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HomeMy WebLinkAbout#5370_0331_finalTC_2015_c4i Y.) HCDENR North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Pat McCrory Donald R. van der Vaart Governor Secretary April 15, 2015 5370 Town of Magnolia Sudie Matthis P.O. Box 459 Magnolia, NC 28453 Subject: North Carolina Wastewater/Groundwater Laboratory Certification (NC WW/GW LC) Maintenance Inspection Dear Ms. Matthis: Enclosed is a report for the inspection performed on March 31, 2015 by Todd Crawford. Where finding(s) are cited in this report, a response is required. Within thirty days of receipt, please supply this office with a written item for item description of how these finding(s) were corrected and include an implementation date for each corrective action. If the finding(s) cited in the enclosed report are not corrected, enforcement actions may be recommended. For certification maintenance, your laboratory must continue to carry out the requirements set forth in 15A NCAC 2H .0800. Copies of the checklists completed during the inspection may be requested from this office. Thank you for your cooperation during the inspection. If you wish to obtain an electronic copy of this report by email or if you have questions or need additional information, please contact us at (919) 733-3908. Attachment cc: Todd Crawford Sincerely, Dana Satterwhite, Environmental Program Supervisor Division of Water Resources Water Sciences Section INC Wastewater/Groundwater Laboratory Certification Branch 1623 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1623 Location, 4405 Reedy Creek Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607 Phone: 919-733-39081 FAX: 919-733-6241 Internet: www.dwgiab.ora An Equal Opportunity 1 Affirmative Action Employer INSPECTION REPORT ROUTING SHEET To be attached to all inspection reports in-house only. Laboratory Cert. #: 5370 Laboratory Name: Town of Maqnolia Inspection Type: Field Maintenance Inspector Name(s): Todd Crawford Inspection Date: March 31, 2015 Date Report Completed: April 13, 2015 Date Forwarded to Reviewer: April 13, 2015 Reviewed by: Nick Jones Date Review Completed: April 13, 2015 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: 4/13/2015 Date Forwarded to Linda: 4/14/2015 Date Mailed: 4/15/2015 LABORATORY NAME: WATER QUALITY PERMIT # : ADDRESS: CERTIFICATE #: DATE OF INSPECTION: TYPE OF INSPECTION: AUDITOR(S): On -Site Inspection Report Town of Magnolia NCO020346 PO Box 459 Magnolia, NC 28453 5370 March 31, 2015 Field Maintenance Todd Crawford LOCAL PERSON(S) CONTACTED: Sudie Matthis 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. Proficiency Testing (PT) samples for the 2015 proficiency testing calendar year have not yet been analyzed. The laboratory is reminded that these results must be submitted to this office directly from the vendor by September 30, 2015. Contracted analyses are performed by Vann Laboratories (Certification #22). 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, B, C, D, E and H have been implemented by our program since the last inspection. III. FINDINGS, REQUIREMENTS, COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Documentation Comment: The laboratory needed to increase the documentation of purchased materials and reagents. The Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories document states: All chemicals, reagents, standards and consumables used by the laboratory must have the following information documented: Date Received, Date Opened (in use), Vendor, Lot Number, and Expiration Date. Consumable materials such as pH buffers and lots of pre -made standards are included in this requirement. An auditor -supplied Page 2 #5370 Town of Magnolia Lab Supply Receipt Log showing all required documentation for reagents currently in use was filled out and implemented during the inspection. No further response is necessary for this finding. A. Finding: The laboratory benchsheet was lacking pertinent data for all parameters: Facility name. Requirement: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is performed: Sample site including facility name and location, ID, etc. Ref: NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH, NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Dissolved Oxygen, NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Temperature. Please send a copy of the updated benchsheet with the response to this report. B. Finding: The laboratory benchsheet was lacking pertinent data for all parameters: Parameter analyzed. Requirement: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is performed: Parameter analyzed. Ref: NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of pH, NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Dissolved Oxygen, NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Temperature. Please send a copy of the updated benchsheet with the response to this report. C. Finding: The laboratory benchsheet was lacking pertinent data for Temperature: Instrument identification. Requirement: The following must be documented in indelible ink whenever sample analysis is performed: Instrument Identification. Ref: NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Temperature. Please send a copy of the updated benchsheet with the response to this report. Proficiency Testing D. Finding: The laboratory is not analyzing Proficiency Testing (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: The laboratory's common practice was to analyze a known standard along with the PT sample as additional quality control. Since this is not performed with all environmental samples, it is considered additional quality control. However, known samples are recommended when analyzing remedial PT samples as part of the troubleshooting and corrective action process. E. Finding: The laboratory is not documenting Proficiency Testing (PT) sample analyses in the same manner as environmental samples. Requirement: All PT sample analyses must be recorded in the daily analysis records as for any environmental sample. This serves as the permanent laboratory record. Ref: Proficiency Testing Requirements, February 20, 2012, Revision 1.2. Page 3 #5370 Town of Magnolia Comment: The analysis of PT samples is designed to evaluate the entire process used to routinely report environmental analytical results; therefore, PT samples must be analyzed and the process documented in the same manner as environmental samples. PH — Standard Methods, 4500 H+B-2000 F. Finding: The units of measure are not documented on the benchsheet. Requirement: Data pertinent to each analysis must be maintained for five years. Certified data must consist of date collected, time collected, samples site, sample collector, and sample analysis time. The field bench sheets must provide a space for the signature of the analyst, and proper units of measure for all analyses. Ref: 15A NCAC 2H .0805 (g) (1). G. Finding: Values were reported that exceed the method specified accuracy of 0.1 units. Requirement: By careful use of a laboratory pH meter with good electrodes, a precision of ±0.02 unit and an accuracy of ±0.05 unit can be achieved. However, ± 0.1 pH unit represents the limit of accuracy under normal conditions, especially for measurement of water and poorly buffered solutions. For this reason, report pH values to the nearest 0.1 pH unit. Ref: Standard Methods, 4500 H+ B-2000, (6). Dissolved Oxygen — Standard Methods, 2550 B-2000 H. Finding: The meter calibration check reading is not verified to be within ±0.5 mg/L of the theoretical Dissolved Oxygen (DO). Requirement: For LDO sensors that cannot be calibrated, the calibration must be verified each day of use. This can be performed by back calculating the theoretical DO for the current air calibration conditions (e.g., temperature, elevation, barometric pressure, etc.). The calculated DO value must verify the meter reading within ±0.5 mg/L. Refer to the Dissolved Oxygen Meter Calibration Verification handout that was provided during the inspection. If the meter verification does not read within ±0.5 mg/L of the theoretical DO, corrective action must be taken. Ref: Dissolved Oxygen Meter Calibration Verification attachment to NC WW/GW LC Approved Procedure for the Analysis of Dissolved Oxygen. Please send a copy of calibration logsheet with the response to this report. Comment: The calibration is checked and documented prior to sample analyses and again after analyses. All observed calibration check data was acceptable. Only the documentation that the check was within 0.5 mg/L of the theoretical value was missing. 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 November and December, 2014 and January, 2015. No transcription errors were detected. The facility appears to be doing a good job of accurately transcribing data. V. CONCLUSIONS: Correcting the above -cited findings 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 Page 4 #5370 Town of Magnolia review process. Please respond to all findings and include an implementation date for each corrective action. Report prepared by: Todd Crawford Date: April 13, 2015 Report reviewed by: Nick Jones Date: April 13, 2015