BACTERIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL TESTING
Analytical Excellence Since 1943
Pool and Lake Testing
Garden State Laboratories, Inc. is one of the largest
recreational bathing water testing laboratories on the east coast. Recreational
bathing waters include public swimming pools, lakes, beaches, whirlpools,
spas and hot tubs. Garden State Labs tests for both bacteria and chemical
content in recreational bathing waters. If you need testing services please
call us at 800-273-8901 or email us.
The New Jersey State Department of Health has set bacterial and chemical standards for public recreational
bathing waters (N.J.A.C. 8:26-1 et seq).
These regulations govern construction, safety, operations and water quality.
Change in Free Chlorine/Bromine Standards
Pursuant to communications with the New Jersey State Department of Health and
Senior Services and based upon their interpretations of the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) free chlorine and bromine levels in public
recreational bathing waters, Garden State
Laboratories has made a change in our reporting procedure.
Free Chlorine levels in both indoor and outdoor swimming pools
will be noted as conforming to ANSI standards when equal to or between 1.0 and
10.0 ppm. ANSI's ideal range is 2.0 to 4.0 ppm. In whirlpools, spas
and hot tubs the free chlorine should be 2.0 to 10.0 ppm with an ideal range of
3.0 to 5.0 ppm.
The ANSI standard for bromine in swimming pools, whirlpools, spas and hot tubs is 2.0 to 10.0 ppm. The ideal bromine range
is 4.0 to 6.0 ppm.
Swimming pool, whirlpool, spa and hot tub water
should be within acceptable standards for other parameters such as pH, combined
chlorine, total alkalinity, stabilizer (cyanuric acid) and pool water clarity.
Our analytical reports have been updated to include these
interpretations.
Here is the link to the NJ Dept. of Health Free Chlorine
Residual Guidance Document.
The New Jersey regulations require weekly testing for bacteria
by a State Certified Laboratory and testing every two hours for pH and
disinfectants (such as
free chlorine or bromine) in swimming pools, whirlpools, spas and hot tubs. Lakes
and beaches have to test for bacteria weekly. The bacterial tests are the
standard plate count and total coliform in swimming pools, the standard
plate count and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in whirlpools, spas and hot
tubs, and fecal coliform in lakes and beaches.
The NJDEP is now requiring enterococci testing for ocean
beaches. The enterococci result shall not exceed 104 enterococci per 100
ml. In the future, E. coli may be used to replace fecal coliform in
some natural waters.
The State Regs also require that a Trained Pool Operator (TPO) be hired
by all recreational bathing facilities to be responsible for maintenance and
mechanical operations.
Federal OSHA regulations also require that lifeguards be trained to deal
with potential exposures to blood and bloodborne pathogens.
With over 67 years of water testing experience we can help you with many
types of water quality problems.
We are often asked about bacteria in water, what type of disinfectant to
use and what are acceptable levels. You may email us with your
questions and we will try to help. Please be as detailed as possible.
For important information about the Care and Feeding
of Pool Waters:
Click here for chlorine and other
disinfectants
Click here for pH
Click here for chlorine
stabilization and cyanuric acid.
Click here for information on
the use of DPD & phenol red tablet and liquid reagents - Garden State Labs uses tablets.
There are a variety of pool and recreational bathing
pages on the Web. Here are some with information
about recreational bathing waters, health and swimming (The information
contained on these pages may or may not be accurate, Garden State Labs is
not responsible for any information found on these pages);
The National Swimming Pool
Foundation has information about pool operations
and training. It lists a schedule for Certified Pool Operator (CPO) courses.
If you know of other interesting links relating to recreational
bathing waters email us and we may post them.
CONTACTING
GSL
Call us at:
1-800-273-8901
FAX us at:
1-908-688-8966
Or send mail to:
Garden State Laboratories, Inc.
410 Hillside Avenue
Hillside, NJ 07205
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Garden State Laboratories,
Inc.
Copyright © 1995-2011 Garden State Laboratories, Inc. Site last modified
11/2/11