How long should records for microbiological samples be maintained?

Maintaining records for microbiological samples for five years is in accordance with practices recommended by regulatory agencies and industry standards. This duration allows for sufficient time to validate laboratory results and ensures traceability in case any issues arise regarding the safety and quality of water. The five-year timeframe strikes a balance between providing enough historical data for analysis, trend monitoring, and compliance with audit requirements, while not being excessively burdensome on record-keeping practices.

Keeping records for this length also helps in investigating potential incidents that could arise after testing and serves as a reliable reference when future samples are compared to historical data for assessing consistency and potential contamination patterns.