Who Needs to be Certified or Registered?
For What Testing Is Certification Required?
Unless otherwise exempted in s. NR 149.02, ch. NR 149 [the Lab Certification Administrative code]
applies to laboratories:
(a) Applying for certification and registration.
(b) Holding a certification or a registration.
(c) Submitting data to the department for a
covered program.
(d) Generating data that is necessary for the department to
determine compliance with a covered program.
Laboratories (both in-state and out-of-state) performing chemical and toxicological testing for compliance monitoring under many of the Department's covered programs are required to be certified or registered under ch. NR 149, Wis. Adm. Code. This requirement applies to any laboratory that performs testing in the general areas listed to the right. The table below lists the specific adminstrative codes that require DNR certification or registration. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) certifies laboratories for microbiological testing in both water and milk. For questions about this certification program, contact Laura Traas at (414) 760-1364.
What Programs are "Covered Programs"?
|
Administrative Codes and Programs Requiring Certification or Registration (Covered Programs) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| NR 110 | Sewerage Systems | NR 145 | Private Wells |
| NR 113 | Servicing Septic Systems | NR 150 | Environmental Analysis and Review Procedures |
| NR 123 | Well Compensation Program | NR 157 | Management of PCBs |
| NR 131 | Metallic Mineral Prospecting | NR 158 | Hazardous Substance Discharge Notification |
| NR 132 | Metallic Mineral Mining | NR 182 | Metallic Mining Waste |
| NR 140 | Groundwater Quality | ||
| NR 206 | Land Disposal of Municipal and Domestic Wastewaters | NR 214 | Land Treatment of Industrial Liquid Wastes |
| NR 210 | Sewage Treatment Works | NR 216 | Stormwater Management |
| NR 211 ¹ | General Pretreatment Requirements/td> | NR 219 | Analytical Test Methods and Procedures |
| NR 212 | Wasteload Allocated Effluent Limits |
| NR 347 | Sediment Sampling and Analysis |
| NR 507 | Environmental Monitoring for Landfills | NR 528; | Management of accumulated sediment from storm water management structures |
| NR 507 | Hazardous Waste Identification and Listing | NR 662 | Hazardous Waste Generator Standards |
| NR 664 | Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility Standards | NR 665 | Interim License Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility Standards |
| NR 700 | General Requirements for Investigation and Remediation of Environmental Contamination | NR 716 | Site Investigations |
| NR 712 | Environmental Response Actions |
| NR 809 | Safe Drinking Water | NR 845 | County Administration of NR 812 (Private Wells) |
| NR 811 | Design of Community Water Supplies | HFS 46 | Group Day Care Centers for Children |
The programs above are established under
- the Clean Water Act (CWA),
- the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and
- the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
WI DNR certification or registration encompasses most matrices and applies to most WI DNR programs; including, but not exclusively, Safe Drinking Water, Wastewater, Groundwater and Soils and Sediment.
The Program also certifies and registers laboratories for chemical and acute/chronic whole effluent toxicity (WET)analysis. A list of available tests (parameters) and how they fit into the program's category structure can be found here.
The Laboratory Certification Program does not certify laboratories for testing under the Clean Air Act or other required air monitoring, radiological or microbiological testing.
But...I just want my well water tested!
If you are a member of the public that simply wants to test your well water for your own information (vs. being directed to by the DNR), the laboratory you choose does not have to be one certified under this Program. For this purpose, you may want to simply look in the "Yellow" Pages under "Laboratories - Testing", and select from one of these labs. The only downside to using one of these labs is that they may or may not have any oversight body that ensures the quality of their test results.
On the other hand, if you have just had a new well installed or are involved in a property transfer with a well as the drinking water source, your test results WILL have to be performed by a certified laboratory. The Laboratory Certification Program can provide you with lists of laboratories that are certified for specific analytical parameters of interest. Before selecting a laboratory to do any testing, consider reviewing some information we put together which summarizes information to consider when contracting for laboratory testing.
Contact the Wisconsin DNR if you have questions about whether or not your laboratory needs to be certified or registered.
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