Collecting and Packing Your Water Sample

Follow these guidelines to collect and pack your raw water sample for our raw water analysis service. After you’ve filled out a Sample Request Form, you’ll receive an email with a Sample ID and shipping instructions. Make sure to include your Sample ID in any correspondence with us so we can identify your sample quickly.

Here’s what you’ll need to ensure that your sample arrives at our lab safely and securely.

Materials

  1. A clean 8 to 16 ounce plastic water bottle container to collect the sample.
  2. Resealable plastic bags.
  3. A small Styrofoam (or other type) cooler to hold the sample bottle and ice packs.
  4. Ice (please seal ice inside plastic bags) or ice-packs to keep the sample cool during shipment.
  5. A permanent ink marker to label the sample bottle.
  6. A box, packing materials and packing tape to close the cooler and ship it securely.
  7. Electrical tape (or other water-resistant tape).

Collecting the Sample

  1. Choose the area and depth at which you would like to collect your sample.
  2. Submerge the empty bottle upside down until you reach the desired sample depth, then turn the bottle upright to collect the sample.
  3. Remove the bottle from the source water, gently squeeze a small volume from the container and screw the cap securely on the full sample bottle. This will allow room for expansion should the temperature increase during shipment.
  4. Wrap bottle cap with 2-3 layers of electrical tape to help prevent leaking during shipment.
  5. Label the sample bottle with a permanent ink marker. Include your Sample ID, water source, location, and collection depth.
  6. Place sample bottle in a resealable plastic bag and seal it — try to minimize the amount of air inside the bag. Place the sample in the cooler with ice packs.
  7. Follow the instructions for shipping in the email you received with your Sample ID. If you don’t have a Sample ID, you’ll need to fill out a Sample Request Form. If you’ve lost your Sample ID, contact Customer Service at customerservice@earthsciencelabs.com or 800.257.9283.