Four modern ISO 17025-accredited laboratories make up the entity’s Laboratory Services. They are Chemistry, Microbiology, Hydrobiology and Soil Testing, all with a long-established reputation of meeting international standards. Highly-skilled and dedicated scientists, technicians and laboratory support staff, utilising modern analytical techniques enable this facility to provide a world-class service 365 days a year.

Every financial year, Laboratory Services supports core business activities through:

• Providing assurance that the entity produces potable water that complies with drinking water standards;
• Assuring that treated effluent complies with wastewater and effluent discharge limits;
• Assuring, via the above, public health protection from water-borne diseases and water-related health impacts;
• Undertaking research and development and generation of scientific data for new infrastructure developments;
• Supporting water treatment for process selection and optimisation;
• Undertaking catchment and river health monitoring to assess the status of water resources and quality of raw water supply;
• Immediate provision of early warnings and alerts to stakeholders when a breach of quality standards is detected and ensuring that the incident-management protocol is followed to contain and remedy the breach.
• Maintaining analytical results database which allows all uMngeni-uThukela Water users access to over 30-years of test results for trend forecasting. This is critical for construction of dams, water and wastewater treatment works and other capital projects.

Water samples from the entire supply system (catchment to consumer) are collected by a team of dedicated well-trained sampling officers daily throughout uMngeni-uThukela Water’s operational area, and are assessed in terms of physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics, as per SANS 241 standard requirements. The sampling activities are also governed and guided by ISO 9001 certification standard, which they have to conform to.

The analytical results are produced within specified times that form part of Service Level Agreements with end users. Supported by LabWare Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), water quality results are captured, validated, stored and reported timeously. Laboratory Services generates 20 000 to 30 000 analytical results per month from its four accredited laboratories. Direct access to the results is also provided to external users via the Electronic Water Quality Management System (eWQMS), the IRIS Blue Drop System (BDS) and the IRIS Green Drop System (GDS).

In addition to assuring the quality of bulk water produced, Laboratory Services provides water testing and sampling services to municipalities and various private sector clients. This valuable service supports and assists municipalities to improve their IRIS Blue and Green Drop compliance.

As an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, uMngeni-uThukela Water laboratory has to constantly keep up with the requirements of the standard, in order to maintain its accreditation status against the ISO 17025: 2017 Management System.  This Certification of Accreditation is valid for the next five years considering successful SANAS survelliance assessments every 18 months.