La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § V-8017

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section V-8017 - Requirements of Certification

A. All water sample analyses performed for the purpose of determining compliance with the chemical, physical, or radiological requirements of the State's primary and secondary drinking water regulations, or when required by order issued by the department pursuant to the authority of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, or any other regulations adopted pursuant to those acts, shall be performed in laboratories certified for this purpose pursuant to this Chapter. Analyses performed in laboratories not so certified shall not be accepted by the department as being in compliance with the requirements, regulations or orders of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

B. To be clear, the requirements of LAC 48:V.8009.A.l and 8009. A.2 shall apply to all laboratories regardless of the number of categories specified in §8019 for which the laboratory is seeking certification. The requirements of Paragraphs 8019.A.1, 8019.A.2 and 8019.A.3 shall apply dependent upon the particular category or categories for which the laboratory is seeking certification.

C. Primary certification shall only be granted to laboratories located in the state of Louisiana. The department shall, in accord with the provisions of this Section, grant reciprocity to a laboratory located outside of the state of Louisiana if the laboratory requesting certification also meets each of the following requirements:

1. the laboratory is accredited by a The NELAC Institute (TNI), the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) recognized primary accreditation body;

2. the laboratory submits an acceptable application for certification to the State; and

3. the laboratory pays all applicable fees;

D. The department shall consider only the current certification of accreditation issued by the TNI NELAP recognized primary accreditation body and shall grant reciprocal certification for the fields of testing, methods and analytes for which the laboratory holds primary TNI NELAP accreditation. The department will issue a Louisiana certificate within 30 calendar days of receipt of the laboratory's application if all the above reciprocity requirements are met by the laboratory. The department, does not require any additional proficiency testing, quality assurance, or on-site assessment requirements for fields of testing for which the laboratory holds primary TNI NELAP accreditation.

E. Only laboratories certified pursuant to these regulations may be called a state certified drinking water laboratory and no laboratory may adopt any name or make any oral or written statement intended or likely to mislead the public with the respect to its certification status.

F. Once a laboratory is certified, the period of certification shall extend to the end of the calendar year in which certification is received. For laboratories seeking to renew certification, the period of certification shall be one year beginning on January 1 and shall be considered to be ongoing if the appropriate fees are timely received by the department.

G. If there is a difference in the drinking water regulations of the USEPA and the regulations of the department, a laboratory must follow the more stringent requirement(s).

H. Applications shall be processed in the chronological order in which they have been received.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § V-8017

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 38:3217 (December 2012), Amended by the Department of Health, Office of Public Health, LR 461091 (8/1/2020).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:254(B)(7).