scope:

This Technical Report is a guide with the objective of providing detailed and comprehensive guidance on a coordinated programme of within-laboratory and between-laboratory quality control for ensuring the achievement of results of adequate and specified accuracy in the analysis of waters and associated materials. This Technical Report and its annexes are applicable to the chemical and physicochemical analysis of natural waters (including sea water), waste water, raw water intended for the production of potable water, and potable water. It is not intended for application to the analysis of sludges and sediments (although many of its general principles are applicable to such analysis) and it does not address the biological or microbiological examination of water. Whilst sampling is an important aspect, this is only briefly considered.