Professional Education Presented by the New Jersey Water Association, Garden State Laboratories, Inc. Certified for Water & Wastewater Operators, and Certified Public Works Managers Class Proctor: Thomas Tsismetzoglou Description
This course will help participants to properly and economically sample and test their water and wastewater. It will elaborate on the critical issues of PFNA, PFOA and PFOS and enhance the participant’s ability to monitor for process control, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance purposes. Sample analytical reports will be reviewed to enhance understanding of the meaning of laboratory results.
Instructor: Cindy Brandecker: Cindy’s water experience started as a field sampler and sample receptionist for an Environmental Lab. She is currently employed at Garden State Laboratories, Inc., where she has managed the field sampling department for the last 15 years and is currently the Director of Project Management for many wastewater and drinking water systems statewide. She brings a unique view of both the client and lab side of sampling and reporting based on her experience and knowledge.
Date and Location:
February 26, 2026 – Brooklawn Senior Citizen Center, 101 2nd St, Brooklawn, 08030 (Camden County)
Accreditation: 3.0 TCH Water & Wastewater, Course Number 04-022101-30. CPWM 3.0 Technical DLGS-NJWA-212
NEW COURSE! Lunch will be provided courtesy of PACE Analytical Services.
Course Description:
The PFAS training provides a unified overview of PFAS chemistry, contamination sources, and regulatory updates, emphasizing the challenges of analysis and the importance of rigorous sampling protocols to prevent cross-contamination. Attendees learn how evolving federal and state regulations impact water and wastewater systems and gain insights from national monitoring data revealing widespread PFAS and lithium levels above health thresholds. The event equips professionals to navigate compliance, optimize testing strategies, and anticipate regulatory changes affecting their operations.
laboratories calibrate instruments to detect PFAS in the single digit ppt range, has led to a great deal of concern about the potential for cross-contamination of samples caused by sampling. Numerous PFAS sampling SOPs call for significant measures not required when sampling for other regulated contaminants, as well as more field QC samples. Is all this concern warranted? During this presentation attendees will learn about the incidence rate of cross-contamination in field QC samples from a recent and large set of samples taken from around the country. We will discuss the inherent limitation of Field Blanks and Field Reagent Blanks, as well as practices taken to mitigate cross-contamination.
30 minutes UCMR 5 – What the PFAS and Lithium Data Reveals and What are Its Implications?
We now have three years of UCMR 5 data accumulated from over 10,000 of the nation’s public water systems. This data provides ample clues to US EPA’s potential inclusion of additional PFAS in Health Advisories and additional Maximum Contaminant Levels including for lithium. This data indicates widespread levels above EPA’s Health Reference Levels. This presentation will provide a summary of UCMR 5 data and provide insights into where it may lead EPA to take action that will impact the nation’s public water systems and, eventually, wastewater systems, as well as how the data can be used to satisfy the required Initial Monitoring required by the PFAS NPDWR.
Accreditation:
3.0 Training Contact Hours for NJ-Licensed Water and Wastewater Operators. TCH# 04-022602-30
Certified Public Works Managers: DLGS-NJWA-304 (3.0 Technical)
Date and Location:
March 4, 2026 – Hopewell Township Municipal Services Building, 201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Rd., Titusville (Mercer County)
NEW COURSE! Lunch will be provided courtesy of PACE Analytical Services.
Course Description:
The PFAS training provides a unified overview of PFAS chemistry, contamination sources, and regulatory updates, emphasizing the challenges of analysis and the importance of rigorous sampling protocols to prevent cross-contamination. Attendees learn how evolving federal and state regulations impact water and wastewater systems and gain insights from national monitoring data revealing widespread PFAS and lithium levels above health thresholds. The event equips professionals to navigate compliance, optimize testing strategies, and anticipate regulatory changes affecting their operations.
laboratories calibrate instruments to detect PFAS in the single digit ppt range, has led to a great deal of concern about the potential for cross-contamination of samples caused by sampling. Numerous PFAS sampling SOPs call for significant measures not required when sampling for other regulated contaminants, as well as more field QC samples. Is all this concern warranted? During this presentation attendees will learn about the incidence rate of cross-contamination in field QC samples from a recent and large set of samples taken from around the country. We will discuss the inherent limitation of Field Blanks and Field Reagent Blanks, as well as practices taken to mitigate cross-contamination.
30 minutes UCMR 5 – What the PFAS and Lithium Data Reveals and What are Its Implications?
We now have three years of UCMR 5 data accumulated from over 10,000 of the nation’s public water systems. This data provides ample clues to US EPA’s potential inclusion of additional PFAS in Health Advisories and additional Maximum Contaminant Levels including for lithium. This data indicates widespread levels above EPA’s Health Reference Levels. This presentation will provide a summary of UCMR 5 data and provide insights into where it may lead EPA to take action that will impact the nation’s public water systems and, eventually, wastewater systems, as well as how the data can be used to satisfy the required Initial Monitoring required by the PFAS NPDWR.
Accreditation:
3.0 Training Contact Hours for NJ-Licensed Water and Wastewater Operators. TCH# 04-022602-30
Certified Public Works Managers: DLGS-NJWA-304 (3.0 Technical)
Date and Location:
March 5, 2026 – Mount Olive Township Council Chambers, 204 Flanders-Drakestown Rd., Flanders (Morris County)
Professional Education Presented by the New Jersey Water Association, Garden State Laboratories, Inc. Certified for Water & Wastewater Operators, and Certified Public Works Managers Class Proctor: Thomas Tsismetzoglou Description
This course will help participants to properly and economically sample and test their water and wastewater. It will elaborate on the critical issues of PFNA, PFOA and PFOS and enhance the participant’s ability to monitor for process control, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance purposes. Sample analytical reports will be reviewed to enhance understanding of the meaning of laboratory results.
Instructor: Cindy Brandecker: Cindy’s water experience started as a field sampler and sample receptionist for an Environmental Lab. She is currently employed at Garden State Laboratories, Inc., where she has managed the field sampling department for the last 15 years and is currently the Director of Project Management for many wastewater and drinking water systems statewide. She brings a unique view of both the client and lab side of sampling and reporting based on her experience and knowledge.
Date and Location:
April 23, 2026 – Riverdale Community Center, 57 Loy Avenue, Riverdale, 07457 (Morris County)
Accreditation: 3.0 TCH Water & Wastewater, Course Number 04-022101-30. CPWM 3.0 Technical DLGS-NJWA-212
