CA ELAP: New Opportunities and Initiatives to Strengthen California’s Laboratory Accreditation Program

Oral Presentation

Prepared by C. Sotelo, K. Larsen
California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, 1001 I Street, Floor 24, Sacramento, CA, United States


Contact Information: christine.sotelo@waterboards.ca.gov; 916-341-5175


ABSTRACT

California maintains an Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) to ensure the State’s drinking water, wastewater, shellfish, food and hazardous waste programs are certified to perform laboratory environmental testing. All California environmental testing laboratories are required to go through this accreditation process prior to providing analytical data to state regulatory agency. ELAP transitioned from the California Department of Public Health to the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) in July 2014, and the SWRCB asked Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority (SCCWRP) to convene an independent, five-member panel Expert Review Panel (ERP) to help the State chart ELAP's path going forward.

The presenters will discuss a brief history of CA ELAP and take you through the journey CA ELAP has taken with SCCWRP, the ERP, and the laboratory community to begin harnessing new opportunities and initiatives to strengthen California's Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program.