Which two agencies are responsible for approving laboratory analytical methods for drinking water analysis?

• A. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Arizona Department of Health Services
• B. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Arizona Department of Health Services
• C. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency
• D. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Answer: (A)

In drinking-water analysis, method approval comes from federal and state authorities to ensure testing is consistent and reliable. The Environmental Protection Agency develops and approves validated analytical methods for drinking water, providing standardized procedures and performance criteria that labs can follow. States then adopt and recognize these methods for use in compliance monitoring within their jurisdictions; in Arizona, that role is filled by the Arizona Department of Health Services, which oversees the use of EPA-approved methods and ensures labs meet quality requirements.

The other agencies don’t typically approve drinking-water lab methods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focuses on public health surveillance and guidance rather than approving analytical methods, and the Food and Drug Administration governs foods, drugs, and other products, not routine drinking-water analysis methods.