An effective Quality Assurance Program depends on the total commitment of both management and staff at all levels to ensure the data produced is scientifically sound and legally defensible. Our QA program encompasses all phases of the laboratories’ daily activities including sample collection, handling, preparation, analysis, data reporting and validation.

• Laboratory Accreditation – The California Department of Health Services Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (DHS-ELAP) accredits each of the Districts’ laboratories. Each laboratory must successfully analyze proficiency-testing samples on an annual basis, and pass a biennial on-site inspection conducted by DHS-ELAP.
• Ethics program – The Laboratories Section maintains a written system of practices and procedures to protect and assure the creditability, authenticity, and reliability of our analytical data. Characteristics of data integrity include: data of known and documented quality, data whose authenticity can be relied upon, and data with positive controls that demonstrate data's authenticity and accuracy.