GSA DRINKING WATER TESTING SAMPLING & REPORTING GUIDELINES
Basic GSA drinking water testing guidelines in identifying outlets.
Note: When it comes to GSA drinking water testing guidelines in smaller facilities where 10% calculates to less than 5 outlets/fixtures, a minimum of 5 outlets shall be tested. If there are less than 5 applicable outlets/fixtures, then test all outlets/fixtures to reach your 5 minimum. This is the only instance where you would test bathroom sinks. Bathroom sinks excluded from this minimum requirement are ones equipped with automatic mixing valves. If a facility has less than a total of 5 outlets/fixtures where you fall short of the 5 minimum, just make a note of this in your summary report.
Example: The lease space has 16 sinks, 1 cafe sink, nurses office sink, 3 drinking fountains, 1 high low drinking fountain and 4 showers. How many tests are needed?
In this case, you would test a minimum of 5 outlets for all the water quality parameters (lead/copper, legionella, coliform), 1 shower for legionella only, and the nurse’s office sink for legionella only. See more details on GSA drinking water testing below.
- Per GSA, tag out the outlet/fixture prior to testing for at least 8 hours and no more than 18 hours. GSA recommended labels are recommended for the isolated outlet fixture (attached separately). Recommend that they maintain their current flushing PM program in accordance with their Water Management Plan until the outlet/fixture is tagged out of service.
- Identify all applicable outlets and locations. You will need a schematic of these locations along with the results at the tested outlets/fixtures. When pulling samples, do not flush the outlet/fixture. For showers, Child Care Centers, Health Units sample the hot water side for Legionella testing. For the 10% water outlets/fixtures that are tested for Legionella, lead, copper, and total coliform your “first draw” should be for the metals sample with your “second draw” for the Legionella/coliform sample.
Take pictures of the bar codes on the sample bottles and the corresponding outlet/fixture(s) that you have on the chain of custody. You will need these pictures for your GSA report that you send to the customer. - Once you get the results back from EST, use the GSA report example (attached separately) to complete for the customer. This should be completed as soon as possible.
- Any exceedances for Legionella, lead, copper, coliform must be reported to the customer within 24 hours. Simply forward the report to the customer noting the exceedances. The outlet/fixture needs to be isolated and not put in use. Recommend that they follow their PM schedule for flushing in accordance with their Water Management plan and to notify us when they would like to schedule a retest for the exceedance. Please reference the following:
To Learn More About GSA’s Drinking Water Testing Guidelines, Click Here And Read GSA’a Real Estate Facilities Management Water Quality Management Fact Sheet
