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INSPECTION REPORT ROUTING SHEET
To be attached to all inspection reports in-house only.
Laboratory Cert. #: 5059
Laboratory Name: Bladenboro WWTP
Inspection Type: Field Municipal
Inspector Name(s): Tonja Springer
Inspection Date: 11/19/2014
Date Report Completed: 12/5/2014
Date Forwarded to Reviewer: 12/10/2014
Reviewed by: Nick Jones
Date Review Completed: 12/11/2014
Cover Letter to use: Insp. Initial Insp. Reg.
Insp. No Finding Insp. CP
Corrected Insp. Reg. Delay
Unit Supervisor/Chemist III: Dana Satterwhite
Date Received: 12/12/2014
Date Forwarded to Linda: 12/15/2014
Date Mailed: 12/16/2014
_____________________________________________________________________
On-Site Inspection Report
LABORATORY NAME: Bladenboro WWTP
ADDRESS: P.O. Box 455
Bladenboro, NC 28320
NPDES PERMIT # NC0026352
CERTIFICATE #: 5059
DATE OF INSPECTION: November 19, 2014
TYPE OF INSPECTION: Field Municipal
AUDITOR(S): Tonja Springer
LOCAL PERSON(S) CONTACTED: Philip Schroeder
I. INTRODUCTION:
This laboratory was inspected by a representative of the North Carolina Wastewater/Groundwater
Laboratory Certification (NC WW/GW LC) program to verify its compliance with the requirements of 15A
NCAC 2H .0800 for the analysis of environmental samples.
II. GENERAL COMMENTS:
The facility has all the equipment necessary to perform the analyses.
Contracted analyses are performed by Environmental Chemists, Inc. (Envirochem) (Certification #94).
Current quality assurance policies for Field Laboratories and approved procedures for the analysis of the
facility’s currently certified parameters were provided at the time of the inspection.
The requirements associated with Findings A and B have been implemented by our program since
the last inspection.
III. FINDINGS, REQUIREMENTS, COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Proficiency Testing
Comment: The preparation of Total Residual Chlorine (TRC) Proficiency Testing (PT) samples was
not documented. The Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2 document
states: PT samples received as ampules must be diluted according to the PT provider’s instructions.
The preparation of PT samples must be documented in a traceable log or other traceable format. The
diluted PT sample becomes a routine environmental sample and is added to a routine sample batch for
analysis. Dating and initialing the instruction sheet for the preparation of the TRC PT would satisfy the
documentation requirement. This requirement is a new policy that has been implemented by our
program since the last inspection. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., a statement that
preparation of the TRC PT will be documented) was received by email on 12/4/2014. No further
response is necessary for this finding.
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A. Finding: The laboratory is not analyzing PT samples in the same manner as environmental
samples.
Requirement: All PT samples are to be analyzed and the results reported in a manner
consistent with the routine analysis and reporting requirements of compliance samples and any
other samples analyzed according to the requirements of 15A NCAC 2H .0800. Ref:
Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2.
Comment: Known standards are being analyzed with the unknown samples and the PT sample
is analyzed more than once and the average reported. These constituted an additional level of
quality control (QC) that is not analyzed with routine compliance samples.
B. Finding: The laboratory benchsheets for Temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and TRC
were lacking pertinent data: Instrument identification.
Requirement: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is
performed: Instrument Identification. Ref: The NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the
Analysis of Temperature, The NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH, The
NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Dissolved Oxygen and NC WW/GW LC
Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine.
Total Residual Chlorine – Standard Methods, 4500 Cl G-2000
C. Finding: The annual verification curve does not bracket the PT sample analyzed for 2014.
Requirement: The concentrations of the calibration standards must bracket the concentrations
of the samples analyzed. Ref: The NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of
Total Residual Chlorine. Please submit a copy of the curve verification upon completion.
Comment: The annual verification curve highest standard was 200 µg/L. The PT sample
reported results were 204 µg/L.
Recommend: It is recommended that the laboratory verify the internal calibration using the
concentrations: 10 (or 15), 20, 50, 200 and 400 µg/L. This will verify the analytical range used
to measure Proficiency Testing (PT) samples, gel standards as well as environmental samples.
D. Finding: The meter calibration time is not being documented.
Requirement: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is
performed: Meter calibration time. Ref: The NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the
Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine.
IV. PAPER TRAIL INVESTIGATION:
The paper trail consisted of comparing original records (e.g., laboratory benchsheets, logbooks, etc.)
and contract lab reports to Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) submitted to the North Carolina Division
of Water Resources. Data were reviewed for July and August, 2014. No transcription errors were
detected. It appears the facility is doing a good job of accurately transcribing data.
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V. CONCLUSIONS:
Correcting the above-cited findings and implementing the recommendation will help this lab to produce
quality data and meet certification requirements. The inspector would like to thank the staff for its
assistance during the inspection and data review process. Please respond to all findings
Report prepared by: Tonja Springer Date: December 5, 2014
Report reviewed by: Nick Jones Date: December 11, 2014