Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy: Groundwater Protection Model Update

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GPM expiry, 17 draft methods to review and 28 methods approved

MAY 15, 2019 – As a quality control measure, the use of the ministry’s existing Groundwater Protection Model (GPM) was set to expire April 30, 2019. The model does not function after this date.  A renewed model version has been posted to the ministry’s webpage at: Policies & Standards – Province of British Columbia. Users will need to download the new model version to conduct calculations under Protocol 2 – Site-Specific Numerical Soil Standards (SSS) and Protocol 13 – Screening Level Risk Assessment.

Questions regarding the GPM and associated Technical Guidance 13 should be directed to [email protected] and[email protected].

17 New Draft Analytical Methods Posted for Review 

The new draft analytical methods listed below, developed with the assistance of the British Columbia Environmental Laboratory Technical Advisory Committee (BCELTAC), have now been posted for review and comment to the ministry’s Sampling, Methods & Quality Assurance webpage, B.C. Environmental Laboratory Manual, “Methods Posted for Review”.

  1. BC ENV Sample Preservation and Holding Time Requirements
  2. Detection of Total Coliforms and E.coli in Water by Membrane Filtration and Chromocult® Coliform Agar (CCA)  – Prescriptive
  3. Determination of Thermotolerant Coliforms in Water by Multiple-Tube Fermentation Technique – Prescriptive
  4. Determination of Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) in Water by Pour Plate, Spread Plate, Membrane Filtration and Enzyme Substrate Test Methods – Prescriptive
  5. Determination of Thermotolerant Coliforms in Water by Multiple-Tube Fermentation Technique
  6. Detection of Total Coliforms in Water by Multiple-Tube Fermentation – Prescriptive
  7. Detection of Total Coliforms in Water by Membrane Filtration and mEndo Media – Prescriptive
  8. Determination of Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) in Water by Pour Plate, Spread Plate, Membrane Filtration and Enzyme Substrate Test Methods
  9. Detection of Total Coliforms, Thermotolerant (Fecal) Coliforms and E. coli by Colilert® in Water – Prescriptive
  10. Detection of Total Coliforms and E. coli by Colilert® in Water
  11. Enterococci Membrane Filter Technique (MF) for Fresh Water, Wastewater and Marine Water
  12. Liquid-Solid Partitioning (Leachability) as a Function of pH (Metals, Inorganics, and SVOCs)
  13. Multiple Tube Technique (MPN) for Salmonella in Solids
  14. Multiple-Tube Fermentation Technique (MPN) for Fecal Coliform Bacteria in Fresh Water, Wastewater and Marine Water
  15. Multiple-Tube Technique (MPN) for Thermotolerant Coliforms Bacteria in Bivalve Molluscan Shellfish
  16. Sample Preparation for Dissolved Metals or Mercury in Water – PBM
  17. Total Extractable Hydrocarbons (C10-C30) in Water

Some of these new draft methods have been developed in support of the Stage 10 (Omnibus) amendment to the Contaminated Sites Regulation.  The entire microbiology section of the Laboratory Manual has also been revised.

Please provide comment on the new methods by June 17, 2019 to:  Joyce Austin, Senior Provincial Laboratory Specialist, Knowledge Management Branch at [email protected].

Technical questions regarding the proposed new methods should be directed to: Mark Hugdahl (BCELTAC Chair) at[email protected].

28 New Analytical Methods Approved

The Director has approved the 28 new analytical methods listed under Section F of the laboratory manual, Toxicity Test Methods.  Details of the 28 new analytical methods are available on the ministry’s Environmental Protection and Sustainability, Research, Monitoring & Reporting website, in Methods Approved by Director.

The new methods were developed with the assistance of the British Columbia Environmental Laboratory Technical Advisory Sub-Committee (BCELTAC).  The ministry would like to take this opportunity to thank the committee for their outstanding expertise and effort in achieving this work.

Further information on BCELTAC is available on the ministry’s Environmental Protection and Sustainability, Research, Monitoring & Reporting, Sampling Methods and Quality Assurance website.