Water
FAQs
What can you test my water for?
We can test your water for the presence or absence of
coliforms or E. coli bacteria. See Environmental Sciences Branch
tests to find out about testing for chemicals.
How much does the testing cost?
The test costs $20.00 per sample.
What kind of container should I use
for water testing?
Water samples must be taken in sterile, clean bottles
provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services, Laboratory Services Section. Bottles can be
acquired from Laboratory Specimen Receiving. Submission form G-19 must be obtained along with the test container.
How do I submit a sample?
A good location for taking water samples will be an
outside faucet that does not leak (avoid rubber hoses, fire hydrants, dirty areas and
areas behind bushes). Do not take samples from kitchen or bathroom sinks.
Avoid sampling on extremely windy days or when it is raining.
Open the faucet to full flow for three minutes to clean
the line. Then, reduce the flow to a slow, steady sprayless stream. Exercise
care when opening the bottle, do not touch the inside of the container or the cap.
Do not rinse the bottle. Fill the container slowly to the level (100 mL) indicated
by the permanent mark without splashing, then seal it. Proper volume is required for
testing.
Samples, together with the completed submission forms, can be mailed or hand
delivered to the same place where the bottles and forms were acquired.
Refrigeration of water samples during transportation is highly recommended. If
mailing is preferred, the sample should be addressed to:
Microbiological Services
Laboratory Services Section
Texas Department of State Health Services
1100 West 49th Street
Austin, TX 78756-3199
All samples must arrive at the testing laboratory within 30 hours from the time the
sample was collected. Time spent during delivery and processing at our Laboratory
Specimen Receiving area should be taken into consideration for transporting samples.
Can I boil a container at home and
use that?
It is not recommended and will not be accepted.
How soon can I receive the test
results?
Once the test is initiated it takes 18 - 22 hours to
complete using the current methodology. All results will be entered into a
laboratory reporting system after the tests have been finished. A copy of the
results will be forwarded to you through the mail, which may take two to three days.
What do the results tell me?
A "NO COLIFORM FOUND (by MMO-MUG test)"
report indicates coliform organisms are absent, and means the water is considered
bacteriologically safe to drink at the time of sampling.
Both "TOTAL COLIFORM FOUND (by MMO-MUG
test)" and "ESHERICHIA COLI FOUND (by MMO-MUG test)" on your
report indicates that the water may be unsafe to drink because coliform organisms are
present.
If repeated testing reveals possible coliform
contamination, well disinfection is recommended. Call Water Utility, Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ) at (512) 239-6020 for details.
Food & Seafood
FAQs ^
Top
Someone in my family becomes ill. Who
do I contact about this?
Contact your local city-county health department.
Can I bring food directly to the
health department?
No. You must contact your city-county health department
and they will only investigate if there is an outbreak involved.
What do you test for?
We test for a variety of organisms which cause illness.
What kind of food do you test?
Anything that is associated with an outbreak.
Will you test food for me if I think
the place I bought it from is not clean?
No. You need to contact your local city-county health
department and they will determine whether or not to conduct an investigation. At that
time they will determine if testing is necessary.
Should I eat raw oysters?
There is a risk associated with eating raw food of any
type. Especially if there is an underlying disease.
Milk FAQs ^ Top
Can I bring my milk in to test if I
think it makes me or one of my family sick?
No. You must contact your local city-county health
department. They will then conduct an investigation. If they feel the product is
implicated, they will send it to the laboratory for the required testing.
Should I drink unpasteurized milk or eat products made from it?
It is not recommended.
What makes milk smell bad after I have it in my refrigerator for a
while?
There is a small allowable amount of "good bacteria" (ones that do not make
us sick) in any pasteurized milk product. After the used by date, the numbers will
have grown significantly creating the characteristic odor of bad milk.
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