On Sept. 27, the State Hygienic Laboratory will present the 2018 Laboratory Symposium at its Coralville headquarters on the University of Iowa Research Park Campus. For more than 50 years, SHL has hosted the symposium for laboratory personnel across the state who test and monitor drinking water and wastewater for municipal water systems, commercial labs and industries.

Lectures will provide updates of the Department of Natural Resources rules related to the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act. Under these federal laws, the EPA and Iowa DNR set standards for water quality. EPA works with its partners on the state level – including the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and SHL – to implement programs to assure the safety of drinking water.

Other lecture topics include quality control and forensic lab data, an overview of Legionella and public health, and preparing for an audit.

Breakout sessions will feature discussions about advanced instrumentation, limiting false positive results for nitrate testing and basic laboratory techniques as well as an interactive microbiology session.

Registration is available through the SHL website. Questions about registration or the symposium may be sent to Brindusa Velica, SHL Laboratory Certification Program coordinator. Continuing Education Units are available.

Presenters include SHL staff members Susie Dai, Jessica Elliott, Nancy Hall, Dawn Jones, Dustin May, Karen Owens, Mark Pendergast, Don Simmons, Brindusa Velica, Jeff Wasson and Brian Wels; Iowa DNR staff Kathy Lee and Diane Moles; and Bob Nichols and Kim Barney from EPA.