Drinking water metals: choosing a panel
IRIS Environmental Laboratories · 2 min read
Which drinking water metals panel fits a school, private well, municipal system or building, the SDWA and LCRR limits, and the bottle and preservation rules.
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IRIS tests 16 metals in drinking water by EPA 200.5 and 200.7 (ICP), NJ NELAP certified and TNI accredited. For first-draw lead and copper sampling, see Lead and copper in drinking water, first draw.
Pick the panel
| Panel | Method | Best for | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary metals (16 metals) | EPA 200.5, ICP | SDWA compliance, private well screening, municipal systems | 5 to 7 business days |
| Lead and copper | EPA 200.5, ICP | LCRR, school and childcare taps, service line checks | 3 to 5 business days |
| Expanded metals (full suite) | EPA 200.7, ICP | Full private well testing, industrial water sources, full SDWA list | 5 to 7 business days |
- School or childcare taps: lead and copper. LCRR requires all outlets to be tested.
- Private well, for a homeowner or new construction: primary or expanded. NJ private well ordinances typically require a full metals panel at property transfer or new construction.
- Municipal system, SDWA monitoring: primary metals. EPA 200.5 is the standard method for SDWA metals reporting to NJ DEP.
- Commercial or multi-family building: lead and copper, the main regulatory concerns in building plumbing.
- IH or consultant, full characterisation or litigation support: expanded metals.
Key limits
| Metal | Limit |
|---|---|
| Lead | 15 µg/L, action level (LCRR) |
| Copper | 1.3 mg/L, action level (LCRR) |
| Arsenic | 10 µg/L, MCL (SDWA) |
| Chromium | 100 µg/L, MCL (SDWA) |
| Cadmium | 5 µg/L, MCL (SDWA) |
| Barium | 2 mg/L, MCL (SDWA) |
| Selenium | 50 µg/L, MCL (SDWA) |
| Antimony | 6 µg/L, MCL (SDWA) |
The 16 metals are aluminium, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, selenium, silver, thallium and zinc.
Bottles and preservation
- Use the lab-supplied, pre-cleaned HDPE or polyethylene bottles, 250 mL minimum. Never glass.
- Samples are preserved with HNO₃ to pH below 2, at collection or by the lab on receipt.
- Sample from the cold tap, with any filter bypassed. Use the first-draw or flushed protocol, depending on the purpose of the test.
- Cool to 4°C for shipment and do not delay. Hold time is 6 months once preserved.
- On the COC, record the source type, address, sample location and flushing status.
Kits include preserved HDPE bottles, a COC form, a prepaid overnight shipping label and a sampling guide. If you are not sure which form fits your panel, contact the lab or email support@irislaboratories.com.
Chain of custody
Pick the form that matches your test.
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