#5480 - 12 - 2011 - FINAL

Laboratory Cert. #:
Laboratory Name:
Inspection Type:
Inspector Name(s):
MO
Whitewater Environmental
Field Commercial Maintenance
Jason Smith
Inspection Date:
December 21, 2011
Date Report Completed:
December 30, 2011
Date Forwarded to Reviewer: December 30, 2011
Reviewed by:
Todd Crawford
Date Review Completed:
January 6, 2012
Cover Letter to use: _
Insp. Initial _ Insp. Reg. Insp. No Finding
Unit Supervisor:
Gary Francies
Date Received:
1/9/12
Date Forwarded to Linda:
1/13/2012
Date Mailed:
Insp. CP X Corrected

NCDENR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Governor
January 13, 2012
5480
Mr. Kevin White
Whitewater Environmental
417 C. C. Lovelace Road
Rutherfordton, NC 28139-8345
SUBJECT: North Carolina Wastewater/Groundwater Laboratory Certification (NC WW/GW LC)
Maintenance Inspection
Dear Mr. White:
Enclosed is a report for the inspection performed on December 21, 2011 by Jason Smith. No
findings are cited in this report, a response is not required. We appreciate the fine job you and
your staff are doing. As a certification requirement, 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 me at
828-296-4677.
Sincerely,
Gary Francies
Unit Supervisor
Laboratory Section
CC Gary Francies
Master File
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
Location: 512 N. Salisbury St. Raleigh, Noth Carolina 27604
Phone: [phone] \ FAX: [phone]
Internet: www.nmaterquality.orcl
An Equal Opportunity 1 Affirmative Action Employe,

• •H
Whitewater Environmental
417 C. C. Lovelace Road
Rutherfordton, NC 28139-8345
5480
December 21, 2011
Field Commercial Maintenance
Jason Smith
Kevin White
This laboratory was inspected to verify its compliance with the requirements of 15A NCAC 2H .0800 for the
analysis of environmental samples.
The facility has all the equipment necessary to perform the analyses. The laboratory has always
maintained very thorough records and began recording most traceability documentation prior to it being
required. Since the laboratory only analyzes Dissolved Oxygen for process control purposes, this
parameter was not reviewed during the inspection.
9.
Comment: Error corrections were not dated when performed. The Quality Assurance Policies for Field
Laboratories document states: All documentation errors must be corrected by drawing a single line through
the error so that the original entry remains legible. Entries shall not be obliterated by erasures or markings.
Wite-Out®, correction tape or similar products designed to obliterate documentation are not to be used.
Write the correction adjacent to the error. The correction must be initialed by the responsible individual and
the date of change documented. All data and log entries must be written in indelible ink. Pencil entries are
not acceptable. This requirement is a new policy that has been implemented by our program since the last
inspection. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., that error corrections will include the date) was
received by electronic mail on December 25, 2011. No further response is necessary for this finding.
Comment: The laboratory had an effective system of traceability in place prior to it being required;
however, it did not include the date received. 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. A system (e.g., traceable identifiers) must be in place that links standard/reagent
preparation information to analytical batches in which the solutions are used. Documentation of solution
preparation must include the analyst's initials, date of preparation, the volume or weight of standard(s)
used, the solvent and final volume of the solution. This information as well as the vendor and/or
manufacturer, lot number, and expiration date must be retained for chemicals, reagents, standards and
consumables used for a period of five years. Consumable materials such as pH buffers and lots of pre-

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#5480 Whitewater Environmental
made standards are included in this 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., the
date received has been added to the benchsheets) was received by electronic mail on December 25,
2011. No further response is necessary for this finding.
Comment: Quality control failures have not been documented on the Discharge Monitoring Reports. The
Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories document states: When quality control (QC) failures
occur, the laboratory must attempt to determine the source of the problem and must apply corrective
action. Part of the corrective action is notification to the end user. If data qualifiers are used to qualify
samples not meeting QC requirements, the data may not be useable for the intended purposes. It is the
responsibility of the laboratory to provide the client or end -user of the data with sufficient information to
determine the usability of the qualified data. Where applicable, a notation must be made on the Discharge
Monitoring Report (DMR) form, in the comment section, when any required sample quality control does not
meet specified criteria and another sample cannot be obtained. This requirement is a new policy that has
been implemented by our program since the last inspection. This requirement is mainly applicable to
contract laboratory data, since field laboratory data rarely has QC failures that cannot be resolved by
obtaining another sample. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., QC failures will be added to the
DMR) was received by electronic mail on December 25, 2011. No further response is necessary for
this finding.
Comment: Proficiency Testing (PT) samples have not been documented in the same manner as
environmental samples. The Quality Assurance Policies for Field Laboratories document states: 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. This requirement is a new policy that has been implemented by our
program since the last inspection. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., PT samples will be
documented on benchsheets) was received by electronic mail on December 25, 2011. No further
response is necessary for this finding.
RHH — Standard Methods, 21st Edition, 450 H+
Total Residual Chlorine — Standard Methods, 21st Edition, 40 CI
Comment: The time of analysis of the post analysis check standard was not documented. The Technical
Assistance for Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine states: The time the calibration check was performed
must be documented whenever ie'ver sample analysis is performed. TI ie Technical Assistance for Analysis Of
pH states: The time of calibration and post calibration checks must be documented whenever sample
analysis is performed. Notification of acceptable corrective action (i.e., the time of analysis of the post
analysis check standards are now being documented) was received by electronic mail on December 25,
2011. No further response is necessary for this finding.
Total Residual Chlorine — Standard Methods, 21st Edition, 4500 CI G
Comment: The results were being reported with an incorrect reporting limit. The Technical Assistance for
Analysis of Total Residual Chlorine states: The concentrations of the calibration standards must bracket
the concentrations of the samples analyzed. One of the standards must have a concentration equal to or
below the lower reporting concentration for Total Residual Chlorine. Notification of acceptable corrective
action (i.e., a reporting limit of 20 pg/L has been implemented) was received by electronic mail on
December 25, 2011. No further response is necessary for this finding.
Comment: The reporting limit for Total Residual Chlorine may change each year depending on the
standard concentrations verified by the contract laboratory. Please note the lowest verified standard
concentration each time the curve verification is performed and update the reporting limit if needed.

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*5480 Whitewater Environmental
No paper trail performed.
All findings noted during the inspection were adequately addressed prior to the completion of this
report. The inspector would like to thank the staff for its assistance during the inspection and data review
process. No response is required.
Report prepared by: Jason Smith
Report reviewed by: Todd Crawford
Date: December 30, 2011
Date: January 6, 2012