Public Information
Laboratory Accreditation
The San Antonio River Authority’s (SARA’s) Environmental Sciences Department’s purpose statement:
Provide analytical data of known and defensible quality in support of programs designed to manage and protect the water resources of the basin.
To accomplish this, SARA’s NELAC accredited laboratory uses a documented quality system. This includes approved methods, a system of data review, analytical performance testing, external and internal laboratory inspections and quality control samples with each batch of analysis.
The Environmental Sciences Department’s (ESD) Laboratory provides a wide range of analyses for drinking water and non-potable water testing. These analyses are available for a small fee to anyone wishing to have their water tested. Municipalities, water purveyors, wastewater treatment plants, consultants, water bottlers, other laboratories and private citizens all use the services of the Laboratory.
About ESD Laboratory
Staff Qualifications
- The laboratory staff consists of degreed professionals from Our Lady of the Lake University, Texas State University, University of Texas—Brownsville, University of Texas—San Antonio, Texas Tech University, Baylor University, Texas Lutheran University and University of Guam.
- The ESD staff are members of professional organizations to stay abreast of developing technologies and regulations. These organizations include:
- TWUA Alamo Chapter of Laboratory Analysts Section
- The NELAC Institute (TNI)
- American Fisheries Society
- American Water Works
- American Chemical Society
Analytical Capabilities
The SARA ESD Laboratory performs wet chemistry analysis consisting of Alkalinity, Total Hardness, Total Phosphorus, Dissolved Phosphorus, and Ortho-Phosphorus. Our Solids area is capable of performing Total Suspended Solids, Total Dissolved Solids as well as Total Solids. The Laboratory is also capable of analyzing BOD5, CBOD5, Non Distilled/Distilled Ammonia, Chemical Oxygen Demand and pH.
Our Microbiology Section has the capability of analyzing Drinking Water for Total Coliform and E. coli (presence/absence and enumeration) as well as the ability to analyze non-potable water for fecal coliform, E. coli and fecal streptococcus. The microbiology section is capable of performing the membrane filter method as well as the IDEXX Colilert®-18 methods for presence/absence and enumeration for Total Coliform and E. coli.
The Laboratory also has the Dionex ICS-2000 and DX-600 for the analysis of Nitrate, Nitrite, Sulfate, Fluoride, Bromide and Chloride; the Teledyne Tekmar TOC Fusion instrument for the analysis of Total Organic Carbon and the SEAL AQ2+ Analyzer for the analysis of Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen. The Laboratory is currently developing the Agilent 7500 CE ICP-MS instrument for the analysis of Metals in drinking water, non-potable water and sediment. Beckman Coulter DU-800 for Chlorophyll-a and Pheophytin-a.
Laboratory Accreditation
The SARA Environmental Sciences Laboratory is accredited by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for the analysis of Drinking Water and Non-Potable water. Please refer to our Fields of Accreditation for Analysis that SARA is accredited to perform.
