Wastewater Testing for Your Business: Products, Solutions and Best Practices

When it comes to testing wastewater, you can choose from dozens of different wastewater testing kits, but do you really know what makes one kit better than another? The Clean Water Act requires all industries and municipalities to test and analyze their wastewater, but wastewater testing kits have come a long way in recent years. The old method of mixing and measuring samples has been pushed aside to make way for more accurate, cost-effective solutions. Discover how wastewater testing has evolved, so your company always gets the most reliable results to meet your needs.

Wastewater Testing Products & Solutions

There are a number of different wastewater testing products out there for your business to choose from, but some will be better suited to your needs than others. These water testing kits can range in price, portability, and the method they use to collect and test the wastewater sample. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has laid out approved industry-specific wastewater collection and testing methods on their website, including those for the manufacturing, pesticide, and pharmaceutical industries. But every business has its own set of priorities when testing the toxicity of wastewater. Below, we’ll talk about some of the most popular types of wastewater test kits and the benefits of each.

Drop-Mixing Test Kits

This method involves putting a drop of a solution into a water sample and mixing the two around. The person analyzing the sample will then measure the results. This process involves several different steps and can take a few minutes to complete, including measuring the water sample and preparing the sample. You should only be using the drop-mixing method if your employees are working in an enclosed space that’s protected from the elements. The drop-mixing method tends to be a delicate process and can easily go awry if the person analyzing the sample is dealing with an unpredictable environment or if they are not adequately trained in this method.

Water Test Strips

This method involves putting a thin strip of paper into the water sample that’s been collected and measuring how the paper strip reacts based on the chemical makeup of the water sample. The person analyzing the water sample will still need to measure the correct amount before testing it with the strip. This method can be less time consuming than the drop-mixing method, but dipping a paper strip into the water sample is not an exact science. The results can vary if the person leaves the strip in too long.

Self-Filling Ampoule

This method involves using a self-filling ampoule that automatically fills up with the correct amount of water. The testing reagent is already inside, so the tester does not have to worry about pouring or mixing the two substances together. This significantly reduces the chances of an error occurring during the testing process because the person doing the testing does not have to measure the sample beforehand. People doing the testing can also easily carry around the supplies, as they don’t have to transport multiple containers and testing reagents. The person doing the testing also doesn’t have to come into contact with the sample, further limiting the chances of error or contamination.

The self-filling ampoule method is by far considered the most efficient water testing method in any industry. These ampoules provide more accurate test results and do not leave as much room for error as more traditional testing methods like paper strips and drop-mixing.

If your facility is interested in learning more about the self-filling ampoule method, please contact Chemtech International to speak to a water testing supplies professional.

Some Specific Use Cases

Colorimetric Water Analysis:

As water-based industries continue to expand and evolve, the need for water analysis grows with them. New regulations and market dynamics shift the testing needs to lower cost, more precise readings, and faster reporting.

The first approved procedure for measuring Peracetic Acid (PAA) residuals in wastewater:

The PAA residual analysis method is now available as a Standard Method thanks in part to the work of CHEMetrics Research and Development Director Joanne Carpenter in Midland, VA.

CHEMetrics® Hydrogen Peroxide Self-Filling Ampoules vs. Test Strips:

In the Food and Beverage industry, plant operators on packaging lines routinely monitor sterilization solution residuals in Extended Shelf-Life (ESL) and aseptic packaging applications.

Monitoring Dissolved Oxygen in High-Pressure Boiler Systems & Feedwater:

Many power plants use fossil fuels or nuclear power as sources of heat to boil purified water for the production of steam. The pressurized steam drives turbines to produce electricity. The quality of boiler feedwater must be carefully controlled throughout operations to optimize system performance. Proper water quality maintenance maximizes operating efficiency and the lifespan of boiler equipment.

Finding the Most Cost-Effective Solution

Looking at the EPA’s approved Clean Water Act testing methods, traditional wastewater testing kits usually require the operator to carefully collect drops of the sample in question and mix them with special chemicals to get a reading on their toxicity levels, but this method isn’t always the most effective. The operator can waste precious time and resources trying to get an exact measurement on every sample they collect. But new testing methods do away with the measuring and mixing all together. Operators can simply use a vacuum-sealed ampoule to collect the right amount of the sample. The ampoule always pulls the right amount, so the operator doesn’t have to worry about making a mistake or wasting precious time and resources on a bad test.

Reducing the Potential for Human Error

When companies use traditional wastewater testing methods, there’s always a chance that the operator will make a mistake. Operators are only human, after all, so many companies will leave room in the budget for error. But the latest wastewater testing kits reduce the potential for human error because the kit measures the samples for the operator. The vacuum is designed to collect the right amount of the sample for mixing, so the chances of the operator making a mistake are slim to none.

Improving Accuracy for Reliable Results

Traditional test strips and DIY mixing methods can also lead to inaccurate results. If the operator collects too little or too much of the sample, they will get a readout that can be misleading. This can lead to a misunderstanding regarding the toxicity of the company’s wastewater, resulting in a messy lawsuit or a penalty from the EPA. For some companies, getting inaccurate results when testing wastewater is simply not an option. These companies can’t afford to deal with the consequences that come with botched measurements and false toxicity readings.

That’s why so many companies are using wastewater testing kits with vacuum-sealed ampoules that do the measuring and mixing for them. They have peace of mind that their results are accurate and on-point, so there’s no chance of the EPA or a concerned member of the community taking issue with their wastewater.

If you want to improve your company’s wastewater testing methods, learn more about our CHEMetrics water test kits for the most reliable, cost-effective testing kits on the market for your business.