Operators Need to Know How to Determine What's in an Unknown

Abstract

Unknowns generally come in with the goal of figuring out what type of water and what contaminants are in the sample. Sample Possible Sources Key Analyses Water running down the street Broken main or tap, draining swimming pool, irrigation Chlorine/chloramines, pH, free ammonia Water pooling in a meter box Leaking meter, groundwater, irrigation Chlorine/chloramines, pH, fluoride, free ammonia, hardness Water pooling in a customer's basement Broken main or tap, groundwater, wastewater Chlorine/chloramines, pH, fluoride, free ammonia, hardness, nitrate Water pooling in a low spot under an overpass Broken main, groundwater, rainwater Chlorine/chloramines, pH, fluoride, free ammonia, hardness Water with oil sheen Hydrocarbon contamination Oil paperUnderstanding how different types of laboratory analyses can be used to make determinations on unknown samples can guide operators in their response.