Eurofins Eaton Analytical’s 30+ years of leading-edge analysis demonstrates its long-term commitment to supporting potential future DW regulations

Eurofins Eaton Analytical has always prided itself on being differentiated from most environmental labs by focusing on a single market, potable water, instead of trying to be all things for all clients and being on the leading edge of that market.

Specializing in Potable Water: A Differentiated Approach

Our experience goes back to 1980, when we developed methods for emerging contaminants to support one of the first water reuse studies in Washington DC. We were known early on as a lab that had unique capabilities and expertise. In the early 1990s, the USEPA contracted with us to provide analytical support for the National Pesticide Survey (NPS), which identified dacthal as a frequently detected pesticide in drinking water, thus cementing our reputation as a national drinking water lab.

In 1997, USEPA, in collaboration with the American Water Works Association, promulgated the Information Collection Rule, requiring the largest 300 drinking water utilities in the US to conduct 18 months of monitoring focused on emerging disinfection byproducts.  As one of the few commercial labs with expertise in all the relevant methods, we were looked to by the majority of those impacted utilities to provide the necessary analytical support. Not only did we provide the analyses, but we also provided nationwide training workshops on sample collection and implications of the results.

These initial leading roles paved the way for what is now over 25 years of serving utilities in this specialized area of emerging drinking water contaminants.

Innovation Through Collaboration with USEPA

In 2001, EPA published the first Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 1) and EEA was again the leading national player, offering services to the nearly 5,000 utilities impacted by the Rule and one of a very limited number of laboratories approved by USEPA for the required analytical methods.

The UCMR program has resulted in utilities conducting sampling for a new set of contaminants approximately every 5 years, and EEA has been one of the most important players for each round.  In 2013-15, EPA first included PFAS compounds in the UCMR 3 monitoring program. EEA provided direct analytical support for nearly 30% of utilities nationwide, in addition to serving as an EPA contractor for small system monitoring. Providing analyses for such a large segment of the utility population, and already routinely conducting and reporting PFAS at levels well below the then EPA required reporting limits gave us unique insights into the widespread occurrence of PFAS in drinking water at low levels and allowing clients to be proactive in addressing PFAS occurrence. In the current 2023-2025 UCMR 5 monitoring, these early EEA insights into PFAS occurrence have been substantiated with now routine low reporting limits by all lab participants.

Commitment to Excellence: Equipment, Expertise and Vision

Remaining on the leading edge of these services requires a long-term commitment by the lab, including working closely with USEPA on multi-lab validations of new methods, some of which end up in UCMR monitoring, but many of which fill different niches for drinking water and water reuse analysis. as well as working closely with utilities across the country to help them be proactive in response to potential regulations. It also requires a commitment to acquire the necessary analytical equipment on a continuous basis and more importantly, to ensure that staff remain proficient with state-of-the-art analytical methods, well before those methods become routine.

We look forward to continuing to meet this role as the leading commercial potable water lab in the US.