MEMORANDUM

Tetra Tech, Inc.

10306 Eaton Place, Suite 340, Fairfax, VA 22030-2201

Tel 703.385.6000 Fax 703.385.6007 www.tetratech.com

Date: June 3, 2015

FROM: John O’Donnell and John Kosco, Tetra Tech

TO: Bryan Rittenhouse and Erika Farris, EPA

RE: Cost data for MSGP benchmark monitoring

In order to document sampling costs to comply with MSGP benchmark monitoring parameters, 

Tetra Tech contacted six labs from New England (focusing on MA and NH), Idaho, New Mexico, 

and Puerto Rico. Lab pricing was received from five labs - Tetra Tech did not receive any 

response from the laboratories in Puerto Rico, and only one from New Mexico. As there were 

limited short holding time indicators, Tetra Tech contacted a national laboratory network who we 

have worked with to provide sampling costs.

A formal written request was issued to each of the laboratories to provide pricing and 

performance data for a series of benchmark monitoring parameters. Laboratories were asked to 

review the requirements and to populate an Excel table (can be provided upon request). The 

costs below do not include any discounts which are typically given to repeat customers but they 

do include sampling materials such as containers, coolers and packing materials. The MSGP 

facility would be responsible for ice and shipping/transportation of the samples to the lab.

The following cost data were received from the 6 respondent laboratories:

Parameter / 

Indicator

Program 

Target 

(mg/L)

Programmatic 

Requirements Unit Rates ($; no discounts applied)

Freshwater 

Benchmark 

mg/L††

Saltwater 

Benchmark 

mg/L

A 

(NE)

B 

(NE)

C 

(NM)

D 

(Nat’l)

E 

(ID)

F 

(ID)

BOD 2 30 30 21 40 50 30 45 40

COD 10 120 120 16 25 30 20 35 35

TSS 5 100 100 15 15 22 9 15 12

pH 6 5 10 9 10 8

Turbidity 2 50 50 9 15 20 9 15 15

Ammonia-N 0.2 2.14 2.14 16 25 15 22 20 30

NO2+NO3- N 0.05 0.68 0.68 22 15 30 19 55 20

TKN 0.2 NA NA 21 40 45 30 35 35

T. Phos 0.1 2 2 16 25 25 22 30 30

Cyanide 0.001 0.022 0.001 16 25 15 22 20 30

Mercury (Hg) 0.001 0.0014 0.0018 22 15 30 19 55 20

Metals:

Conventional 

elements 

(ICP/ICPMS)

Element – specific benchmarks and 

targets were identified in request

1 element 15.50 20 25 32 20 30

2 elements 21 30 50 40 25 35

3 elements 26.50 38 75 47 32 40

7 elements 38.50 74 175 60 50 60
2

The table below illustrates the benchmark sampling cost by subsector, using the costs in the above 

table:

Subsector Parameters

Unit Rates ($; no discounts applied)

A (NE) B (NE) C (NM) D 

(Nat’l)

E (ID) F (ID) Average

A.1 COD, TSS, Zinc 46.50 60.00 77.00 61.00 70.00 77.00 65.25

A.2 Arsenic, Copper 21.00 30.00 50.00 40.00 25.00 35.00 33.50

A.3 TSS 15.00 15.00 22.00 9.00 15.00 12.00 14.67

A.4 COD, TSS 31.00 40.00 52.00 29.00 50.00 47.00 41.50

B.1 COD 16.00 25.00 30.00 20.00 35.00 35.00 26.83

C.1 N+N, Lead, Iron, Zinc, 

Phosphorus 64.50 78.00 130.00 88.00 117.00 90.00 94.58

C.2 Aluminum, Iron, N+N 43.00 45.00 80.00 59.00 80.00 55.00 60.33

C.3 N+N, Zinc 37.50 35.00 55.00 51.00 75.00 50.00 50.58

C.4 Zinc 15.50 20.00 25.00 32.00 20.00 30.00 23.75

D.1 TSS 15.00 15.00 22.00 9.00 15.00 12.00 14.67

E.1 Aluminum 15.50 20.00 25.00 32.00 20.00 30.00 23.75

E.2 TSS, Iron 30.50 35.00 47.00 41.00 35.00 42.00 38.42

F.1 Aluminum, Zinc 21.00 30.00 50.00 40.00 25.00 35.00 33.50

F.2 Aluminum, TSS, Copper, Iron, 

Zinc 53.50 89.00 197.00 69.00 65.00 72.00 90.92

F.3 Copper, Zinc 21.00 30.00 50.00 40.00 25.00 35.00 33.50

F.4 Copper, Zinc 21.00 30.00 50.00 40.00 25.00 35.00 33.50

G.1 TSS, N+N, COD 53.00 55.00 82.00 48.00 105.00 67.00 68.33

G.2 TSS, Turbidity, pH, Antimony, 

Arsenic, Beryllium, Cadmium, 

Copper, Iron, Lead, Mercury, 

Nickel, Selenium, Silver, Zinc

150.00 226.00 532.00 174.00 203.00 265.00 258.33

H.1 Aluminum, Iron, TSS 36.00 45.00 72.00 49.00 40.00 47.00 48.17

J.1 N+N, TSS 37.00 30.00 52.00 28.00 70.00 32.00 41.50

J.2 TSS 15.00 15.00 22.00 9.00 15.00 12.00 14.67

K.1 Ammonia, Magnesium, COD, 

Arsenic, Cadmium, Cyanide, 

Lead, Mercury, Selenium, Silver

103.00 156.00 240.00 136.00 173.00 170.00 163.00

L.1 TSS 15.00 15.00 22.00 9.00 15.00 12.00 14.67

L.2 Iron 15.50 20.00 25.00 32.00 20.00 30.00 23.75

M.1 TSS, Aluminum, Iron, Lead 41.50 53.00 97.00 56.00 47.00 52.00 57.75

N.1 COD, TSS, Aluminum, Copper, 

Iron, Lead, Zinc 69.50 114.00 227.00 89.00 100.00 107.00 117.75

O.1 Iron 15.50 20.00 25.00 32.00 20.00 30.00 23.75

Q.1 Aluminum, Iron, Lead, Zinc 38.50 74.00 175.00 60.00 50.00 60.00 76.25

S.1 BOD, COD, Ammonia, pH 59.00 95.00 105.00 81.00 110.00 113.00 93.83

U.1 TSS 15.00 15.00 22.00 9.00 15.00 12.00 14.67

U.2 BOD, COD, N+N, TSS 74.00 95.00 132.00 78.00 150.00 107.00 106.00

Y.1 Zinc 15.50 20.00 25.00 32.00 20.00 30.00 23.75

AA.1 Aluminum, Iron, Zinc, N+N 48.50 53.00 105.00 66.00 87.00 60.00 69.92

AA.2 Zinc, N+N 37.50 35.00 55.00 51.00 75.00 50.00 50.58