Environmental Water Lab Certification

The Illinois Department of Public Health has been designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the certifying agency for approval of microbiological laboratories processing official samples of water. The laboratory certification program ensures that approved laboratories use methods and techniques that are in substantial agreement with the current editions of the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater.

The applicant seeking certification shall contact the Illinois Department of Public Health’s laboratory certification officer to receive a packet containing a copy of the regulations and requirements, a request for laboratory certification form and a copy of the evaluation and personnel questionnaire forms.

When the applicant feels the requirements can be met, a written request shall be sent to Laboratory Certification Officer.

Following receipt of the request, the laboratory certification officer will, upon a mutually agreeable date, perform an on-site survey and evaluation of facilities, equipment, performance, procedures and preliminary quality control records. The quality assurance plan must be prepared and in use at the time of the evaluation. Proficiency test samples must be successfully analyzed prior to the evaluation date.

Periodic analyses of proficiency test samples are required and laboratory certification shall be revoked for lack of participation or poor performance for two successive submissions.

Every two years, certified laboratories shall be re-evaluated through on-site inspection by laboratory certification officers. 

• Water Certification Forms
• Milk/Water Laboratory Certification Personnel Questionnaire
• Water Microbiology Lab Evaluation Form
• Request for Laboratory Certification for Microbiological Analysis of Public Water Supplies and Their Sources
• Laboratory Status Change Form

• Certification and Operation of Environmental Laboratories
• National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Ground Water Rule
• National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
• National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule
• Safe Drinking Water Act