Water Testing Laboratory Services

Description

The purpose of this procurement is to establish laboratory services in collaboration with an Environmental Protection Agency-approved laboratory to analyze water quality in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, specifically for the state's public water systems. The analysis requested involves national primary drinking water standards for various analytical groups, including: Microorganisms (Total Coliforms including E.Coli), Disinfection Byproducts (Bromate, Chlorite), Inorganic Chemicals (IOC - Heavy Metals, Sodium, Cyanide, Nitrate/Nitrite), physical/chemical analysis, and Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC). Any selected laboratory must perform these analyses utilizing the Environmental Protection Agency Standard Methods for Drinking Water.At this time, the analysis for these particular contaminants can be performed by the Mississippi Public Health Laboratory (MPHL) as it is certified to perform these analyses. However, there are instances where the number of analyses required during a given time may exceed the capacity of the MPHL to perform the analysis during that time or MPHL is unable to perform the necessary analysis due equipment issues thus preventing the analysis to be performed in a timely manner. In these situations, the Department must have sufficient laboratory coverage to perform these analyses to ensure continued water system compliance with the standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act.These analyses are required for public water systems in order for them to maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Under state statute the Department is required to provide water quality analysis services to the state's public water systems. With this statutory requirement placed on the Department, it would appear that an appropriately certified backup laboratory must be secured in the event that MPHL's equipment is compromised or the laboratory as a whole is unable to operate due to extenuating circumstances out of the agency's cont