Q: How does the Lab mail out the collection kits?

• Normally, the collection kits are mailed by bulk rate ten working days before the 1 st collection date.

Q: How do we handle collection kits that are delivered while we still have bottles to collect?

• Watch the date of collection on the bottles. We send the bottles out 10 days early and they can get to you in the month previous to the collection date.
• If you collect this bottle in the previous month, you will have collected too many samples in one month and not enough the next month and you will be out of compliance for the next month.

Q: What can I do if the information on the collection card was left off?

• If the date, time, collection location or the collectors name is missing we will call you, one time , using the number in the Master File. We will leave a message with the clerk, secretary or answering service to call us. You will have until 15:00 hrs (3:00 PM) of the next day to return the call or we will reject the sample and send you a replacement (RPL card) kit.

Q: What if there is some water or white powder in the bottle. Is it safe to use?

• Yes. The lab adds 0.2 mL of a 10% solution of sodium thiosulfate in each bottle during sterilization. Sometimes the sodium thiosulfate solution dries out to leave a powder. The sodium thiosulfate removes the chlorine from the sample and works if it is in liquid or powder form.

Q. What about the black or red spots inside or on the outside of the bottle?

• The collection bottles are reused and sometimes pick p rust spots from the metal racks used in the laboratory. The spots will not interfere with your sample but if you feel uncomfortable using a spotted bottle we will replace it.

Q. What about water supply address or personnel changes?

• Make sure that you keep these up to date at all times. If there are any changes please make sure that the Public Water Supply Section (PWSS) is notified (785 296-6434).
• The Lab prints labels and prepares kits for mailing about 6 weeks ahead of the collection date, so it is very important that you call them in as soon as possible.
• Do not write address, personnel or telephone changes on the collection card. This card stays in the lab. PWSS is in a different building. Write any changes on a piece of paper about 5" X 7" and we will send these changes to the appropriate section. It is still better to call PWSS at the above number to get the changes into the system a rapidly as possible.

Q: What should I do if the lid on the bottle is loose?

• If the cap is just loose the bottle should be OK! If the lid has fallen off, call for a new bottle

Q. What do I do with the rule of five?

• Check for the phrase "TR" on the right side of these cards. When there has been a total or fecal coliform detected in any month at a sampling site in the public water supply, the next month, there must be no less than 5 samples collected. If you collect two samples a month you will receive 3 "TR" samples to bring your total collections for the next month to five (5). In this case you will receive three sampling kits that have cards with the designation "TR" on the right side of the card in about the middle. These samples should be distributed among your siting plan for collection and collected as you would a regular sample. Failure to collect five samples in a month following a positive coliform will result in a monitoring violation.
• These should be collected at the first opportunity or the first available Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday not preceding a holiday. The "TR" collection bottles will be mailed out about one week into the month, following the month in which there was a positive sample.

Q. Can you test my well?

• The Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories (KHEL) discontinued coliform testing of private well samples on August 1, 1989. Assuring the safety of private drinking water supplies really requires an assessment of the well location and construction as well as a site assessment for potential contaminants. For example, a poorly constructed well could be free of contaminants one day and then become highly contaminated the next after a heavy rainstorm washes contaminants into the well. Testing a single sample analysis is not a true indicator of the overall safety or purity of the water.
• A list of private labs to sample well water or Cryptosporidia, or Giardia, can be found at www.kdheks.gov/envlab/disclaimer.html .

Q. I missed my collection day. What do I do?

• Please take your sample on the next Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday that does not fall on or around a holiday.

Q. I collected my sample but forgot to mail it or I know my sample will be too old.

• Please send in the sample. If it is greater than 48 hrs. when we receive it we will send you a replacement.

Q. Where do I take the replacement for my rejected sample?

• You may take it at any place on your registered site plan.

Q. Why am I now getting a report for every sample?

• This will let you know that we did receive your sample and let you know of the result quickly.