Water testing for microbial and chemical compliance is essential to ensure the safety and quality of drinking water, industrial process water, and wastewater.These analyses verify that water meets regulatory standards and is suitable for use, production, or environmental release.
Microbial testing focuses on detecting pathogenic and indicator organisms such as Escherichia coli, total coliform, fecal coliform, Enterococcus, and heterotrophic bacteria. These tests help identify potential contamination from sewage, surface runoff, or improper treatment processes. Standard methods include membrane filtration, multiple-tube fermentation, and rapid enzyme-based assays.
Chemical compliance testing measures a variety of physical and chemical parameters that affect water quality.
Key parameters include pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids , hardness, alkalinity, and residual chlorine. Additional analyses may include nutrients such as nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and phosphate, as well as metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and iron. Organic pollutants such as pesticides, solvents, and hydrocarbons may also be assessed based on regulatory requirements. In industrial and wastewater samples, parameters such as biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and oil and grease are commonly measured.
These microbial and chemical assessments together provide a complete evaluation of water quality, supporting public health, environmental protection, and compliance with national and international standards.