WHAT’S IN YOUR WATER?

Wondering what’s in your water? It depends on what you’re looking for. When discussing water quality, one of the first terms you encounter is “potable” water—derived from the Latin potare, meaning safe to drink.

Typically, this means testing for bacteria such as E. coli and total coliforms, along with screening for nitrate/nitrite, lead, chloride, sulfate, conductivity, pH, hardness, and metals like copper, iron, manganese, and sodium. Specific contaminants are only targeted when there’s a reason to do so.

For instance, during a leaking petroleum storage tank investigation, tests focus on chemicals found in refined petroleum products. These include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (spanning both gasoline and diesel range organics), as well as MTBE. In scenarios involving water disposal, additional tests are conducted for pH, total lead, and flashpoint.

For soil and groundwater analytical results to be approved by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Petroleum Storage Tank Division, testing must be performed by an Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality certified laboratory—such as Baseline Laboratories in Choctaw, Oklahoma.

Baseline Laboratories is owned by analytical chemist Brandon Mosley, who brings more than 25 years of expertise in the underground storage tank environmental testing industry.

A proud graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), Brandon’s laboratory is also accredited to serve the oil and natural gas industry as well as the medical cannabis sector. Baseline remains the preferred laboratory of Priority Environmental. For more information, visit baseline-labs.com.