The Vermont Department of Health certifies laboratories analyzing drinking water as per Vermont Statute 18 V.S.A § 501b. Applicant laboratories need to be accredited by a National Environmental Laboratory Accrediting Program (NELAP) recognized accrediting body to the TNI standards currently in effect before the department will consider issuing a drinking water certification to the laboratory.

A sample is required to be analyzed by a laboratory certified by the Vermont Department of Health when: 

  1. The sample is from a public water system and the results are to be submitted to the VT Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division (per Section 21-13 of the Vermont Water Supply Rule).

  2. The sample is from (non-public) potable water sources and is being analyzed for the purposes of permitting (per Section 1-1113(c) of the Vermont Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Rules).  

Any laboratory that is certified by the VT Department of Health which analyzes a groundwater drinking water sample (regardless of the reasons for analysis) must submit the results of their groundwater analyses to the Department of Health in a format required by the Department of Health (per 18 V.S.A § 501b). 

How Do Certified Drinking Water Labs Submit Private Drinking Water Test Results?

The Health Department has developed an electronic groundwater database to house all private drinking water test results, which is complete and ready to receive data. Laboratories are encouraged to implement these new results submission criteria as soon as possible by sending Comma Separated Value (CSV) files in the correct format to the Health Department via email [email protected].

The Groundwater Chemistry Data Submission Guide is a helpful tool for laboratories certified to test groundwater. It is a quick guide to being in compliance with Act 163 (18 V.S.A § 501b) - the Vermont state law that governs laboratory certification.

Summary of Important Guidelines for Preparing and Submitting Your CSV File

Using the Data Elements and File Format Guide:

  • Labs are required to produce and submit a Comma Separated Value (CSV) file that meets all of the specifications

  • The headers in your CSV file must match as they are shown in this guide as “CSV Column Header”

  • The columns in your CSV file can be in any order

  • Data are not case sensitive

  • There are format requirements for certain fields, such as time and date, result type and water source (see “Format or limited responses”)

  • Each file submitted to the State must have a unique file name. To ensure the file name is unique, the naming convention could start with your VT State Lab ID followed by the file creation date (e.g. VTStateLabIDyyyymmdd).

  • Batched files are acceptable

For Questions About:

  • The Data Elements and File Format Guide or the data submission process, call the Environmental Health Division at 802-863-7220 or 800-439-8550 (toll-free in Vermont).

  • Laboratory certification, contact the Laboratory Certification Officer, Ali Boren, at the Health Department Laboratory at 802-338-4709 or 800-660-9997 (toll-free in Vermont).​

A completed application packet for certification includes: 

  • Completed application form

  • Appropriate fees 

  • Laboratory’s current NELAP accreditation certificate and scope 

  • Most recent onsite report along with the laboratory corrective action responses 

  • Acceptable Proficiency Testing (PT) results.

Once certification is established, PT reports must be sent to the program directly from the PT provider on an ongoing basis

Have questions about Vermont Drinking Water Laboratory Certification? E-mail us at [email protected]

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