About the Lab

The Barnstable County Laboratory provides analytical services both directly to the public and to the municipalities on Cape Cod. One primary directive of the laboratory is to provide high quality analyses of various contaminants in drinking water. Accordingly, the laboratory assists the water districts and departments on Cape Cod in meeting the monitoring requirements necessary for adherence to state and federal water quality standards. Water districts and departments benefit from the flexibility of the laboratory to assist when periodic problems arise, such as the seasonal and transient occurrences of bacteria.  

The Laboratory also provides analytical services to owners of private drinking water wells. Well owners can pick up water sampling kits and instructions directly from the lab at the Barnstable County Complex, as well as at their local health department. Additionally, weekly courier pick-up of private well samples is conducted for the towns of Wellfleet, Truro, Eastham, Brewster, Falmouth and Mashpee. For more information about well water testing and our weekly courier service, visit our Routine Residential Water Testing page.

In addition to drinking water, the Laboratory conducts a wide variety of environmental analyses, including bathing beach water quality, shellfish harvesting area, pond and lake samples, wastewater samples from the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center, swimming pool and spa samples, and samples associated with town-requested special projects. Special projects include a continuing town-wide assessment of nitrates in Eastham and Truro, pollution source identification near bathing beaches, and special projects associated with services provided by environmental field staff. Another major effort of the laboratory is to provide analyses associated with groundwater samples beneath sanitary landfills. These analyses are conducted at significant savings to the towns and are collected by the Environmental Health Division field staff.