Support Services

The National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) Support Services Section (SSS) supports the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Mission Area by providing sample login, logistical, and facilities support to all NWQL functions.

Incoming sample activity involves the processing of Analytical Service Request (ASR) forms which are completed through data entry into the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).

The Login Section is responsible for checking in samples and routing them to various parts of the laboratory. The section receives coolers Monday through Friday throughout the year. Login personnel also retrieve coolers from the FedEx facility on Saturdays during the summer months. They unpack the coolers and match the samples with corresponding Analytical Service Request (ASR) forms. Then they check the samples against the ASRs for accuracy. Login personnel work with customers to resolve problems and ensure that water sample requests are processed promptly and accurately. Samples are assigned Laboratory Identification Numbers and bar code labels are affixed to the bottles. The Data Entry Unit within Login enters technical information from the ASRs into the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). The bottles are then sorted by sample type and distributed to the appropriate sections of the lab. The Login Section is also responsible for maintaining the Sample Storage Area which provides the analysts with easy access to samples for analysis or reanalysis.

The Warehouse branch, in addition to handling NWQL warehouse requests for supplies and gases, supports the National Field Supply Service (NFSS) by providing sample collection supplies to USGS field sampling operations. The Warehouse branch is responsible for the procurement, inventory, and distribution of various types of supplies used throughout the NWQL and USGS. The Warehouse branch is also responsible for the tagging, transferring, excessing, and maintaining records of accountable property. The Warehouse branch is also responsible for the wash lab. The wash lab cleans glassware and lab ware that is used by the NWQL. The wash lab also cleans or bakes certain sample collection supplies.

 The Facilities Management branch performs maintenance of NWQL owned building systems and equipment. The Facilities branch manages contracts related to NWQL owned building systems and oversee building projects. The Facilities branch also submits work orders to and coordinates with General Services Administration (GSA) for building related issues.

Specifically, the SSS performs sample login, property management, warehouse operations, laboratory and field supplies, shipping, receiving, wash lab operations, fleet management, specialty gas, compressed air, and deionized water systems, facilities maintenance, and space and telecom support.