LOCAL WATER WELL PROS

First order the Essential Drinking Water Test Kit online, we will express mail water test kit to you.  Testing kit package will include the sterilized water sampling bottles, water testing instructions, sample information card, as well as a chain of COC – Chain of Custody Form and a return shipping cooler with small ice pack.

Once you have purchased the package you will also have full access to our local water testing videos online and other Chilliwack FAQ Water Testing Videos.

The Chain of Custody form is a required water testing lab procedure containing necessary information for processing the water sample.

Once you have taken your water samples and completed your Chain of Custody form, the water samples will need to be sent to the laboratory quickly. The quickest way to send you water samples to us is through the post office or one of our local courier services.

Your microbiology water sample in the Essential Water Testing Kit has a limited water sample holding time of 24-hours, do not prepare your water samples unless you are ready to ship them quickly.

Once we have received the we have received your shipping cooler with water samples, our turn-around-time will be based on when we receive the samples.  Once the water samples are in the lab, water testing and reporting of the results are typically completed within 8 business days.

The Drinking Water Analysis Report

The Drinking Water Analysis Report is an explanation of the tested water sample results of the terms often appearing on drinking water analysis reports are shown in the fact sheet for Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality included with the Drinking Water Analysis Report. 

1) Please read water sampling instructions completely before proceeding with filling the sample bottles provided in the water test kit.

2) Complete each bottle label and the water testing chain-of custody form completely. The water testing laboratory reserves the right to refuse water samples with incomplete chain-of custody forms. Contact laboratory personnel with any questions regarding the chain-of custody forms.

For Regulated Facilities, when sampling water from a Chlorinated Distribution System please include your Residual Chlorine (Free & Total Chlorine) results in the area provided on the chain-of custody form.

3) Choose a water sampling location that accurately represents the quality of the water being sampled such as a kitchen faucet. For registered water system samples, sample at the registered locations. When sampling distribution/plumbing system taps, it’s not advisable to sample from an unprotected outside hose-bib or garden hose.

It is recommend that sample be taken from a point-of-consumption such as the kitchen sink faucet or bathroom sink faucet. Do not sample your water from a non-consumption point unless absolutely necessary without any other option.

4) Always remove any aerators, hose attachments, filters and strainers from faucets as they can be a point of contamination. Also remove the screen at the end of the tap, when possible.

5) Sterilize the open end of the water faucet with an alcohol swab; disinfecting wipes e.g. Chlorox; or bleach.  If you disinfect with a match or flame, ensure that there are no plastic or rubber parts on the end of the tap.  Once you have sterilized the end of the tap, do not touch it with your fingers or wipe it with un-sterilized cloths such as a dishcloth.  It’s easy to recontaminate the faucet possibly causing your water sample to be contaminated.

6) Turn on the COLD water side of the faucet and flush the waterline long enough to ensure fresh water is in the line, we suggest this will generally require 5 to 10 minutes of running the water.

7) DO NOT PRE-RINSE THE BOTTLE. Carefully remove the cap from the water sample bottle without touching the mouth of the bottle.  Carefully hold the sample bottle near the base of the bottle and fill to the shoulder (water fill line) leaving approximately one inch of head-space.

It’s important to not touch the inside of the cap or the lip of the bottle – the inside of the cap should not come in contact with anything other than the atmosphere and the sample. Also try to avoid any back splash from sink. Tightly replace the cap on your water sample bottle. 

8) Keep the sample cold (between 2 and 10 degree C – never freeze a water sample). If samples are being stored in a refrigerator prior to shipping the samples to the local water testing laboratory then it’s always a good idea to place the water samples in a clean plastic zip-lock bag to keep the samples safe and clean,  once the sample a ready for shipping they should be placed in the small coller that is provided with pre-frozen ice-pack to maintain temperature during transit.

9) Transport samples to the lab in a rigid walled sealed box or cooler. Transport to the lab within 24 hours
(ideally the same day). Samples expire 48 hours after sample collection time

A: If you own a private well in the Fraser Valley, it’s important to have your well water tested to determine if your water is safe to drink. Just because your neighbor’s water well has been tested and found to be safe this is not an indication that your water is also safe, all Fraser Valley water wells should be tested at least once a year and some more often.

Remember, the safety of your well water depends on surface and underground geology, the depth and construction of the well. Even deep drilled wells can be susceptible to contamination if surface water enters the well from the top of the well or from surface fractures in the rock or a leaking and even damaged casing.

It’s important to note that a water test report will only tell you about the quality of your water on the day that you draw the sample. Well water quality can also be seasonal. Heavy rain, melting snow, drought, floods or other events such as seasonal land-use may cause contamination. Water wells need to be tested on a regular basis, maintain a file for the water test reports for future reference.