{"id":9955,"date":"2025-03-01T14:01:39","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T19:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/echem\/"},"modified":"2025-03-02T00:41:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T05:41:41","slug":"echem","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/lab\/echem\/","title":{"rendered":"lab\/echem ~  Environmental Chemistry  &#8211; Delaware Health and Social Services &#8211; State of Delaware"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-swiftype-index=\"true\">\n\n\n\n\n\n  <br>\n\n\n  \n\n\n  <div class=\"container\" id=\"main_header\">\n\n\n    <!-- BEGIN readspeaker div -->\n\n\n    <div class=\"rs_skip rsbtn rs_preserve\" id=\"readspeaker_button1\">\n\n\n      <a accesskey=\"L\" class=\"rsbtn_play\" href=\"https:\/\/app-na.readspeaker.com\/cgi-bin\/rsent?customerid=7262&#038;lang=en_us&#038;readid=main_content&#038;url=https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/lab\/echem.html\" title=\"Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker\">\n\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_left rsimg rspart\"><span class=\"rsbtn_text\"><span>Listen<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_right rsimg rsplay rspart\"><\/span>\n\n\n      <\/a>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <!-- END readspeaker div -->\n\n\n\n\n\n    \n\n\n    <header class=\"pull-left\">\n\n\n      <h1><!--[type=EDIT name=\"Page Title\"]-->Environmental Laboratory<!--[END]--><\/h1>\n\n\n    <\/header>\n\n\n  <\/div><br>\n\n\n \n\n\n  <div class=\"container\">\n\n\n    <div class=\"row\">\n\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-3\" id=\"leftCol\">\n\n\n        <div class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\">\n\n\n          <div class=\"panel sectionmenu_panel\">\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\">\n\n\n              <p class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"agency_nav\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapseOne\"><strong><i class=\"fa fa-align-justify fa-fw\"><\/i> Public Health Menu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" id=\"collapseOne\">\n\n\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" id=\"clf_nav\">\n\n\n                  <ul class=\"nav nav-stacked nav-pills-clf\" id=\"agency_sidebar\">\n    <li><a href=\"\/dph\/\"><h2>Home <i class=\"fa fa-home fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a><\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#agency_sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#HomeMenu\"><h2>About <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"HomeMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/about.html\">About DPH<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/sections.html\">Sections &#038; Programs<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ofclocations.html\">Office Locations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/contact.html\">Contact Info<\/a><\/li>\n      \n        <li><a href=\"\/calendars.html\" target=\"_blank\">Calendar<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#ServicesMenu\"><h2>Services <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"ServicesMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesaz.html\">A-Z Services<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/environmental.html\">Air &#038; Water Quality<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ss\/vitalstats.html\">Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/clinics.html\">Clinics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthdatastats.html\">Health Data &#038; Statistics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/emsps.html\">Emergency Preparedness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthandwellness.html\">Health &#038; Wellness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthyhomes.html\">Healthy Homes<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthywp.html\">Healthy Workplaces<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/lab\/labs.html\">Laboratory<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/feir.html\">Restaurant Inspections<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/screen.html\">Screening and Testing<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/chca\/dphwichominf01.html\">WIC<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesadd.html\">Additional Services<\/a><\/li><li>\n      <\/li><\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#InformationMenu\"><h2>Information <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n        <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"InformationMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/factsheetsaz.html\">A-Z Fact Sheets<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/pubreportsaz.html\">A-Z Publications &#038; Reports<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/diseasesandconditions.html\">Diseases &#038; Conditions<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/faq.html\">FAQ&#8217;s<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/alerts.html\">Health Alerts<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthylifestyles.html\">Healthy Lifestyles<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hipaa.html\">HIPAA<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/regs.html\">Regulations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/forms.html\">Request Forms<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/links.html\">Links &#038; Resources<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"http:\/\/delaware.gov\/help\/foia_request.shtml\">FOIA Request Form<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li><a id=\"SocialMenuHeader\"><h2>Connect <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-o-up fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul id=\"SocialMenu\">\n        <li class=\"facebook\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DEPublicHealth\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Division of Public Health Facebook Page\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Facebook<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Delaware_DHSS\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Delaware Health and Social Services Twitter Account\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Twitter<\/a><\/li>\n        <!-- <li class=\"googleplus\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-google-plus-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Google +<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"flickr\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-flickr fa-lg\"><\/i> Flickr<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"youtube\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-youtube-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Youtube<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"instagram\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-instagram fa-lg\"><\/i> Instagram<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"linkedin\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-linkedin-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Linkedin<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"pinterest\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-pinterest-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Pinterest<\/a><\/li> -->\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n\n              <\/div>\n\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n          <\/div>\n\n\n        <\/div><br>\n\n\n      <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-9\" id=\"main_content\"> \n\n\n  <!--[type=HTMLEDIT name=\"Content\"]-->\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<!-- Google Translate Element BEGIN -->\n\n\n\n            <div id=\"google_translate_element\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n                <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\n\n\n                    function googleTranslateElementInit() {\n\n\n\n                    new google.translate.TranslateElement({pageLanguage: 'en'}, 'google_translate_element');\n\n\n\n}\n\n\n\n                <\/script>\n\n\n\n                <script src=\"\/\/translate.google.com\/translate_a\/element.js?cb=googleTranslateElementInit\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\/**\/<\/script><br>\n\n\n\n            <!-- Google Translate Element END -->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photos of Water.\" class=\"img-thumbnail img-responsive\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/img\/ealbanner.jpg\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The United States has one of the safest water supplies in the world. The US Environmental Protection Agency sets and enforces standards for the public drinking water supply, while individual states do so for private drinking water wells. Recent rains followed by flooding in certain parts of Delaware and around the country have raised concerns about the quality and safety of our drinking water. Because drinking water quality varies from place to place depending on the condition of the water source and the treatment it receives, the best source of specific information about your drinking water is your water supplier.<\/p> \n\n\n\n<p>Water suppliers that serve the same people year-round are required to send their customers an annual water quality report \u2013 a consumer confidence report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Private well owners are responsible for testing their water. They may contact private commercial laboratories certified to test drinking water quality or<a href=\"\/dph\/contact.html#dphl\"> the Delaware Public Health laboratory (DPHL)<\/a>. It is recommended to test private well water annually for nitrates and coliform bacteria. More frequent testing, however, may be needed if a problem is suspected.<\/p> \n\n\n\n<p>Consumers of public water systems are not responsible for getting their water tested. The DPHL under EPA mandate regularly tests public water systems through<a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/odw.html\"> the Office of Drinking Water<\/a>. In addition to testing for coliform bacteria and nitrates, public water systems are tested for a number of contaminants, including pesticides and trace metals.<\/p> \n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/dwreginfo\">Drinking Water Requirements for States and Public Water Systems | US EPA<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Excessive levels of these contaminants in our drinking water may cause serious illness and sometimes death in children, the elderly and the sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ground-water-and-drinking-water\/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations\">National Primary Drinking Water Regulations including Maximum Contaminant Levels | Ground Water and Drinking Water | US EPA<\/a> \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ccl\/types-drinking-water-contaminants\">Types of Drinking Water Contaminants | Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) and Regulatory Determination | US EPA<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ccl\/types-drinking-water-contaminants\">Secondary Drinking Water Standards: Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals | Drinking Water Contaminants \u2013 Standards and Regulations | US EPA<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2>How do I get my water tested if my home is not supplied by a Public Water system?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\nPrivate well water owners may pick up a sample form and bottle from a county office (<a href=\"\/main\/maps\/other\/chopin.html\">New Castle County<\/a>, <a href=\"\/main\/maps\/other\/collins.html\">Kent County<\/a>, <a href=\"\/main\/maps\/dsscmap\/gtown.htm\">Sussex County<\/a>) or the DPHL for a cost of $2.00 each for a bacterial and chemical test. Follow the directions given and return in a timely manner to the office where you received the bottle. The sample may be rejected if directions are not followed or the form is unreadable. \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\nDPHL analyze for presence or absence of total coliforms<em>\/Escherichia coli<\/em> for bacterial sample and Nitrite, Nitrate, Fluoride, Chloride, Sulfate, Iron, Calcium for Hardness, Sodium, pH, and alkalinity for a chemical sample.  DPHL does not test private drinking water wells for non-prescribed chemical or bacterial contaminants unless the DE Office of Drinking Water submits the sample to the laboratory. Homeowners must contact the Office of Drinking Water or a private laboratory for this additional testing.  For a list of laboratories certified to conduct drinking water testing, contact the Office of Drinking Water.\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/dph\/lab\/privdw.html\">Drinking Water \u2013 Private Well Owners<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2>How do I receive results? What if they are elevated? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\nIt takes approximately one week for the bacterial results and three weeks for the chemical results to be available. Results are sent to the appropriate county unit (private well samples) and the Office of Drinking Water (public water supply samples.) Please do not contact the lab for results. \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\nThe county health unit will then mail the test results to the private well owner. If elevated levels of contaminants are found, they will include information such as when to re-test and prevention measures such as boiling water or using bottled water. \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\nThe Office of Drinking Water sends public water test results, conducted by DPHL, to water suppliers, who are required to notify customers quickly when contaminants are found. Otherwise, reports are sent out annually. \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/drinkingwaternotices.html\">Drinking Water Notices<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2>Where Can I Get More Information About Private Wells?<\/h2> \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>For more information on the quality of private well drinking water, visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/privatewells\">EPA<\/a>. \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/pdf\/prvtwatertestforms.pdf\">Private Well Water Collection Forms and Instructions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n\n\nFor additional information refer to the following links:\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"bactlab.html\">Bacteriological Laboratory<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"chemlab.html\">Chemistry Laboratory<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/pdf\/watertestperformed.pdf\">Drinking Water Tests at the Delaware Public Health Laboratory<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/ofpmilk.html\">The Milk Safety Program<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n<a href=\"wastewater.html\">Wastewater Surveillance Program<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>\n\n\n\n  Return to the <a href=\"labs.html\">Delaware Public Health Laboratory home page<\/a>.\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<br>\n\n\n\n<\/p><p>This page was last updated 12\/23\n\n\n\n<\/p><p class=\"smalltext\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Download Adobe Acrobat Reader\" height=\"21\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/dhss\/img\/getacro60.gif\" width=\"60\"><\/a> Please note: Some of the files available on this page are in Adobe PDF format which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.  A free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded directly from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\">Adobe <\/a>. If you are using an assistive technology unable to read Adobe PDF, please either view the corresponding text only version (if available) or visit Adobe&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/access.adobe.com\">Accessibility Tools page<\/a>.<\/p><p>\n  <!--[END]-->\n\n\n  \n\n\n      <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><!-- \/container -->\n\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen Environmental Laboratory Public Health Menu Home About About DPH Sections &#038; Programs Office Locations Contact Info Calendar Services A-Z Services Air &#038; Water Quality Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records Clinics Health Data &#038; Statistics Emergency Preparedness Health &#038; Wellness Healthy Homes Healthy Workplaces Laboratory Restaurant Inspections Screening and Testing WIC Additional Services Information A-Z [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":9943,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9955","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9955"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9955\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11148,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9955\/revisions\/11148"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}