Commercial laboratory

Philadelphia Water Department Bureau of Laboratory Services

Philadelphia, PA · Philadelphia County

Homeowner samplesNot listed, call to confirm
Mail-in kitsNot listed, call to confirm
Walk-in drop offNot listed, call to confirm

Certification and services

State certified
Certification number
51-00016
Certified by
Pennsylvania drinking water program
Certified for
Microbiological, Chemical
Lab type
Commercial
Last verified
June 11, 2024

Listed on the official state certified laboratory list.

Tests this lab is certified for

Arsenic
Coliform Bacteria
Full Homeowner Panel
Iron and Manganese
Lead
Nitrate / Nitrite
Volatile Organic Compounds

How to submit a sample

  1. 1
    Call or check the website for the right bottles

    Bacteria samples need a sterile bottle from the lab. Chemistry samples usually take a clean container the lab supplies.

  2. 2
    Collect from a cold tap before treatment

    Skip softeners and filters. Remove the aerator, run the water 3 to 5 minutes, then fill without touching the inside of the cap.

  3. 3
    Keep it cold and deliver within 24 hours

    Bacteria samples are time-sensitive. Use a cooler with ice packs and hand it in or ship it the same day.

  4. 4
    Read the report against the standards

    Compare results with EPA drinking water limits. If anything is over, our problem pages explain what it means and how to treat it.

Accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Laboratories (lab ID 51-00016) for drinking water analysis. Accredited analytes: Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Sodium, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium, Silver, Thallium, Zinc, Chlorate, Chloride, Chlorite, Fluoride, Nitrate as N, Nitrite as N, Orthophosphate as P, Sulfate, Total nitrate-nitrite, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Benzene, Bromodichloromethane, Bromoform, Carbon tetrachloride, Chlorobenzene, Chloroform, Dibromochloromethane, Ethylbenzene, Methylene chloride (Dichloromethane), Styrene, Toluene, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Vinyl chloride (Chloroethene), Xylenes, total, cis-1,2-Dichloroethene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethene, Bromochloroacetic acid (BCAA), Dibromoacetic acid (DBAA), Dichloroacetic acid (DCAA), Total haloacetic acids (HAA), Trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), Turbidity, Cyanide, Color, Alkalinity as CaCO3, Conductivity, Residue, filterable (TDS), Residual free chlorine, Total residual chlorine, pH, Total organic carbon (TOC), UV 254, E. coli [RTCR] (P/A), Total coliforms [RTCR] (P/A), E. coli (Enumeration), Heterotrophic bacteria (Enumeration).

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