MWH Labs has received accreditation for testing of bromate by EPA Method 317 under the Stage 2 Disinfection/Disinfection Byproducts (DDBP) Rule. Method 317 is, a very accurate and very precise analytical method for bromate, that avoids many of the problems with false negatives and false positives that are associated with the existing analytical method (EPA 300.1). Additionally method 317 is capable of detecting bromate as low as 1 ppb (vs 5 ppb for method 300.1), helping clients to more accurately assess their bromate treatment options. Bromate is regulated in bottled water and potable water at a level of 10 ppb.

MWH Labs was one of the first commercial labs in the country to perform bromate analysis by method 317, having participated in the round robin testing of this method when it was first developed in the late 1990s. With the promulgation of the Stage 2 DDBP Rule in December 2005, method 317 became an acceptable method for compliance testing under federal regulations. However a lab can not use method 317 for compliance without being accredited. California added method 317 to their list of NELAP approved methods in August 2006, and MWH Labs became the first lab approved in California under the NELAP program, based on submittal of multiple successful proficiency testing results and a demonstration of capability.

In the last few years, MWH has analyzed over 4,000 non-compliance samples for bromate using method 317. With the NELAP approval in California MWH will now be able to provide this high quality data for use in compliance testing.

About MWH Laboratories

MWH is a private, employee-owned consulting firm with over 6,000 employees worldwide. The firm provides engineering design and remediation, construction, procurement, program management, and technology solutions for the environmental, land, water, wastewater, energy and power markets of the Americas, Europe, Middle East, India, Asia and the Pacific Rim.