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      How to Collect Water Test Samples

      Instruction for collecting water test samples.

      Purpose:

      To instruct on sterile and successful sample collection for the TUMI Genomics water test

      Download the Guide, here.

      Materials Needed:

      • Gloves
      • Safety goggles (optional)
      • Lab coat or apron (optional)
      • Distilled water 
      • A few sterile tools to collect samples (optional)
        • Any tool that can be used to scoop or scrape samples, and can be soaked in a 10% bleach dilution followed by a rinse in clean water - a spoon works well

      Procedure:

      1. Preparation

        1. Select 7 locations within the facility to gather water samples.  Recommended areas for testing include: 
          • The initial water source (city water, well water etc) before purification
          • The water directly after sterilization/purification
          • Water in main holding tanks. Be sure to gather water from the bottom of the tank, where fungal spores are likely to settle. 
          • Areas with joints or turns in the irrigation lines, especially in pipes that lead to rooms with symptoms of fungal infection. 
          • Run-off water on drain tables that may touch roots of neighboring plants
          • Any suspicious areas where you see evidence of fungal growth in the water system or pipes.
        2. Before collecting samples, document which tube number corresponds to which location the sample is collected from. 

      2. Sample Collection

        1. When ready to collect the water, open the 50mL tube and set the lid face up on a clear surface.  
        2. Fill the tube up with water approximately 2/3 full.  DO NOT fill the tube to the top.  
        3. If you see fungal-like growth, use a clean tool to dislodge some of the growth and include that material in the sample. 
        4. Secure the lid tightly back on the sample tube.  
        5. Before collecting the next sample, be sure to wash your hands and/or change your gloves.  If you are using a tool to collect fungal-like growth, sterilize the tool in 10% bleach for 5 minutes and then rinse it in distilled water before reusing it. 
        6. When all the samples have been collected, ensure the lids are tight and place them in a sealed, ziplock bag.

      3. Return Samples

        1. If possible, ship the tubes in a cardboard box versus an envelope to avoid breakage during shipping.
        2. Ship the samples to:

            TUMI Genomics

            320 East Vine Drive

            Suite 219

            Fort Collins, CO 80524

        If you have any questions or need help selecting the best areas of your water system to test, please connect with our team at 720.807.8864 or help@tumigenomics.com