NC0048577_Lab Inspection_20011004

Michael F. Easley, Governor
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Gregory J. Thorpe, Ph.D.
Acting Director
Division of Water Quality
October 4, 2001
515
Mr. Myron E. Neville
Robeson Co. Water Dept.
265 McGirt Road
Maxton, NC 28364
SUBJECT: Laboratory Certification Maintenance Inspection
Dear Mr.. Neville:
DENp_F
OCT 8 O0!
Enclosed is a report for the inspection performed on September 21, 2001 by Mr.
Frederick L. Bone. Within thirty days, please supply this office with.a written item for item
description of how these deficiencies were corrected. Unless specifically requested, a
response is not required for comments or recommendations. If the deficiencies cited in
the enclosed report are not corrected, enforcement actions will be recommended. For
certification maintenance, your laboratory must continue to carry out the requirements set
forth in 15A NCAC for 2H .0800.
Copies of the checklists completed during the inspection may be requested from
this office. Thank you for your cooperation during the inspection. Please contact us at
919-733-3908, if you have questions or need additional information.
Sincerely,
James W. Meyer
Laboratory Section
Enclosure
cc . Frederick L. Bone
Fayetteville Regional Office
DR
J
Laboratory Section
FAX: [phone]
N. C. Division of Water Quality 1623 Mail Service Center
Internet: www.esb.enr.state.nc.usllab
Raleigh, NC 27699-1623
NCDENR
[phone]

On -Site Inspection Report
LABORATORY NAME: Robeson Co. Water Dept.
ADDRESS: 265 McGrit Road
Maxton, NC 28364
CERTIFICATE NO: 515
DATE OF INSPECTION: September 21, 2001
TYPE OF INSPECTION: Maintenance
EVALUATOR: Frederick L. Bone
LOCAL PERSON(S) CONTACTED: Katie Radford
I. INTRODUCTION: .
This laboratory was inspected to verify its compliance with the requirements of 15A NCAC 2H
.0800 for the analysis of environmental samples.
II. GENERAL- COMMENTS:
The laboratory is spacious and well equipped. All facilities and. equipment are well maintained.
Records are well kept and most data looked good. Some further quality control procedures need
to be implemented.
III. DEFICIENCIES, RECOMMENDATIONS, REQUIREMENTS, AND COMMENTS:
General:
1. DEFICIENCY: The laboratory is not performing sufficient quality control for it's duplicate
sample analysis. The laboratory must calculate either the relative percent difference, or the
absolute difference for each duplicate pair analyzed. This value_ is then used to establish
control charts or other appropriate acceptance criteria. This type of . data is . necessary to
demonstrate that the data is within acceptable control limits. The %RPD must be listed on the
inorganic bench sheets so that the analyst will be able to immediately confirm whether or not
the data falls within acceptable limits.
REQUIREMENT: Any time quality control results indicate an analytical problem, the problem
must be resolved, and any samples involved must be rerun if the holding time has not expired.
Ref: 15A NCAC 2H .0805 (a). (7) (f).
2. DEFICIENCY: The laboratory is using a temperature range of 1-5°C for sample refrigerators.

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COMMENT: The laboratory may use a temperature range of 1-4°C, this will allow for the use of
the current thermometer in the sample refrigerator. This sample thermometer is graduated in 0.5
°C increments.
REQUIREMENT: The acceptable temperature range of samples during storage and for stored
sample extracts, is 1.0 - 4.4°C. Ref: Federal Register, July 1, 1995; 40 CFR 136; Table II.
Required Containers, Preservation Techniques, and Holding Times. EPA letters of January and
February 1995.
A. COMMENT: Some of the daily logs and benchsheets used by the laboratory do not contain
all of the necessary labeling information. No units of measure are associated with some of the
data values listed in the logbooks and laboratory benchsheets.
REQUIREMENT: The laboratory must review all benchsheets and logbooks to ensure that
every entry is marked with the appropriate units of measure. Every number recorded on a
bench sheet or logbook must have an appropriate unit assigned to it.
B. COMMENT: The laboratory does not keep a log for the preparation of standards and
reagents.
REQUIREMENT: The laboratory must have a written record of all standards and reagents on
file for a period of at leastthree years. A standard and reagent logbook will help the laboratory
to meet this requirement. A standards logbook will also enable the laboratory to document
exactly when, by whom, and how each reagent was prepared.
C. COMMENT: The benchsheets used for the various laboratory analyses ,refer to the 19th
Edition of Standard Methods. This edition of Standard Methods is not approved for wastewater
parameters. The laboratory must cite the most recently approved methods (Standard Methods
18th Edition) on the laboratory benchsheets.
REQUIREMENT: The laboratory must properly label each benchsheet. The benchsheets must
accurately reflect the methodology used in the lab. Ref: 15A NCAC 2H .0805 (a) (7) (H).
D. COMMENT: The laboratory does not list the acceptance ranges of quality control samples
on the laboratory benchsheets.
RECOMMENDATION: It is strongly recommended that the .laboratory list the acceptance
ranges for each quality control sample on the bench sheet. This will enable the analyst to be
able to compare the analytical result to the acceptable range in a timely fashion: If the sample
is out of the acceptable range, it can then be reanalyzed immediately and within all holding
times.

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Settleable Solids:
E. COMMENT: Settleablesolids must be allowed to settle for a total of one hour. The
laboratory does not document that the sample is allowed to settle for this length of time. The
laboratory records the time that the analysis is started but does not record an ending time.
REQUIREMENT/RECOMMENDATION: Both a starting time and ending time of the analysis
must be recorded in order to demonstrate that the proper settling time has been achieved.
Settle for 45 minutes, gently agitate sample near the sides of the cone with a rod or by
spinning, settle 15 minutes longer, and record volume of .settable solids in the cone as
milliliters per liter. Ref: Standard Methods, 18th Edition 2540F 3a p. 2-57.
ft
F. COMMENT: The laboratory indicated at the time of the audit that pH was no longer on the
facilities discharge permit. It is the intent of the laboratory to drop this parameter from its
certified parameter list.
REQUIREMENT: In order todrop a parameter from the laboratory's certified parameter list,
the laboratory send written notification of the intent to delete the parameter to this office.
Residual Chlorine:
G. COMMENT: The laboratory is not recording the value of the analytical blank daily.
REQUIREMENT: Analyze reagent blanks whenever new reagents ;are used and as often as
required in specific methods. Analyze a minimum of 5% of the sample load as reagent blanks;
this monitors purity of reagents and the overall procedural blank: Analyze a reagent blank after
any sample with a concentration greater than that of the highest standard or that might result
in carryover from one sample to the next. Ref: Standard Methods 18th Edition 1020B Quality
Control (4) p 1-5.
H. COMMENT: The laboratory does not analyze a second source QC. standard for this
parameter.
REQUIREMENT: Analyze one known standard in addition to calibration standards each day
that samples are analyzed to document accuracy. This laboratory control standard must be
from ;a second source. For held curves for colorimetric methods, it must be analyzed after the
calibration verification standard is analyzed. It is recommended that this laboratory control
standard, like the calibration verification standard, have a mid -range concentration and not
vary by more than ± 10%. If it does, the analysis is out of control. The analysis must be
terminated and the problem corrected. Ref: 15A NCAC 2H .0805 (a) (7) (B), (F), and Standard
Methods, 18th Edition - Method 1020 B.3.

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Total Suspended Solids:
I. COMMENT: The laboratory is not analyzing water blanks for the Total SuspendedSolids
analysis. The laboratory must filter a volume of DI water (equal to the maximum sample volume
used) as a method blank each analysis day.
REQUIREMENT: Blanks must be analyzed in order to determine bias. in each sample batch.
Ref: Standard Methods 18th Edition - Method 1020B pg. 1-5.
J. COMMENT: Duplicates are not clearly labeled on the laboratory benchsheets.
RECOMMENDATION: For duplicate samples, the sample name should be followed by the
term "Dup" or "Duplicate" to indicate sample, duplication. This will clearly delineate duplicate
samples from regular samples.
K. COMMENT: The laboratory does not properly verify drying times for the total suspended
solids on an annual basis. The laboratory must show that the .length of the drying time is
sufficient for the type of samples analyzed.
REQUIREMENT: Dry evaporated sample for at least 1 hour in an oven at 103 to 105°C, cool
in desiccator to balance temperature, and weigh. Repeat cycle of drying, cooling, desiccation,.
and weighing until a constant weight is obtained, or until weight change is less than 4% of
previous weight or 0.5 mg, whichever is less. Ref: Standard Methods 18th Edition 2540 D
Total Suspended Solids at 103-105° C section (3) c p2-56.
IV. CONCLUSIONS:
Correcting the above Deficiencies and Comments will help the laboratory to produce quality data
and meet. certification requirements.
Please respond to all Deficiencies and lettered Comments cited in
this report.
Report prepared by; Frederick L. Bone Date: September 24, 2001