Will you be able to do testing and provide us some direction regarding the health of lakes and ecosystem?
  • PCD does not provide laboratory water quality testing. 
  • You are welcome to sample on your own and send to a laboratory.  We recommend sampling more than 1 or 2 times. For understanding general lake health, we recommend longer term sampling. 
    • A local laboratory is Water Management Laboratories in Tacoma 
    • Their instructions include calling 253-531-3121 prior to sampling. They will provide you with sample bottles, sampling instructions and drop off instructions. 
    • Laboratory costs can range from $50 to $500 depending on the number of samples and type of testing. 
  • You can also contact the Washington State Department of Ecology and take a sample for toxic algae if the lake is not already monitored by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. How to report and test a bloom (nwtoxicalgae.org)


Show All Answers

1. Will you be able to do testing and provide us some direction regarding the health of lakes and ecosystem?
2. Where can I find resources available on herbicide guidance for aquatic noxious weeds?
3. Can you provide a general lake presentation?
4. Where can I find information about the water quality of my lake?
5. How do I become an Algae Watch Volunteer?
6. What do I do if I think my lake has a toxic algae bloom?
7. What can I do to prevent toxic algae blooms?
8. Why is my lake filling in with vegetation/sediment?