Nebraska Administrative Code
Topic - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM
Title 179 - PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
Chapter 20 - LABORATORY CERTIFICATION AND AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING DRINKING WATER
Section 179-20-005 - CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FOR LABORATORIES IN NEBRASKA THAT ARE CERTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT

Universal Citation: 179 NE Admin Rules and Regs ch 20 ยง 005

Current through September 17, 2024

To be certified and maintain certification by the Department, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

(A) The regulatory performance criteria as explained in the Environmental Protection Agency Manual for the Certification of Laboratories Analyzing Drinking Water, Fifth Edition, (January 2005) including Supplement 1 (June 2008) and Supplement 2 (November 2012) and all other applicable regulatory requirements. The manual, Environmental Protection Agency 815-R-05-004, is incorporated herein by reference

(B) Use the methods set out in the regulations adopted under the Nebraska Safe Drinking Water Act

(C) Comply with a current laboratory quality assurance plan, as specified in the Environmental Protection Agency Manual for the Certification of Laboratories Analyzing Drinking Water, Fifth Edition, (January 2005) including Supplement 1 (June 2008) and Supplement 2 (November 2012)

(D) Maintain current administrative and analytical standard operating procedures that follow the format set out in Guidance for the Preparation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Quality Related Documents, April 2007, (Environmental Protection Agency QA/G-6), published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency Quality Assurance Division, Washington, DC 20460, which is incorporated herein by this reference

(E) Employ both a laboratory director and a quality assurance manager having the following qualifications:

(i) The laboratory director must be a qualified professional with the technical education and experience, and managerial capability commensurate with the size and type of the laboratory. The laboratory director is ultimately responsible for ensuring that all laboratory personnel have demonstrated proficiency for their assigned functions and that all data reported by the laboratory meet the required quality assurance criteria and regulatory requirements; and

(ii) The quality assurance manager must be independent from the laboratory management, if possible, and have direct access to the highest level of management and meet the following:
(1) Have a bachelor's degree in science or the equivalent work experience, training in quality assurance principles commensurate with the size and sophistication of the laboratory, and at least 1 year of experience in quality assurance; and

(2) Have a working knowledge of the statistics involved in quality control of laboratory analysis and a basic understanding of the methods which the laboratory employs;

(F) Document the laboratory has analyzed a proficiency testing sample with acceptable results for each test method for which certification is requested within the past 60 days prior to the date of application and every 12 months for each test method for which certification is maintained. Proficiency testing samples must be obtained from a proficiency testing provider approved by National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program. The proficiency testing provider must send results of the proficiency testing samples directly to the Department. If the results of a proficiency testing sample are unacceptable, the laboratory has 60 days to perform another test and obtain satisfactory results to maintain certification;

(G) Be able to provide documentation to the Department that the person(s) analyzing any proficiency testing sample(s) is a laboratory employee who routinely analyzes drinking water compliance samples;

(H) Accurately analyze the proficiency testing samples by each method for which the laboratory wishes to be certified;

(I) Analyze proficiency testing samples in the same manner, including the same number of times, that the laboratory tests compliance samples;

(J) For those laboratories that do compliance testing for a system(s) in which they may have a vested interest or by which they may be owned, agree to have a minimum of 10% of the minimum number of samples per month set out in the regulations adopted under the Nebraska Safe Drinking Water Act, or a minimum of 1 sample per week of drinking water compliance testing, whichever is more, analyzed by the Department Laboratory or a certified laboratory which maintains an agreement with the Department for the specific compliance testing and which is not owned by and does not have a vested interest in the testing results. Compliance samples must be collected and analyzed at regular time intervals throughout the month;

(K) Submit results in an electronic format acceptable to the Department; and

(L) Notify the Department in writing within 30 days of any change to the following:

(i) The name and street address of the laboratory;

(ii) The name of the laboratory director;

(iii) The name of the laboratory quality assurance manager;

(iv) Test methods used;

(v) Quality assurance plan;

(vi) Standard operating procedures; or

(vii) The name of the primary analyst for certified methods.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Nebraska may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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