Samplegeddon - 2019

In 2019, the nine-year, six-year, three-year, annual, six-month, and quarterly monitoring compliance schedules all converged—that’s Samplegeddon! 

Because this happens just once every nine years, the department works diligently throughout Samplegeddon to remind water systems of their monitoring requirements. Based on the figure below, we’ve made progress but still have some work to do:

• Overall, approximately 70% of three, six, and nine-year sampling requirements have been completed. That is up 10% from Jan. 15, 2018.
• Great news—most systems have sampled for nitrite, which is on a nine-year schedule! However, 11% of required samples have not been collected.
• Of the 29 systems that are on a reduced, three-year sampling schedule for disinfection byproducts, 52% have not sampled.
• The area with the second most uncompleted sampling is synthetic organic chemicals. Back in May, only 50% of systems had collected their required samples for synthetic organic chemicals. That number has since edged up to 61%. With 1,152 sampling schedules in Colorado, that is a significant amount of uncompleted sampling!

Figure 1: Sampling Requirements for Reduced Schedules as of September 24 (3, 6, and 9 Year)

Avoiding monitoring and reporting violations 

Here are some measures you can take to avoid any potential monitoring and reporting violations:

• Check your system’s monitoring schedule to see if you have any outstanding sampling requirements. Sampling requirements that have been satisfied will be stricken out on the monitoring schedule and labeled **Sample Result(s) Received** (see Figure 2). 

Figure 2: Public Water System Monitoring Schedule. This figure illustrates sampling requirements that have and have not been met.

• Use your monitoring schedule to ensure samples will be collected at the appropriate sample point, during the correct collection period, and that there are not separate requirements for specific analytes within a group.
• Have enough sampling bottles on hand to address each requirement as it arises—you may even want a few extra.
• Collect and deliver your samples to a certified laboratory early in your compliance period. Be sure that the chosen laboratory will be able to process your sample results and report them to the department by Jan. Laboratories may be extra busy as the deadline approaches; do what you can to avoid surprises or delays! Submitting samples early helps ensure that they will be received by the department on time, and it may also ensure adequate time to resample or correct reporting errors if needed.
• Confirm that sample results have been received and accepted by checking your system’s online monitoring schedules. Schedules are updated every Wednesday night to reflect changes.
• Contact your drinking water compliance specialist with any questions or concerns.
• Submit your data early. Remember, the best way to submit drinking water data to the department is through the drinking water portal.

➽ Jamie Duvall, Drinking Water Compliance Assurance