As of January 1, 2024, every laboratory, regardless of certificate expiration date, is required to implement the 2016 TNI Standard incorporated by reference in ELAP’s regulations. ELAP will be verifying compliance! Read on to learn how and make sure your laboratory is prepared. Laboratories located in California If your laboratory has already had an assessment to...

CWEA’s Laboratory Committee Chair Josie Teller from the City of Davis led an effort to craft a comment letter regarding the State Water Board draft regulations to raise ELAP fees. In summary, CWEA’s comment letter recommends: Request to Delay the Adoption and Initiate a Collaborative Process Regulatory Language Needs Clarification Reporting Mechanism (tools) Request to...

From now until October 1, 2023, the California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) is accepting applications and nominations for five vacancies on the Environmental Laboratory Technical Advisory Committee (ELTAC). ELAP is accepting applications and nominations for Representatives, and is looking to fill positions for two Scientific Positions, two Community Implementation Advisors, and one Accreditation Advisor....

Mark your calendar for August to attend the Drinking Water and ELAP Fee Meetings – attached is the schedule. FY 2023-24 Drinking Water, Water Quality & Water Rights Fees Stakeholder Meetings Thursday, August 3 9:00–11:00 am Water Quality Thursday, August 3 1:00–3:00 pm Water Rights Friday, August 4 9:00–11:00 am Drinking Water & ELAP Meetings...

This April the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts announced that its laboratories have been recognized for adopting a new standard that will ensure the quality and accuracy of laboratory data. The new standard, the 2016 TNI standard, is not required to be implemented until 2024. However, the Sanitation Districts upgraded its policies and procedures early...

Letter was sent to the State Water Board on April 27, 2023 On behalf of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), the California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA), the American Water Works Association California-Nevada Section (CA-NV AWWA), and the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA), we appreciate the opportunity to comment on the annual ELAP...

The State Water Board in early September approved a new method for testing for microplastics making California perhaps one of the first places in the world that will test for microplastics. The Board will also require 30 water agencies to start testing for microplastics in the fall of 2023. “There’s no other place in the...

This article first appeared in the July 2022 issue of Treatment Plant Operator magazine, published by COLE Publishing Inc., www.tpomag.com. It is reprinted by permission. Starting Out as an Immigrant Was Challenging. This Lab Tech Cleared the Hurdles and Found Success Joga Chizer had no kind of background for the clean-water industry. As an immigrant, he...

On September 15, 2021, the State Water Resources Control Board approved increases in fee structures for programs under their authority. There are several categories that affect State Water Board fees for municipal water/wastewater laboratories, such as: NPDES permit fee Waste Discharge Requirements permit fee Stormwater Permit fees ELAP Laboratory Certification fee As of September 2021,...

There are now 12 ELAP training webinar recordings available for viewing on the IAS website. Each webinar is approximately 1 ½ hours in length, including the Q&A following each session. There is no cost to view the webinars. View ELAP webinars IAS provides assessments for laboratories seeking to meet the California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP)...

Make sure to grab your spot in the 2016 TNI Quality System Documentation Workshop! Registration is currently limited to one person from each laboratory because we want every California laboratory to have a chance to attend. Seats are available in the August, September, October, November and December sessions. This is a free training designed specifically for...

 Here’s to you! Thank you to the participants of the first ever ELAP Laboratory Conference. It was a huge success! Around 500 of you joined us each day for talks about the accreditation process, emerging contaminants and technologies, and laboratory efficiency. We hope you found the presentations beneficial and have been able to take...

California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) has opened registration for fourteen sessions of the 2016 TNI Quality System Documentation Workshop in partnership with A2LA Workplace Training. Register here today! The workshop runs from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (PT) with a break from noon to 1:00 pm on both days. This is a standalone training...

Announcement from the State Water Board ELAP office. This is a State Water Board sponsored training event, it is not organized by CWEA. ELAP and A2LA Workplace Training are excited to announce the 2016 TNI Quality System Documentation Workshop as part of ELAP’s compliance assistance initiative, the Roadmap to ELAP Accreditation. This training is designed to help laboratories implement the 2016 TNI Quality...

Announcement from the State Water Board ELAP office. This is a State Water Board sponsored training event, it is not organized by CWEA. The California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) team is excited to announce the first ever ELAP Conference! We are looking forward to offering you the opportunity to engage with the laboratory community,...

From the State Water Board… The State Water Board’s Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) Regulations were filed with the California Secretary of State by the Office of Administrative Law on November 19, 2020 and will become effective on January 1, 2021. This completes the final step in the rulemaking process. ELAP is committed to supporting the...

Announcement from the State Water Board’s ELAP office… Announcing the 2021-2022 Environmental Laboratory Technical Advisory Committee (ELTAC) Voting Members ELTAC provides constructive scientific advice and feedback to ELAP and the California regulatory agencies who use laboratory data to make decisions to protect the state’s environmental and public health. The 2021-2022 Committee has been built to...

ELAP has updated its accreditation offerings for microbiology analysis in wastewater and ambient water analysis. FOT 107: Microbiological Methods for Non-Potable Water and Sewage Sludge Subgroup Code Analyte Code Parameter Analytical Method Change 107.005 001 E. coli, Enumeration SM 9223 B-2004 Removed subgroup; duplicative with 107.013 and 107.015 107.013 001 E. coli, Enumeration SM 9223...

Our coverage of new ELAP regulations is sponsored by LabWork From the State Water Board Top 5 Questions People are Asking about the New California ELAP Regulations When will the new regulations take effect?  The regulations become effective on October 1, 2020. However, several new provisions will not be required immediately. Read on for more...

Our coverage of new ELAP regulations is sponsored by LabWork State Water Board press release… All accredited labs will be required to meet a national standard The State Water Resources Control Board today adopted comprehensive regulations to modernize the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP), which oversees more than 650 laboratories that regulate testing of drinking...

A Chino environmental testing laboratory has been fined $90,000 and denied renewal accreditation by the State Water Resources Control Board’s Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) for making false representations about a wastewater treatment facility’s compliance with permit requirements. Adopted Tuesday by the State Water Board, the fine stems from an investigation that found privately owned...

The State Water Resources Control Board will vote on adoption of the proposed Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program regulations at the May 5, 2020 Board Meeting. As a result of the COVID-19 emergency and the Governor’s Executive Orders to protect public health by limiting public gatherings and requiring social distancing, this meeting will occur via video and teleconference only. Instructions...

  Updates 4/16/20 New! Guidance on how to respond to a positive coronavirus case in the laboratory Updated! Schedules for EPA’s DMR-QA Study Updated! List of laboratories with emergency capacity Updated! Information about supply and equipment vendors State Water Board launches new website… waterboards.ca.gov/elap-covid19  The information on this webpage is based on the latest statewide and national...

View our full coverage of new ELAP regulations. 03/17/20 update from the SWRCB…. The COVID-19 emergency has resulted in the recent cancellation of the State Water Resources Control Board meeting on the Proposed Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program Regulations.  Consistent with these actions and Water Board guidance, the Division of Administrative Services, Fee Branch is cancelling...

BACWA’s Comment letter sent to the State Water Board Dec 20, 2019. Click here to read BACWA’s full comment letter (pdf) The Bay Area Clean Water Agencies (BACWA) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the proposed ELAP Draft Regulations (proposed Regulations). BACWA is a joint powers agency whose members own and operate publicly-owned treatment works...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ December 20, 2019 Ms. Jeanine Townsend, Clerk to the Board State Water Resources Control Board 1001 I Street, 24th floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Re: Comments – Proposed Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program Regulations Dear Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel: The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) is a non-profit...

View our full coverage of new ELAP regulations > CWEA Lab Community, This is a critical time in the world of California Lab Regulations.  With the latest regulations package being published on October 11th, we are down to the wire with having our voices heard of how these regulations will affect our labs, our agencies...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ By Christine Sotelo Chief of CA ELAP The California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) is on a path of improvement, and we are honored to be working collaboratively with CWEA and its members on this journey. Five years ago, the State Water Resources Control Board inherited...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ By David Kimbrough Pasadena Water & Power A hundred years ago, there had been a major revolution in public health. Fatalities from waterborne diseases such as typhoid and cholera were plummeting. Chlorinated water was being delivered via pressurized pipes to houses with in-door plumbing at very...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ By Stephen Clark Past-Chair, SWRCB ELTA Committee After the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) was moved from the California Department of Public Health to the State Water Board, the Environmental Laboratory Technical Advisory Committee (ELTAC) was re-formulated. Updated bylaws required ELTAC to be comprised of ELAP’s...

Click here to open the November 2019 digital edition Articles include: One Way or Another Your Local Utility Lab Will Likely Soon Change Forever – an interview with three municipal California labs Profile of Lab Professional of the Year How to Get a Job in a Water Laboratory The Road Together, by Christine Sotelo, SWRCB...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ ELAP will be one of several hot topics at AC20 in Reno. This year we are joining with the Nevada Water Environment Association in Reno to co-host several events. Reno is a fantastic city with affordable hotel rates and restaurants. This might be one of the...

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Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ Notice of proposed rule-making from the State Water Board, Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program office… NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) proposes to amend, adopt, or repeal the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) regulations described below after considering all...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ This is a message from the State Water Resources Control Board. The Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) has released a third preliminary draft of the proposed regulations amendment text (Third Preliminary Draft Regulations text). The third draft was developed in collaboration with stakeholders with suggested changes...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ CWEA together with five other clean water associations, known as the Summit Partners, are calling on the State Water Board to offer two options for laboratory accreditation. We would like to see both TNI and State accreditation options. The reason? TNI accreditation only will raise the...

Coverage of new ELAP regulations supported by LabWorks, waterLIMS™ CWEA submitted the following letter on the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) Preliminary Draft Regulations. ELAP comment letter: Submitted via electronic mail: [email protected] Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) Preliminary Draft Regulations Comments P.O. Box 100 Sacramento, CA 95814 Subject: ELAP Preliminary Draft Regulations Comments The California Water...