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State 2 Disinfection By-Product Sampling Instructions

Disinfection By-Products are regulated under the State 2 Disinfectants/Disinfection By-Products Rule, which establishes Maximum Containment Levels and Operation Evaluation Levels (OELs) for each regulated disinfection byproduct. As such, all community water systems and non-transient non-community water systems that's water is disinfected with any disinfectant other than Ultraviolet Light (UV), are required to sample, to maintain compliance with the established regulations. On this page you will find step-by-step instructions on how to take, package, and send in samples. For additional information, please visit the webpages for each byproduct type, linked below. If you have any questions about the sampling process or the regulation of disinfection by-products in drinking water, please contact us.

Mason Johnson

Rule Manager

P: 701-328-7262
E: mtjohnson@nd.gov

The following video is an alternative way to experience the steps described below.

Prior to Sampling

The week before the scheduled sampling your system will receive a cooler from the lab that also includes:

  • 5 Zipper Storage Bags
  • 2 Clamshells (plastic packaging that opens like a clamshell) containing a total of 6 Sample Vials
  • A Sampling Sheet
Make sure you have received all the necessary items before beginning the sampling. If anything is missing, please contact the lab.

Sampling Procedure

  1. Open the sample tap to the coldest temperature it allows
  2. Let water run until the temperature stabilizes
  3. Hold vial at a diagonal and fill the sample vial to the very top
  4. Then fill sample vial cap with water and pour that water into the bottle until you see a bubble like meniscus form
  5. Close the sample vial
  6. Flip sample vial upside down to verify there are no air bubbles inside (if there are air bubbles repeat step 4)
  7. Fill in the necessary information on the sampling sheet
  8. Repeat these steps for each sample vial provided

Preparing Zipper Storage Bags

  1. Prepare 2 packages of double-bagged loose ice using the zipper storage bags that were provided.
    • Fill 1 zipper bag with loose ice and seal it
    • Add that sealed bag to a 2nd zipper bag and seal again
    • Fill a 3rd zipper bag with loose ice and seal it
    • Add that sealed bag to a 4th zipper bag and seal again
    Now you should have 2 packages of double-bagged loose ice.
  2. Add Completed Sample Sheet to the last zipper storage bag

Packing Cooler

  1. Add 1 package of loose ice to the bottom of the cooler
  2. Add the clamshells with the samples you just took on top of that package of loose ice
  3. Add the other package of loose ice on top of the clamshells with the sample vials
  4. Add zipper storage bag with the completed sample sheet on top of that package of loose ice
  5. Close cooler firmly

Shipping Cooler Back

  1. Overnight Ship or Hand Deliver to lab within 24 Hours of taking the sample

Stage 2 DBP samples have a temperature restriction, failure to recieve samples under temperature will result in rejected samples.

Department of Environmental Quality
4201 Normandy Street
Bismarck, ND 58503-1324
 P: 701-328-5150
 F: 701-328-5200
 E: deq@nd.gov
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