GETTING THE MOST FROM A CONTRACT LABORATORY

With today's regulatory and staff pressures, an increasing number of water utilities are considering the use of an outside contract laboratory for all or part of their analytical needs. This article is intended as a guide for utilities in selecting a contract laboratory to best serve their requirements. Among the desirable qualities sought in an outside laboratory are current certification, a familiarity with drinking water analysis, and an established quality control program. Cost is an important but not primary consideration, because costs can be contained without a loss of efficiency. A request for proposals and subsequent bids help to eliminate unsuitable laboratories. The authors explain the importance of building a partnership with the selected laboratory in order to maximize the benefits of such an arrangement.