Water Monitoring Kit

Collecting a water sample

Collect the water sample in a sterile, wide mouthed jar or container (approximately 1 liter) that has a cap. If possible, boil the sample container and cap for several minutes to sterilize and avoid touching the inside of the container or the cap with your hands. The container should be filled completely with your water sample and capped to prevent the loss of dissolved gases. Test each sample as soon as possible or within one hour of collection. When possible, perform Dissolved Oxygen and BOD procedures at the monitoring site immediately after collecting the water sample.

Testing for Coliform Bacteria

1. Pour the water sample into the large test tube containing a tablet (4880) until it is filled to the 10 mL line. Don’t worry if you overfill or underfill a little.
2. Replace the cap on the test tube.
3. Stand the tube upright, with the tablet flat on the bottom of the tube.
4. Incubate by storing the tube upright, at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 48 hours. Store the tubes where the temperature will be fairly constant and between 70° to 80°F (21° to 27° C). Do not disturb, handle, or shake tubes during the incubation period.
5. Compare the appearance of the tube to the picture on the Coliform color chart. Record the result as negative or positive.

Reactions

Negative:

• Liquid above gel is clear.
• Gel remains at bottom of tube.
• Indicator remains red or turns yellow with no gas bubbles.
• Indicates less than 20 total coliform colonies per 100 mL of water.

Positive:

• Many gas bubbles present.
• Gel rises to surface.
• Liquid below gel is cloudy.
• Indicator turns yellow.
• Indicates more than 20 total coliform colonies per 100 mL of water.

Coliform test disposal

1. One tube at a time, remove the cap and add approximately 1 mL ( b teaspoon or 20 drops) of household chlorine bleach and immediately recap.
2. Let the tubes stand upright for about 4 hours.
3. Dispose of the closed tubes in the trash. Do not open tubes.

NEVER re-use tubes after coliform bacteria testing.

Testing the Dissolved Oxygen

1. Record the temperature of the water sample (see page 28).
2. Submerge the small tube (0125) into the water sample. Carefully remove the tube from the water sample, keeping the tube full to the top.
3. Drop two Dissolved Oxygen TesTabs® (3976A) into the tube. Water will overflow when tablets are added.
4. Screw the cap on the tube. More water will overflow as the cap is tightened. Make sure no air bubbles are present in the sample.
5. Mix by inverting the tube over and over until the tablets have disintegrated. This will take about 4 minutes.
6. Wait 5 more minutes for the color to develop.
7. Compare the color of the sample to the Dissolved Oxygen color chart. Record the result as ppm Dissolved Oxygen.

Locate the temperature of the water sample on the % Saturation chart. Locate the Dissolved Oxygen result of the water sample at the top of the chart. The % Saturation of the water sample is where the temperature row and the Dissolved Oxygen column intersect.

For example: if the water sample temperature is 16°C and the Dissolved Oxygen result is 4 ppm, then the % Saturation is 41.

Testing the Biochemical Oxygen Demand

1. Submerge the small tube (0125) into the water sample. Carefully remove the tube, keeping the tube full to the top. Cap the tube.
2. Wrap the tube with aluminum foil and store it in a dark place at room temperature for 5 days.
3. Unwrap the tube. Add two Dissolved Oxygen TesTabs® (3976A) to the test tube.
4. Cap the tube. Make sure there are no air bubbles. Invert until tablets have disintegrated. Wait 5 min.
5. Compare the color of the sample to the Dissolved Oxygen color chart.

The difference in the Dissolved Oxygen level between the uncovered tube and the covered tube is the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of the water sample.

Testing the Nitrate content

1. Fill the test tube (0106) to the 5 mL line with the water sample.
2. Add one *Nitrate Wide Range CTA TesTab (3703A). Immediately slide the test tube into the Protective Sleeve (0106-FP).
3. Cap and mix by inverting for two minutes to disintegrate the tablet. Bits of material may remain in the sample.
4. Wait 5 minutes for the red color to develop. Remove the tube from the Protective Sleeve.
5. Compare the color of the sample to the Nitrate color chart. Record the result as ppm Nitrate.

NOTE: Nitrate Wide Range CTA TesTabs (3703A) are sensitive to UV light. The Protective Sleeve (0106-FP) will protect the reaction from UV light. If testing indoors, there is no need to use the Protective Sleeve in this procedure.

Testing the pH

1. Fill the test tube (0106) to the 10 mL line with the water sample.
2. Add one pH Wide Range TesTab (6459A).
3. Cap and mix by inverting until the tablet has disintegrated. Bits of material may remain in the sample.
4. Compare the color of the sample to the pH color chart. Record the result as pH.

Testing the Phosphate content

1. Fill the test tube (0106) to the 10 mL line with the water sample.
2. Add one Phosphorus TesTab (5422A).
3. Cap and mix by inverting until the tablet has disintegrated. Bits of material may remain in the sample.
4. Wait 5 minutes for the blue color to develop. NOTE: If the sample does not develop a blue color (sample is colorless), record the result as 0 ppm.
5. Compare the color of the sample to the Phosphate color chart. Record the result as ppm Phosphate.

Measuring the Temperature

1. Wear protective gloves. At each site, place the thermometer four inches below the water surface for one minute.
2. Remove the thermometer from the water, read the temperature and record the temperature as degrees Celsius.
3. Repeat the test approximately 1 km upstream as soon as possible.
4. The difference between the temperature upstream and the temperature at the sampling site is the change in temperature.

Turbidity

The water testing kit container is used to perform the Turbidity test. If possible, adhere the Secchi disk icon sticker to the jar 8-24 hours before use to allow the adhesive to cure.

1. Remove the backing from the secchi disk icon sticker.
2. Adhere sticker on the inside bottom of the large white jar (kit container). Position the sticker slightly off center.
3. Fill the jar to the turbidity fill line located on the outside kit label.
4. Hold the Turbidity Chart on the top edge of the jar. Looking down into the jar, compare the appearance of the secchi disk icon in the jar to the chart. Record the result as Turbidity in JTU.

NOTE: Allow jar to dry thoroughly before replacing kit contents for storage

Manual of water monitoring kit: Link