Greetings Quality of Science Subscribers, 

The following may be of interest to laboratories or other organizations generating permitting compliance data. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approves analytical methods for measuring regulated pollutants in wastewater, as contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 40, Part 136. The regulated community and laboratories use these approved Clean Water Act methods for determining compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits or other monitoring requirements. 

On May 19, 2021, EPA revised the tables of approved methods in 40 CFR, Part 136.3, Identification of Test Procedures, in its Method Update Rule. For methods published in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (SM), EPA lists only one version for each method with the year of publication designated by the last four digits in the method number (e.g., SM 3111B-2011). The year indicates the date of the specific revision to the method and is the required version. 

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection adopted these 40 CFR, Part 136.3, approved testing procedures by reference into Rule 62-620.100, Florida Administrative Code, on Sept. 15, 2021. 

Due to the specification of methods listed in 40 CFR, Part 136.3, laboratories analyzing samples for clients (facilities) that are required to report for regulatory purposes must designate the method year on their Department of Health NELAP Scope of Accreditation and include the method year designation on the laboratory report to the client/permittee. 

The purpose of this notice is to clarify expectations for laboratories that conduct analyses for permitting compliance. This requirement does not pertain to laboratories if they use 40 CFR, Part 136.3, methods for non-regulatory purposes. 

Please contact the quality assurance team for any questions regarding this notice at Quality_Assurance@FloridaDEP.gov.

Thank you for your commitment to quality assurance.

Sarah Noble

Environmental Administrator

Aquatic Ecology and Quality Assurance Section

Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Do you have general QA questions? Please email Quality_Assurance@FloridaDEP.gov