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DSHS explains role as principal state drinking water lab, fee changes and private-testing limits
Summary
The Texas Department of State Health Services described its role in testing TCEQ compliance samples, which analytes it runs (including radiochemistry), planned fee increases and limitations on private-customer testing for PFAS and other methods.
Anita Keith, director of the Environmental Chemistry Unit at the Texas Department of State Health Services, told the TCEQ Drinking Water Advisory Work Group that DSHS is the principal state drinking water laboratory for the state’s portion of compliance monitoring and outlined which tests the laboratory runs, recent and planned fee changes, and the lab’s current limits for private-customer samples.
Keith said DSHS and the Lower Colorado River Authority split samples geographically and by method: LCRA currently handles PFAS testing while DSHS performs inorganic and organic work, radiochemistry and select organics such as herbicides. "Currently LCRA is the only lab that's doing PFAS. We are gearing up, I just hired my first FTE to do PFAS," she said. She also explained that each lab follows TCEQ’s quality-assurance project plan addendum and TNI accreditation requirements used for EPA reporting.
Keith noted DSHS is the only lab in Texas currently set up to perform radiochemical testing and that DSHS receives compliance-sampling plates through contractors (Antea Group) directed by TCEQ. She cautioned that DSHS is not currently well set up for private-customer PFAS testing because it lacks staff to prepare and ship private sampling kits; LCRA and other accredited private labs typically handle those requests now.
The unit is proposing a fee increase overall (about 16% on average across methods) to keep operations funded; DSHS staff said fee changes and the comment period are open through August 31 and provided contacts for stakeholder comments. "We periodically do an analysis of our fee structure to make sure that we are receiving enough funds to operate our program," Keith said.
Keith also discussed how the laboratory handles unsatisfactory samples ("unsat")—for example, missing chain-of-custody or improper preservation—and clarified that sampling schedules and resamples are determined by TCEQ, not by DSHS. DSHS staff said they can provide copies of analysis reports on request and typically turn those around rapidly when systems need them for CCRs.
Ending: DSHS encouraged systems to use the laboratory customer satisfaction survey and to contact Anita Keith directly with feedback on lab operations and service; the lab will post fee-change notices and related materials for public comment.
