N.J. Admin. Code § 7:18-4.6

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 7:18-4.6 - Requirements for records and data reporting

(a) The laboratory shall retain records concerning microbiological analyses. The records to be retained include raw data records, quality control data records (including records of all quality control checks under 7:18-4.5(c) ) , chain-of-custody forms, laboratory reports, and the information required under (d) below. The laboratory shall retain each record for at least five years after the date of the analysis, provided however, that the laboratory shall retain records of analyses for 10 years if the person requesting the analyses has informed the laboratory that the analyses were to be performed because of epidemiological or public health concerns.

(b) The laboratory shall file and maintain data and other records in an accessible location on the laboratory's premises for one year after the date of analysis so that reviews can be conducted during on-site audits.

(c) The laboratory shall not accept custody of regulatory samples unless a chain-of-custody form is submitted with the samples, in accordance with 7:18-9.2(c)9.

1. Before accepting custody of a regulatory sample, the laboratory shall determine that the sample is properly labeled and has met the handling and preservation requirements. If the sample fails to meet those requirements, the laboratory shall indicate that failure on the chain-of-custody section of the sample request form or the chain-of-custody form;

2. The laboratory's sample custodian accepting responsibility for the sample shall sign the chain-of-custody form;

3. The laboratory shall have an internal chain-of-custody procedure or an alternate sample tracking procedure which establishes a sample's integrity and completely tracks its custody during its lifetime in the laboratory; and

4. If the analysis was not performed at the environmental laboratory that first received the sample, the chain-of-custody form shall include the name, address and identification number of the New Jersey certified environmental laboratory to which the sample was forwarded.

(d) The laboratory shall retain the following information as part of the records of analysis:

1. The assigned laboratory sample number or other unique form of identification;

2. The date and time of sample analysis;

3. The name and signature of the person or persons who performed the analysis;

4. The type of analysis performed and the DSAM used; and

5. The results of the analysis and the raw data generated by the analysis.

(e) The laboratory shall satisfy the following requirements in reporting results using the membrane filter (MF) procedure:

1. For microbiological testing other than total coliform in drinking water, if there is confluent growth, with or without typical discreet colonies covering the entire filtration area of the membrane, the laboratory shall report the results as "confluent growth per 100 milliliters with (or without) the organism for which the sample was tested (e.g., fecal coliform, fecal streptococci, etc.)." The laboratory shall also request a new sample; and

2. When the total number of bacterial colonies on the membrane is greater than 200 total colonies, or is not sufficiently distinct, or both, the laboratory shall report the results as "too numerous to count (TNTC) per 100 milliliters with (or without) the organism for which the sample was tested (e.g., fecal coliform, fecal streptococci, etc.)." The laboratory shall also request a new sample.

(f) Pending membrane filtration (MF) verification or most probable number (MPN) completion, the laboratory shall report positive results for drinking water samples as preliminary. After MF verification or MPN completion, the laboratory shall report the final results to the client.

(g) The laboratory shall check all results reported on final report forms against original data to make sure there are no transcription errors.

(h) The laboratory shall include the following information in reporting results to the client:

1. The certified environmental laboratory name and New Jersey laboratory identification number;

2. The date, time, and location of sample collection;

3. The type of analysis performed and the analytical method employed;

4. The results generated by the analysis; and

5. The name and signature of the environmental laboratory manager or designee identified under 7:18-2.11(a) iii.

(i) The laboratory shall not report results of analyses to the Department or to any other person unless the original or true duplicate of the results is sent to the client. The report shall be signed by the laboratory manager or designee identified under 7:18-2.11(a) iii.

(j) The laboratory shall not refer samples to another laboratory for analysis, unless the other laboratory is also a certified environmental laboratory. The laboratory requesting the analysis shall provide the results to the client, on the original or true duplicate forms from the certified environmental laboratory that performed the analysis, containing the New Jersey environmental laboratory identification number of the certified environmental laboratory that performed the analysis.

(k) When the laboratory determines the presence of E. Coli in a drinking water sample, pursuant to 40 CFR 141.858(b), the laboratory shall notify the affected parties as follows:

1. For non-transient non-community and transient non-community water systems, the laboratory shall notify the water purveyor, the municipal health agency (or, if there is no municipal health agency for the municipality in question, the county health agency), and the Department within 24 hours. Notice to the Department shall be by telephone in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:10-2.6(d); or

2. For community water systems, the laboratory shall notify the water system's superintendent and the Department within 24 hours. Notice to the Department shall be by telephone in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:10-2.6(d).

(l) If the laboratory discovers an error in the analysis of a regulatory sample, and the error may affect the validity of the reported analytical result, the environmental laboratory manager shall report the error to the regulatory program for which the analysis was conducted, and to the client. The laboratory shall make this notification within 72 hours after discovery of the error.

(m) When the laboratory determines the presence of total coliform in a sample collected for conformance with the PWTA, the laboratory shall:

1. Conduct a coliform verification test for Fecal coliform or E. Coli on the same sample culture that the total coliform positive was determined; and

2. Where the presence of Fecal coliform or E. Coli is detected in accordance with (m)1 above, the laboratory shall notify both the client requesting such analysis and the local health authority within 24 hours or the next business day, whichever is sooner.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:18-4.6

Amended by 49 N.J.R. 3505(b), effective 11/6/2017