Certification

Analyses performed Lab facilities

The Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection has a state-of-the-art environmental laboratory. It is located at 7120 Henry Clay Boulevard in Liverpool, NY and covers nearly 25,000 square feet.

The lab has wet chemistry analytical equipment and also an atomic absorption spectrometer for analyzing—mostly—metals. The lab also has a solid-phase extractor for oil and grease.

The lab is spacious, clean, and bright with natural light drawn from the perimeter windows through the labs to the hallways.

The lab uses special heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to maintain negative pressure inside the lab to promote a healthful environment in the building. The staff now has seventeen hoods to manage any fumes or smells. Some of the work benches have special built-in downdrafts to keep chemicals away from the staff.

Security and convenience

The lab is secure, a critical factor in the chain-of-custody of laboratory samples. All entry is handled with card-keys. Both the checking-in and storage of samples are controlled. Records are centralized in the laboratory.

Each of the technicians who collects samples has his own work-station. And, a garage with ample room holds the specially equipped vans and boats used to collect samples.

Features

The laboratory was designed for the staff's convenience and productivity. It has a separate computer network for data management and reporting. The following are among the features of the lab:

• Conference room with multimedia facilities
• Walk-in incubator
• Separate wash room and bottle preparation area
• Cold room for storage of reagents and samples
• Hazardous materials room
• Isolated area where gases are delivered
• Detached area where supplies are received
• Class 100 mercury room—for potential future expansion.

The environmental laboratory is a critical component of WEP's efforts to promote water quality in Onondaga County. The vital data developed by the lab insures that WEP is meeting regulations and government standards.