This British Standard provides an audit protocol to monitor conformity
with declared, or assumed, practices in all areas of water quality
sampling. Specifically, the standard provides guidance on the systematic
assessment of sampling practices and procedures in the field, and
assessing conformity with those given in the organization’s sampling
manual. It is applicable to the audit of sampling activities from the
development of a sampling manual through to the delivery of samples
to the laboratory.
This standard is applicable to sampling practices associated with
wastewaters, including discharges to water bodies, environmental
monitoring, potable water supplies from source to tap, commercial
and industrial uses of water, and power generation.
This standard is applicable to the auditing of sampling practices
relevant to the management of water stored in containers, such
as temporary supply tanks and bottled supplies. However, it is not
applicable for the auditing (or calibration and maintenance) of on?site
test equipment or kits.
The following sampling occasions are excluded from both the fieldand
desk-audit procedures set out in this standard:
a) chemical and microbiological incidents, which are investigated by
agencies such as the emergency services, e.g. where an immediate
risk to the health of the sampling practitioner/operative is evident;
b) radiochemical sampling of water quality, other than that specified
as a routine requirement under the UK Water Supply (Water
Quality) Regulations [1],[2],[3],[4], i.e. radiochemical incidents
which are investigated by agencies such as the emergency services.
Annex A contains a series of forms to assist with auditing. These
are for guidance only. Annex B gives procedures for monitoring
temperature control, while Annex C provides guidance on measuring
the uncertainty associated with sampling practices.