The key aim of taking a water sample and having it analysed is to be able to look at analysis results and have them accurately reflect the quality of water in question. It is critical that the composition of the sample submitted to the laboratory be representative of the water source you are trying to measure. During sample storage and transport after sampling and prior to analysis, the composition of the water can change. The action of microbes, aeration, temperature and the chemical reactivity leads to (depending on the analyte) changes in the composition of the water samples.
