Quarterly Water Testing, Sampling and Analysis Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL

STATEMENT OF WORK
DENTAL WATER LINE TESTING


Background Information
VA Central Office Guidelines for Infection Control now recommends that all dental unit water line testing should be performed quarterly by an independent, EPA certified laboratory.

Scope of Work
The contractor will test all designated dental unit waterlines at Birmingham VA Medical Center (BVAMC).

Period of Performance
The term of the contract will be for a base year with four one (1) year options, with the first quarterly testing to begin in April 2017.

General requirements
Location: BVAMC, 700 South 19th Street, Birmingham, AL 35233

Specific requirements:
A sample will be collected from each line designated for collection into separate containers before patients are treated (7:30am). Samples should never be combined as this can dilute the organism count.

Each designated line will be tested separately utilizing the Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) analysis in water samples collected from sterile water bottles for the number of colony forming units present.

Specific organism testing is not required.

Colony forming units (CFU) will be reported for each line sampled as follows:
200-500 CFU
>500 CFU

Reporting format should include location/site, room number, line tested, and CFU for each line.

A total of 79 lines (two floors) should be tested and reported each quarter. This can be done on one day or divided on two days (consecutive Mondays).