Thurston Laboratories, LLC
No.
Currently, we do not. We will be adding nuclear density testing to our services in 2024.
The water quality of domestic wells in Northeastern Nevada is generally quite high, and rarely a safety concern. Nevertheless, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recommends domestic wells be tested once per year for E. coli, nitrates, dissolved solids, and pH levels. Further, excessive hardness and alkalinity can cause damage to plumbing and appliances. Water quality is dynamic and can change over time. We recommend following the EPA's guidance to test once per year and test if you notice any change in color, clarity, taste, or odor of drinking water.
Thurston Laboratories will be happy to perform this testing for you. We will provide you with a sampling kit and detailed instructions for the collection of water samples, or if you prefer, you can have one of our experienced technicians sample your water. Our goal is to give you peace of mind and full confidence in the safety of your drinking water.
We provide services throughout all Northeastern Nevada, including Elko, Eureka, Lander, Humboldt, White Pine, and Pershing Counties, and all of the associated towns, including Elko, Spring Creek, Carlin, Wells, Wendover, Battle Mountain, Winnemucca, Lovelock, Ely, Eureka, Jackpot, Owyhee, Golconda, Midas, Tuscarora, and everywhere in between.
Due to the vast distances across Nevada and travel expense, we work closely with all project stakeholders to develop a testing plan that meets all project requirements, reduces travel to the extent possible, and maximizes use of technician time to work within budget constraints.
We accept cash, check, all major credit cards, and goldbacks.
A perc test, short for percolation test, measures how rapidly water can absorb and percolate through native soils. This testing is necessary for the proper design of a septic system and required by the State of Nevada as part of the permitting process for new construction which will include a septic system.
A perc test involves logging a test pit to 10 feet below the ground surface to ensure that there is no standing ground water. Then two smaller test holes are dug at elevations of approximately 2 feet and 4 feet below the ground surface. These are filled with water and monitored for percolation. Times and depths are recorded. The results of the percolation test will help designers properly size the septic system leach field to ensure proper operation.
Empirical studies show that the sand cone is more accurate than the nuclear density meter. Even when corrected for the inaccuracies (due to the nuclear density meter struggling to accurately determine moisture content), the sand cone still produces more precise results - this means less variability and uncertainty in the test results. Additional work done in 2020 supported by robust computational models also determined the sand cone to offer increased precision over the nuclear density meter.
The complexity of multi-phase and multi-component geomaterials encountered in the real world makes an academic discussion of the accuracy and precision of field density testing a difficult subject. No single laboratory experiment can ever account for the near infinite conditions encountered on construction sites around the world. Other research suggests the nuclear density meter offers greater accuracy in certain situations, specifically, in the paper linked, in shale.
Due to the complexities involved, it's important to retain the services of a testing firm with the requisite knowledge to not simply conduct, but also interpret and understand the result of any laboratory or field testing. Thurston Laboratories has decades of experience with the geomaterials found in Northeastern Nevada and personnel with the appropriate background, education, and certification to do so.
The Goldback is a voluntary currency containing real gold designed to facilitate easy exchange, even for small transactions. See the Goldback website for more information. We will offer a 5% discount on any amount paid in Goldbacks.