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1. 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. The sample must be collected within the scheduled month.

2. 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.

View a list of private labs to sample well water for Cryptosporidia or Giardia on the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation page.

3. 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:

• Phone: 785-296-6434
• Alternate Phone: 785-296-7111.

The lab prepares kits for mailing about 6 weeks ahead of the collection date, so it is very important that you update your information as soon as possible. You can also print off a PWS Contact Change Form on the KDHE, Bureau of Water, Public Water Supply Section and return it to:

• Christianne Huard Phone: 785-296-7111
• Karrie Ullery Phone: 785-296-6340
• Kansas Department of Health and Environment
  Division of Environment, Bureau of Water
  1000 SW Jackson Street
  Suite 420
  Topeka, KS 66612

4. How does the Lab mail out the collection kits?

If your water system collects 6 or less routine samples per month they are mailed from the KDHE lab to you via the U.S. Post Office or UPS on or around the 15th of the previous month. If you collect 7 or more routine samples per month they are mailed to you via UPS on or around the 20th of the previous month. Your kits should arrive to you around the 1st of the month.

If you do not receive your collection kits by the 10th of the month, call 785-291-3075 for a replacement.

5. How do I handle collection kits that are delivered while I still have bottles to collect?

Pay close attention to the date of collection on the submission form. We send the bottles out 10 to 15 days early and they can arrive in the month previous to the collection date. If you collect this bottle before the designated collection 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.

6. What can I do if I have sent my sample, but forgot to fill out the collection card?

If the collection date, time, location, chlorine residual, or the collector's name is missing we will call you, one time, using the number we have on file. We will leave a message with the clerk, secretary, or answering service for you to call us. You will have until noon the next day to return the call or we will reject the sample and send you a replacement kit and you will have to collect another sample.

If you realize that you left off information after sending your sample, you can call the lab at 785-291-3075, and we can update your form when it arrives at the lab.

7. What if there is a small amount of liquid or white powder in the bottle. Is it safe to use?

Yes. The manufacturer adds sodium thiosulfate to each bottle prior to sterilization. Depending on the environmental conditions, the sodium thiosulfate could be liquid droplets or dry out and leave a powder. The sodium thiosulfate removes the chlorine from the sample and works if it is in liquid or powder form.

8. What should I do if the lid on the bottle is loose?

If the cap on your bottle is loose, but the safety seal is still intact, then the bottle should be okay! If the lid has fallen off, or you have a concern about the bottle integrity, then call 785-291-3075 for a new bottle.

9. I had a positive sample and sent in a box of 3 Repeat samples, and now I have another box of 3 samples, what are they for?

If you have a Total Coliform or E Coli Positive sample from a routine water sample:

• The first box of 3 samples were "Repeat" samples - look for the "RPOR, RPUP, and RPDN" or "Repeat" on the sample submission form.
• The next set of samples are "Temporary Routine" samples - look for the "TR" or "Temporary Routine" on the sample submission form. The Temporary Routine samples should be collected the month following a positive sample. You must collect no less than 5 samples the month following a positive sample.

The number of "TR" samples you receive is based on how many routine samples you collect each month:

• If you collect two routine samples a month you will receive 3 "TR " samples to bring your total collections for the next month to five
• If you collect three routine samples a month you will receive 2 "TR" samples to bring your total collections for the next month to five, etc.

These samples will be mailed to you around the first of the month they are to be collected. They can be collected throughout the month anywhere on your site plan and collected as you would a routine sample. It is advised to collect them on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday not preceding a holiday. They must all be returned to the lab by the end of the scheduled month. Failure to collect and return five samples in a month following a positive sample will result in a monitoring violation.

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

Please call the lab at 785-291-3075 and we will send a replacement kit if needed.

Do not send the bottle if you know it will be too old. Do not use the submission form for a future sample. However, we would like to have the submission form for our records, so write "VOID" across the form along with a short note indicating the reason and who you talked to on the phone. To save postage, you can just send the voided form in with your next sample.

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

You may take it at any place on your registered site plan, but it is good practice to recollect it at the original location.