The Laboratory Services Section provides analytical support for the various Programs and Services within the Pollution Control Services Department. The Laboratory is accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) under the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The laboratory is capable of performing chemical and microbiological analysis on a variety of environmental sample types, such as air, water, soil, and solid waste. These analyses include the classical water quality parameters, such as BOD, pH, nutrients, fecal coliform, etc., and instrumental techniques such as toxic metals and organic pollutants.
The laboratory routinely analyzes the effluents of the approximately 175 industrial and 450 municipal permitted wastewater facilities in Harris County. The operators of these facilities are promptly notified of any permit exceedances so that corrective action can be taken. Most of these notifications result in an immediate satisfactory improvement of the facilities operations.