Summary
Are you a laboratory looking to analyse water samples taken in Wallonia?
EN ISO 17 025 (BELAC) accreditation is not sufficient. You need authorisation for your analyses to have official recognition in Wallonia.
Your application for authorisation should be submitted to the Surface Water Directorate (DESu) of the SPW Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment (ARNE).
FIVE-YEAR RENEWABLE TERM
The authorisation is granted for five years from the date of signature by the Ministry for the Environment.
If you have several laboratories, you must obtain authorisation for each operational site.
Under ‘Conditions’ you will find all your obligations for the authorisation, such as keeping a register of analyses and allowing access to your premises.
Already authorised? Apply for renewalat least six months before the expiry date.
FOR WHICH ANALYSES?
If you are authorised, you can provide official analyses of water samples taken in Wallonia.
These analyses are used to check the quality of
- surface water;
- water intended for the production of drinking water;
- waste water and industrial discharges;
- sanitary water from swimming pools.
These analyses are carried out:
- as part of a compulsory control programme of the quality of surface water or potential drinking water to which, for example, an industrial or water distributor is subject;
- during investigations by the Department of Police and Controls (DPC) of the SPW to check this self-monitoring.
When applying for authorisation, you must choose one or more of the following three categories (in full, or for certain parameters only):
- A: physico-chemical analyses;
- B: hydrobiological and microbiological analyses, or ecotoxicological and bacteriological analyses;
- C: specific organic and toxicological analyses.
Consult the list of analyses in the ‘Useful documents’ below.
OPINION OF THE REFERENCE LABORATORY: The ISSeP
Your application for authorisation file is submitted to the relevant authority: the SPW ARNE and our Surface Water Directorate.
In the course of this procedure, we request the opinion of the ISSeP (Public Service Scientific Institute), which is the reference laboratory responsible for checking the technical and scientific aspects of the application.
The application for authorisation is free of charge. Once authorised, you will also receive support from the ISSeP free of charge.
OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF YOUR COMPETENCES
Having authorised laboratories enables us to guarantee the homogeneity of services and the analysis results.
By granting you the authorisation, the SPW ARNE acknowledges that you have the expertise and means necessary for properly performing the tasks provided for by the legislation.
Have a public presence by being included in the list of approved laboratories in Wallonia in this field. Find this list in ‘Useful links’ below.
ARE YOU INTERESTED?
Check out the full procedure below.
Key points
ENSURING WATER QUALITY: SEVERAL STAKEHOLDERS
The presence of pesticides or bacteria in the water cycle can affect human health or the environment.
In Belgium, water quality is controlled at different official levels.
Legislation (e.g. royal decree, water/environment code, environmental permits, etc.) defines whether the regional authority (SPW) or federal authority (e.g. AFSCA) is competent. In general, this depends on the following:
- origin: groundwater / surface water
- use: potentially drinkable (i.e. made drinkable by treatment) / not potentially drinkable
In detail
The laboratories that analyse water samples taken in Wallonia:
- surface water and drinkable water;
- mains water;
- analyses as part of investigations into offences or for self-monitoring;
- water from cooling towers;
- sanitary water from swimming pools;
- industrial waste (compliance with permits and taxation).
You must be a legal entity and be registered with the Banque Carrefour des Entreprises, or the equivalent at European Union level.
- As a laboratory, you must be have EN ISO 17025 accreditation by BELAC (European regulations).
- One application for authorisation per site: if your laboratory is a group with several sites, you must apply for authorisation for each operational site.
OBLIGATIONS FOLLOWING AUTHORISATION
Once you have been authorised by our services, you must:
- keep an up-to-date record of analyses listing the operations carried out and the results obtained;
- keep up-to-date separate accounts for the analyses carried out;
- if necessary, allow the inspectors to access the laboratory premises and to consult all documents relating to the analyses, including the accounts;
- follow the rules on the sampling conditions and methods of analysis and the drafting of the relevant analysis protocols;
- participate in inter-laboratory tests organised by the reference laboratory (ISSeP);
SUBCONTRACTING?
As an authorised laboratory, you can sub-contract the analysis of water samples:
- to another authorised laboratory;
- to another accredited laboratory (in certain cases). You retain responsibility for the results produced.
STEPS – IN SUMMARY
- Application for authorisation from the SPW – Surface Water Directorate (DESu);
- Verification of completeness and examination of the application by the DESu.
- Request for an opinion from the reference laboratory: Public Service Scientific Institute (ISSeP).
- Additional information and analyses requested by the ISSeP (summary of results of participation in inter-laboratory tests for the parameters concerned) in order to prove your technical capabilities (+ laboratory visit if required).
- Letter of opinion on the application for authorisation sent by the ISSeP to the authority.
- Draft ministerial authorisation order sent by the authority to the Ministry for the Environment.
- Decision whether or not to grant your authorisation by the Ministry for the Environment through the adoption of a ministerial authorisation order.
STEPS – IN DETAIL
- Application for authorisation from the SPW – DESu
Send your application for authorisation in French or German by registered post to the authority’s address: SPW – Département de l’Environnement et de l’eau – Direction des Eaux de surface – Avenue Prince de Liège 15 – 5100 Namur (Jambes)
Please include the following in your application:
- the name, status or profession; the registered office or place of residence of the legal or natural person(s) in charge of the laboratory;
- the name, profession and function of the person who in fact manages the laboratory, and of its directors if it is a legal person;
- the authorisation categories A, B, C and the exact parameters for which your laboratory is applying for authorisation (see the list in ‘Useful documents’ below). You will be authorised for one or more categories, or even only for certain parameters of a category if you so choose.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO BE ANNEXED TO THE APPLICATION FILE
- Documents proving that you have the premises, equipment, apparatus and scientific documentation necessary to carry out the planned analyses.
- Documents proving that you have the necessary number and quality of technical staff for the nature and importance of the analyses.
- Attested separate accounts and agreement on access by persons authorised by the competent authority.
WITHDRAWAL OR SUSPENSION OF THE AUTHORISATION
The authorisation may be withdrawn or suspended, in whole or in part, by the Ministry for the Environment in the following cases:
- if the conditions for authorisation are no longer fulfilled; or
- if the services provided are considered by the authority to be of manifestly insufficient quality.
APPEAL
An appeal may be lodged with the Council of State. For an application for annulment of a decision, consult the Council’s website.