Why Tap Score Uses Certified Labs for Every Test

Laboratory certification in the water quality industry is vital. But it can be confusing as well. In this blog, we’ll try to disentangle the threads of laboratory accreditation (also known as certification) so you may understand what laboratory certifications are as they relate to your samples.

Table of Contents:

1. Accreditation Standards
2. Certified Testing Bodies
3. Other Laboratory Certifications

Accreditation Standards

All Tap Score water test packages are powered by SimpleLab and analyzed in laboratories accredited by various agencies and private bodies. All certifications and accreditations follow the same standard, ISO 17025, in order to ensure all laboratories have an acceptable quality management system in place.

Set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO/IEC 17025 is the global standard for laboratory testing quality and accuracy. It lays out requirements for the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of laboratories, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of their testing and calibration results

Certified labs perform both certified and non-certified testing of specific analytes by specific methods: 

Certified tests indicate that the analyte and method being tested have been individually accredited by a third-party. Certified testing is required for compliance samples (such as those used in drinking water regulations) and have strict sampling and documentation protocols. 

Non-certified testing is performed in the same labs, but does not have strict sampling and documentation protocols. This may be because the lab offers these tests for informational needs, or because no certification exists for the analyte-method — as is the case with most emerging contaminants. 

Certifications for testing can be on the national level or state level. 

All Tap Score testing is performed by certified labs and Tap Score offers both certified and informational water testing options. 

What Are Emerging Contaminants?

Certified Testing Bodies at Accredited Labs 

There are two main sources of drinking water testing certification in the United States: 

1. The National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP)
2. State-specific laboratory certification programs (often referred to as ELAP programs) 

Unfortunately, there is no one “single” certification program for every single state.

NELAC, NELAP, and TNI

The NELAC Institute (TNI) manages the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, or NELAP. Its purpose is to establish and implement a program for the accreditation of environmental laboratories. 

There are 15 participating states in the NELAP program.

NELAP relies on consensus standards representing the best professional practices in the industry to establish the program’s requirements. These are implemented by state agencies recognized by TNI as Accreditation Bodies.

The TNI Standard for Laboratories, Volume 1, is modeled after ISO/IEC 17025:2005 "General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories." TNI Standard, Volume 2, is the Accreditation Body’s (AB) requirements to accredit laboratories. The AB Standard is based on ISO/IEC 17011:2004 "Conformity Assessment: General Requirements for Accreditation Bodies Accrediting Conformity Assessment Bodies." Volumes 3 and 4 relate to the proficiency testing components of NELAP.

What’s the fastest way to find out if an environmental testing lab is accredited?

The fastest way to search for accredited environmental testing labs in the USA is to utilize the TNI LAMS Lab Search Tool. There, you can search for laboratories by matrix, method, analyte, location, lab name, and accreditation body.

When you find the lab(s) you’re looking for, you can see more details about the lab facilities and accreditations through the “View Lab” page.

If you click on “Fields of Accreditation” on any given “View Lab,” you can see precisely which matrices, methods, and analytes that lab is accredited for.

by the federal EPA. In most cases, the federal EPA has given such powers directly to the states. Each state then decides how their environmental labs must be accredited in order to perform compliance testing. 

Other Laboratory Certifications: ISO, A2LA, PJLA, etc.

There are a handful of other national private certification companies which a lab may hold, such as the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) or Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc (PJLA). These third-parties act as both auditors of the laboratories quality systems and issuers of certifications and Fields of Testing to the ISO 17025 standard. In many cases, these third parties will also audit a laboratory on behalf of a state agency. 

Laboratories in the SimpleLab network include many of these types of accredited facilities, as well. Each of these other accrediting agencies require maintaining rigorous standards and proficiency testing similar to NELAP in order to remain in good standing.

State Specific Certification

For the remaining 35 states, you will have to cross reference your state of interest with a specific laboratory’s Fields of Accreditation, the same way you would for a NELAC certified lab. The EPA does have some links to help you find the various agencies:

Contact Information for Certification Programs and Certified Laboratories for Drinking Water | US EPA

Note: Some states have separate certification agencies for drinking water and for other matrices (wastewater or soil, for example). It is important to make sure you are searching for the agency specifically related to drinking water certification. 

What About EPA Certification?

“EPA Certification” is a common misconception among first time users of environmental laboratory testing services. Labs are rarely ever accredited directly