The Cobb County Water System relocated its Water Quality Laboratory in July 1998. The 10,600 sq. foot facility houses the laboratory operations, Stream Monitoring Program, the Watershed Stewardship Program, Water Efficiency Program, and a 1,600 sq. foot training center.
The lab operates six days a week, providing required testing and analysis of samples collected from water reclamation facilities, streams, and permitted industries. Approximately 100,000 samples are processed through the laboratory annually.
Analyses include:
- Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
- Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
- Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
- Fecal Coliform
- Turbidity
- Conductivity
- Ammonia
- Phosphorus
- Nitrates and Nitrites
- Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen
- Metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, zinc, etc.)
All analysts are required to maintain certification as a Wastewater Laboratory Analyst through the Georgia Board of Examiners. Each year, the laboratory participates in the Discharge Monitoring Report-Quality Assurance (DMR-QA) study program. This proficiency study is required by the Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate the analytical abilities of laboratories that perform self-monitoring analyses required by National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting.
Requests for drinking water testing should be directed to the UGA Cobb Extension Services at 770-528-4070.