Water Quality Lab
The Evanston Water Utility Laboratory is certified by the Illinois Department of Public Health to analyze water for bacteriological contamination. The method used is a membrane filter technique for the presence of total coliform using EC broth verification. Testing is done daily of both the raw (untreated) and finished (treated) waters. In addition ,over 80 tests are conducted on water samples collected from the Evanston distribution system each month. Evanston also performs the bacteriological analysis of water samples collected from the Village of Skokie and submits the results to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for compliance with Safe Drinking Water Regulations.
The Evanston Laboratory is also certified by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for the monitoring of pH and Fluoride. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency certifies laboratories in the State of Illinois for the analysis of chemical substances while the Illinois Department of Public Health certifies labs for bacteriological parameters. Laboratories must meet stringent criteria and staff is thoroughly reviewed on site every three years to maintain certification.
The lab is staffed by a full time chemist and microbiologist. In addition, water plant operators, working around the clock, are also certified to perform bacteriological analysis as well as trained to monitor turbidity levels (the level of suspended solids), chlorine levels, and all chemical feed rates to insure the quality of the water 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Evanston's water is sampled and tested for the content of a number of substances in which the analytical procedure is beyond the fiscal resources that are available. These type of tests, that require equipment and staffing that it is not reasonable to do in-house, are sent to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Community Lab. This program provides laboratory services for water supplies on a fee basis. The kind of testing that is performed by the Community Lab Program include disinfection by-products, volatile organic chemicals, synthetic organic chemicals, haloacetic acids, lead, copper, total organic carbon and any other substance in which equipment and resources are not available in-house.
