represents. For example, first-draw, flushed, source, and point-of-use samples may answer different questions.
Contact Biotrax before collection so the intended purpose, container, preservation, sampling procedure, and required laboratory scope can be confirmed.
WATER SAMPLE COLLECTION MATTERS
Water-testing methods have specific requirements for sample collection, handling, and delivery. Using the wrong container, submitting too little water, or exceeding the method’s holding time may make a sample unsuitable for analysis.
Requirements may include:
- A sterile or preserved sample container.
- A minimum sample volume.
- Method-specific collection instructions.
- Temperature control.
- Protection from outside contamination.
- A defined holding time.
- Delivery to the laboratory within a specific timeframe.
- Accurate documentation of the location and collection time.
Microbiology samples commonly require at least 100 milliliters, but the exact amount depends on the analysis. Process-water membrane-filtration methods may require a different or larger volume.
BEFORE COLLECTING, CONFIRM:
- Whether the sample is potable, non-potable, wastewater, or process water.
- The source and intended use of the water.
- Which analysis is needed.
- Whether an ELAP-certified result is required.
- Whether the method is in-house or coordinated.
- The correct container and sample volume.
- Whether preservation or temperature control is required.
- The applicable holding time.
- When the sample can be delivered.
- Whether Biotrax collection vessels are needed.
- Whether on-site collection is available for the request.
Biotrax can provide appropriate water-sampling containers and instructions for applicable analyses.
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