Overview

Tunxis laboratories, LLC (Tunxis) has been collecting and analyzing wastewater, groundwater, and drinking water samples for a small private school in northwest Connecticut for over 15 years. Originally, the school chose Tunxis due to past relationships, expertise in the industry, and strong customer relations. Tunxis also has provided services such as soil testing for oil contamination, surface water testing for nutrient analysis, and water analysis for the ice rink.

Approach

Tunxis is responsible for ensuring the proper schedule is followed for the collection of the wastewater samples from the sewage treatment plant on a weekly basis to satisfy the permit under which the school is operating. Tunxis Laboratories has a process in place.  This process takes a look at their current wastewater, groundwater permits, and drinking water schedule. The parameters vary on a weekly basis. The treatment plant discharges to a leaching field, and therefore has monitoring wells associated with this activity. Tunxis collects and analyzes the groundwater samples from these wells on a quarterly schedule.

The School is also required to collect drinking water samples per their Connecticut DPH water quality monitoring schedule. This includes monthly collections of total coliform and physical parameters for the distribution system serving the school. Monthly e. Coli collections and testing are performed on the raw waters from the two wells used for drinking water, as well as ensuring miscellaneous analyses required by the schedule are being performed to ensure there is not a notice of violation issued, due to non-compliance.

We input all of the different samples and analytical tests into our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).  We then follow the schedule, collect, analyze and report the laboratory results, at the appropriate intervals.

Results

The testing results are used to show the treatment plant is operating within approved specifications and are reported by the School to the State of Connecticut on a monthly basis.  The drinking water results are electronically sent to the Department of Public Health, in accordance with filing requirements.

This collection, analysis, and reporting of results helps maintain compliance for the School. Our expertise and timely scheduling also allows for investigations into issues, before a problem arises, and enables the School to keep the students safe.