What to Know about GSA’s Drinking Water Order—and How CTEH Can Help
Owners of the approximately 6,000 leased government spaces across the U.S. must now complete testing of their buildings’ drinking water. Under the General Services Administration (GSA) order, the Public Buildings Service (PBS) has established baseline sampling requirements for Legionella, total coliform, E. coli, lead, and copper for facilities “under the jurisdiction, custody, and control of the GSA,” to be completed in fiscal year 2024, or by September 30. The guidance is designed to prevent water quality issues and ensure proper corrective measures are taken to address areas of concern.
Upon receiving a Unilateral Lease Amendment (i.e., change order) in fiscal year 2024, lessors will have just 90 days to hire a qualified professional to conduct sampling and provide the results to the GSA, “conforming to the scope of work.”
CTEH is equipped to help those impacted navigate and comply with the new scope of work requirements in GSA’s order:
On-the-ground experience: PBS requires lessors to provide a qualified professional with expertise in CTEH’s key focus areas of environmental and industrial hygiene consulting. It also states professionals should have at least two years of on-site experience with potable water sampling, including Legionella. CTEH meets and far exceeds this requirement, with 10+ years of conducting Legionella water testing and mitigation in commercial properties and 20+ years of sampling for metals, pesticides, organic compounds, and more.
Advanced industry credentials: CTEH also surpasses PBS’ criteria for “preferential credentials.” Our team of seasoned experts includes dozens of certified industrial hygienists (CIHs) who lead and supervise the work of our health and safety professionals.
Enhanced efficiency: When projects arise, CTEH can respond quickly and perform sampling within 48-72 hours for buildings near our office locations. We’ve built strong relationships with laboratories across the U.S., further streamlining the process from sampling to analysis, review, and reporting.
Operational continuity: If testing results exceed the established thresholds or are classified as “growth is not well controlled for Legionella,” CTEH can offer building owners solution-based mitigation techniques. Our consultants can oversee the notification process, remediation, and follow-up testing to alleviate additional management burdens.
CTEH has the on-site experience, industry expertise, skill set, and relationships needed to help owners navigate the testing requirements. Our experts are here to support you in meeting PBS compliance and ensuring the health and safety of those in your buildings. Contact our team here.
