If your laboratory performs drinking water tests on Ontario drinking water, it will be inspected by a Ministry of the Environment’s Specialized Laboratory Inspector, at least twice each year (once unannounced).
Ministry inspectors will:
- See how well your laboratory is doing to comply with regulations
- encourage best practices, and
- review the procedures and practices used by the laboratory for tracking drinking water samples, conducting tests and reporting results to the Ministry and water providers.
Inspectors can issue provincial officer orders to laboratories that do not meet their legislative obligations.
Inspectors use a Laboratory Inspection Protocol to evaluate the compliance of laboratories. This document ensures that inspections are completed in a consistent manner and helps to promote the adoption of analytical methods that meet or exceed the quality standards required to provide acceptable drinking water testing in Ontario.
Read more about what you can expect when your laboratory is inspected.
Need more help? Contact the Ministry of the Environment’s Laboratory Licensing Administrator at 416-235-6370.
