ODESSA, Texas — The Ector County Utility District started the process of testing water samples.
"We just need to make sure that everything is not contaminated in our sample," said Tram Doan with ECUD. "Spraying disinfection products around the area to make sure everything is clean."
Once the area is clean, Doan gets out her testing kit to test the total chlorine and free chlorine in the water.
"This is our testing kit, to test for our residuals we need to make sure our residuals is at the minimum requirement by the TCEQ," Doan said.
That minimum requirement for free chlorine in is 0.2 mg/L and for total chlorine it's 0.5 mg/L.
Using a machine, she first test the total chlorine.
"You have to rinse sample cup multiple times," Doan said. "This is a chem key that we use for testing for all of your chemicals. It could be chlorine, nitrate, ammonia."
Once the chem key has been dipped in the sample cup for testing, she waits three minutes for the results.
Now onto testing for free chlorine, Doan fills a little jar with water from the sample station, she then uses a reagent, the jar is then placed in the machine and she waits a minute.
If there's less light through the color after, then that means there's more residuals present. After she does these tests, she prepares the sample that will be sent off to the lab.
"This is 7123 West Dunn street. We need to make sure the is address correct because if anything comes back positive we know exactly where we need to come and repeat the sample," Doan said. "When you do sample you need to slow down on your water. You don’t want all of the air go into sample, it can contaminate your sample. That’s it for here."
The sample is then put in an ice cooler and will be sent to the lab for further testing.