BARCELONA, Spain - Spanish water utility Aigües de Barcelona has been accredited to use Aqua Metrology Systems’ online THM-100 analyser to continuously monitor trihalomethanes (THMs) in its drinking water supply network of three million inhabitants.
In addition to providing the utility with contract compliance and process optimisation data, THM readings can now be used to submit regulatory compliance data.
THMs are disinfection by-products that form when chlorine is added to water that contains elevated levels of natural organic matter, such as decaying vegetation.
For sampling and analysis, Aigües de Barcelona’s laboratory and its staff have been certified to the ISO/IEC 17025 Standard from Entidad Nacional de Acreditación (ENAC) since 2000.
The THM-100 analysers are part of Aigües de Barcelona’s THM mitigation strategy, and as such, the utility sought to have them recognised as part of their accreditation.
Miquel Paraira Faus, water quality director & laboratory manager at Aigües de Barcelona, said: “The extension of our accreditation to include the THM-100 online analyser is a testament to its ability to operate to the high quality standards governing our laboratory.”
Rick Bacon, CEO, Aqua Metrology Systems, added: "This is the first ISO 17025 accreditation obtained with the THM-100, facilitating the use of the instrument in certified laboratories and representing a significant breakthrough in the application of online field-based instruments for regulatory control of water quality.
“We forsee a far wider uptake of advanced online monitoring technology as anticipated by the US EPA in its Next Generation Compliance strategic initiative for improving regulatory control, efficiency, transparency and consumer access to compliance data. Certified laboratories now have the opportunity to incorporate the online THM-100 methodology into their client service offering.”
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