EDT - Data Submittal Frequently Asked Questions

Data Rejection

Q: The laboratory that does my analyses says my data have been submitted to the Division of Drinking Water (DDW), but they are not present in the Water Quality Management (WQM) database. Is this possible?

A: Yes. Data may have been submitted by the laboratory but rejected by DDW. Your response to the laboratory might be, "Were the data accepted by DDW?" It is important to remember that DDW's acknowledgment of receipt of an electronic submission of data is not the same has having the data accepted into the database.

Q: Why do our data get rejected when loaded into the DDW WQM database?

A: The most common reason is a typographical error when the Primary Station Code information is programmed into a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). These might include: lower case letters instead of upper case, Os instead of zeros, missing base meridian or base meridian letter placed in the incorrect field.

Another common reason is the failure of the laboratory to download Write-On library information frequently enough to make necessary changes. An example would be when a Primary Station Code has been changed or corrected by our District staff and a laboratory will use the old or incorrect number. Write-On library should be updated regularly.

Data Modification Request

Q: My laboratory submitted analytical data that were in error and need to be revised. How do I do that?

A: Erroneous data that have been incorporated into WQM cannot be corrected by resubmission through EDT. NOTE: corrections sent via EDT will be rejected as duplicates, and DDW will not know of the intended correction; thus the error will not be corrected.

To correct erroneous data in the database, a letter signed by the laboratory director needs to be electronically sent to the appropriate DDW contact (District or County Contact). The correction request letter must identify the error to be corrected and cause of the error. Both the INCORRECT results and the CORRECTED results need to be included. You may use your own forms, but all pertinent information must be included (See sample forms). Upon approval, the request will be forwarded to Data Monitoring and Evaluation Unit for processing and a confirmation letter will be sent to lab and district.

See Summary of Process for clarification.

For questions about the process, send an email to edt@waterboards.ca.gov.

Q: I don't see my source in the Write-On library. What do I do?

A: Did you check the Write-On "pull down" for the sources in the system (located on the tool bar)? If you did and the source is not listed either by name or number, contact your client and request they let the state jurisdictional District Office know and ask that the engineer in charge of their system put the source into the District Office's in-house database. This will enable the DDW headquarters staff to enter the source into the master database and Write-On libraries.

Q: How can I find a water system in Write-On without knowing the USER ID or which Division of Drinking Water District it's in?

A: Click on the binoculars on the toolbar in Write-On. This will allow you to do a search either by system name or number or source name. It will also do searches on partial information.

As an example: the system is Union Pine MWD, the source is Cedar Well 02. Click on the" system" button, type in Union, Union Pine or even Union P and click on search. All systems with the word Union in the name will appear. You can make your selection from this list, highlight it and hit enter. That system will appear on your Write-On "header". From there, you can use the "Pull-down" for sources to find the Cedar Well 02, or follow the above instructions but choose the "source" button. Remember, the more information you provide, the shorter the list.

Q: How often are Write-On libraries updated?

A: Write-On libraries are updated on the EDT Library/Download page at least every two weeks, depending on system and/or source activity. Updates may occur more often, if warranted

Laboratories

Q: How can I find a laboratory?

A: The Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) certifies laboratories for various fields of testing and maintains a list of certified laboratories.

Q: My laboratory serves as a subcontractor to another laboratory. Do I report my analytical results directly to DDW, or to the laboratory that has subcontracted with my lab to perform the work?

A: Your results should be submitted directly to DDW, consistent with the law.

Q: As a subcontractor laboratory, do I report my analytical results with my laboratory identification number, or with the identification number of laboratory that has hired my lab to perform the work?

A: Again, the law states that the laboratory performing the analyses will report the findings directly to DDW. Hence, your results should be submitted directly to DDW with your laboratory identification number. Each laboratory is responsible for any analyses it performs and results it submits.

Q: My laboratory now has a the new NELAP accreditation and a new number, but Write-On is still showing my old California ELAP certification number. Why? Will it be changed?

A: If your lab has an existing ELAP certification number, you will continue to use that number for ALL chemical analyses EDT submissions. The DDW database is not equipped to accept more than four digits for the laboratory field. If your laboratory does not now and never has had an ELAP certification number and has only had a NELAP number, contact DDW at edt@waterboards.ca.gov with your lab information and a number will be assigned to you.

Q: Are laboratories still required to mark hardcopies of chemical analyses forms to clients with the letters "EDT" now that it's mandatory to submit the data via EDT?

A: No. Since regulations mandate chemical analyses data be submitted to the DDW WQM database via EDT, any hardcopies a client receives will have already been submitted by the laboratory. If there is any question of the data being in the DDW Drinking Water database, contact your DDW District office (PDF) to verify the data has been properly submitted.

New Chemicals

Q: What do I do if: (1) I detect a positive result for a chemical not on any of the Write-On forms, or (2) my laboratory is requested to do an analysis for a new chemical?

A: Both of these scenarios would fall under the classification of exempted analyses that cannot be submitted to the DDW database via EDT. To make sure that the new chemical is not known by another name or that you might have overlooked it, send an email message to edt@waterboards.ca.gov. If it is indeed a new chemical, a hardcopy of the analyses can be submitted for manual entry. Do not attempt to submit it by EDT—it will be rejected because the STORET/ENTRY number is missing.

Bacteriological Results

Q: Are results of bacteriological analyses required to be submitted by EDT?

A. No. The DDW database is not set up to accept bacteriological analyses results at this time. Bacteriological data should continue to be submitted to the appropriate jurisdictional entity as you have in the past.

Other Topics

Q: How do we report composited radiological samples?

A: A water sample is collected from one source each quarter for one year. All four samples are mixed together to create one sample. This sample is analyzed and the one result is reported for the four quarterly sample dates. Example: Sample #1 is taken on January 1, 2000, sample #2 is taken on April 1, 2000, sample #3 is taken on July 1, 2000 and sample #4 is taken on October 1, 2000 to make up the four quarterly samples. All four samples are mixed together and that mix is analyzed. The result of that ONE combined, composited sample (let's say it's 1.0 pCi/L) is reported for all four sample dates, i.e., 1/1/00, 4/1/00, 7/1/00 and 10/1/00.

EDT - Library/Download Page

EDT - Main Page

DDW District Offices (PDF)