To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Public Health
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Agreement with Babcock Laboratories, Inc. for Humboldt County Public Health Laboratory to Provide Water Testing
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve the Master Service Agreement between Humboldt County Public Health Laboratory (HCPHL) and Babcock Laboratories, Inc. for HCPHL to provide water testing for Babcock Laboratories, Inc.,
2. Authorize the Chair of the Board to sign the Master Service Agreement, and
3. Authorize the Public Health Director, or designee thereof, to sign any future amendments or associated documents directly related to the agreement upon review and approval County Counsel and Risk Management.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
State Water Resources Control Board, Public Health Fund (1175)
DISCUSSION:
The Humboldt County Public Health Laboratory (HCPHL) provides a variety of testing services, ranging from clinical testing to environmental testing. Often, HCPHL has worked with state entities, such as the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) on miscellaneous projects. Currently, Babcock Laboratories, Inc. is working with SWRCB on a project to identify the source of fecal bacteria in several water streams within California. One of the areas of interest is Jolly Creek, located in Arcata. Babcock Laboratories, Inc. and SWRCB have identified the HCPHL as an ideal candidate to perform local testing of water samples from Jolly Creek, due to the proximity to the creek and HCPHL's capacity to conduct qualified testing.
Sampling of water will be conducted by City of Arcata staff in the Environmental Services Department and volunteers from the local non-profit organization, Humboldt Baykeeper. Samples will then be dropped off at HCPHL and analyzed via a process called Microbial Source Tracking (MST), a newer technology to determine the source of any fecal bacteria present in the water. MST results will ...
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