Who this article is for: Authority users who create and configure sampling requirements for Industrial Users.
Overview
Sample Report Configurations (SRCs) define what sampling data must be collected, how frequently, and by whom. SRCs are created at the outfall level using a 3-step wizard that walks you through configuration, sampling specifications, and review.
Before You Begin
Navigate to the outfall where you want to create the SRC:
Go to Industrial Users in the left sidebar and select an IU.
Click on the outfall where you want to add the configuration.
You will need at least one analyte configured in the system.
Starting the Wizard
In the Sample Report Configurations section of the outfall detail page, click New Sample Report Config to launch the 3-step wizard.
Step 1: Report Configuration
Configure the basic settings for this sample report configuration.
Field | Required | Description |
Configuration Name | Yes | A descriptive name for this configuration |
Assigned To | Yes | Select "Industry" (SMRC — IU performs sampling) or "Authority" (ASRC — authority performs sampling) |
Lab Report | Yes | Yes or No — whether a lab report attachment is required at submission |
Chain of Custody | Yes | Yes or No — whether a chain of custody document is required at submission |
Additional Requirements | No | Free-text area for any extra instructions or notes |
Administrative Period | No | Number of days for administrative processing after the report period ends |
Report Period | No | Duration for the reporting period (amount + unit: days, weeks, or months). This is the period when sampling can occur relative to the report due date. |
Understanding Report Period and Administrative Period
These two fields work together to define the timeline for each sample report.
The Report Period is the window during which sampling can occur. It is measured backward from the report due date. For example, if a report is due on March 31 and the report period is set to 1 month, the sampling window runs from March 1 through March 31. All sampling events for that report should fall within this window.
The Administrative Period is an additional number of days added after the report period ends, giving the responsible party time to compile results, gather lab reports, and submit. For example, if the report period ends March 31 and the administrative period is 15 days, the report due date will be April 15.
Together, these fields control both when sampling should happen and how much time is allowed for submission after the sampling window closes.
Both fields are optional. If the Report Period is left empty, the report due date is determined solely by the schedule with no defined sampling window. If the Administrative Period is left empty, it defaults to zero — meaning the report is due immediately when the report period ends, with no additional time for submission.
Enforceability (Industry-Assigned Configs Only)
When Assigned To is set to Industry, select the regulatory basis for this configuration:
General Control — typically a sewer use ordinance or similar regulation. Select the applicable general control from the dropdown.
Specific Control — typically a discharge permit. The SRC will be linked to a specific permit. SMRCs with Specific Control enforceability enter Available status and only become Active when the permit is signed.
💡 Note: The Enforceability section does not appear for Authority-assigned configurations. ASRCs activate immediately when the wizard is completed.
Report Schedule
Configure when sample reports should be generated:
One-time — a single report on a specific date.
Recurring — repeating schedule. Set the Frequency (Daily, Weekly, Monthly), Interval (e.g., every 2 weeks), Start Date, and End Condition (specific date or number of occurrences).
💡 Note: For SMRCs with Specific Control enforceability, the schedule section is simplified because the report schedule is determined when creating the permit.
Click Next to proceed to Step 2.
Step 2: Report Requirements
This step defines what data must be collected and how often within the report period. The structure is hierarchical: you create one or more requirement schedules, and each schedule contains one or more specifications (sampling, flow, or calculated results).
There is no limit to the number of requirement schedules you can add to a single SRC. This is how you build complex reporting structures — for example, a quarterly report that requires weekly grab samples for one set of analytes and monthly composites for another.
Requirement Schedules
Each requirement schedule defines a named collection interval within the report period. Click Add New Requirement to create one.
Requirement schedule fields:
Field | Required | Description |
Requirement Name | Yes | A descriptive name (e.g., "Weekly Metals Grab", "Monthly Composite") |
Schedule Type | Yes | Once during report period — a single collection within the report period. Repeating — recurring collection on a set frequency. |
Repeat Every (repeating only) | Yes | Interval + Frequency (e.g., every 1 week, every 2 weeks). Available frequencies depend on the report period unit: days → daily only; weeks → daily or weekly; months → daily, weekly, or monthly. |
Ends After (repeating only) | No | Optional occurrence cap (e.g., "ends after 4 occurrences"). See restrictions below. |
⚠️ "Ends After" restriction: Setting an occurrence cap on a repeating requirement disables Flow Specifications and Calculated Results for that requirement. If flow specs or calculated results already exist when you add an occurrence cap, they will be removed on save. Only Sampling Specifications are allowed on capped requirements.
Example: Quarterly Report with Weekly and Monthly Requirements
A quarterly SRC (report period = 3 months) might have:
Requirement 1: "Weekly Metals Grab" — Repeating every 1 week. Contains a sampling spec for metals (Grab), plus a calculated result for Monthly Average.
Requirement 2: "Monthly Composite" — Repeating every 1 month. Contains a sampling spec for BOD/TSS (Composite, 24-hour, flow-paced), a flow spec for Daily Total (Volume), and a calculated result for Daily Maximum.
Requirement 3: "Quarterly pH" — Once during report period. Contains a sampling spec for pH (Grab).
This produces a single quarterly report with three different collection cadences, each generating their own sampling events.
Adding Specifications
After saving a requirement schedule, use the Add New dropdown at the bottom of the requirement to add specifications. There are three types: Sampling Specifications, Flow Specifications, and Calculated Results.
Sampling Specifications
Define what to sample and how. Each sampling spec includes:
Field | Required | Description |
Configuration Name | Yes | Name for this sampling specification |
Analyte(s)/Parameter(s) | Yes | Multi-select — choose the analytes to be tested. You can also use "Select From Limits" to pull analytes from configured discharge limits. |
Sample Type | Yes | Grab, Meter, Composite, or Field-Composite |
Pacing | No | Flow or Time — how composite samples are collected |
Pacing Value | Conditional | Required when pacing is set. Time: amount + minutes/hours. Flow: amount + volume units. |
Minimum Aliquots | No | Minimum number of samples to collect |
Active Sampling Interval | Conditional | Required when pacing is Time. Hours between active sampling. |
Container Type | No | Multi-select: Clear glass, Amber glass, HDPE, Opaque HDPE, Amber HDPE, Poly bag, Wide Mouth Clear Glass |
Container Volume | No | Multi-select: 40ml through 4000ml |
Preservative | No | Multi-select: H2SO4, Na2S2O3, NaOH, HCl, HNO3, and others |
Maximum Hold Time | No | Value + unit for sample preservation |
Lab Method(s) | No | Multi-select from available lab methods |
Notes | No | Additional instructions or notes |
Flow Specifications
Define flow data reporting requirements. Each flow spec includes:
Flow Type — select the measurement type. Options are split into volume totals and volume rates.
Units — filtered by flow type. Volume totals use volume units (Gallons, Liters, CCF, etc.). Volume rates use rate units (gpd, gpm, MGPD).
Flow type and units are cross-restricted — selecting one filters the available options for the other.
Calculated Results
Define computed values derived from sampling data. Each calculated result includes:
Analyte(s) — the analyte(s) the calculation applies to. You can also use "Select From Limits" to pull from configured limits.
Calculation — the formula to apply (e.g., Daily Maximum, Monthly Average, Weekly Total, Split Sample Average, and others matching the limit type list).
You can add multiple calculated results per requirement to define different calculations for different analytes.
💡 Tip: A single requirement schedule can contain a mix of all three specification types — sampling specs, flow specs, and calculated results — as long as the requirement does not have an "Ends After" occurrence cap.
Click Next to proceed to Step 3.
Step 3: Review
Review all configurations and specifications. Verify the schedule, assigned party, enforceability, and sampling requirements are correct.
Click Finish to complete the configuration.
What Happens After You Click Finish
ASRCs move directly to Active status and begin generating sample reports on schedule.
SMRCs with General Control enforceability move directly to Active status.
SMRCs with Specific Control enforceability enter Available status and activate automatically when included in a signed permit.
FAQ
Q: What is the difference between Grab and Composite sample types?
A: A Grab sample is a single sample collected at one specific point in time. A Composite sample is collected over a period of time or across multiple flow increments and combined into one representative sample. Meter samples are readings taken from a flow meter. Field-Composite samples are composited in the field rather than the lab.
Q: Can I add multiple sampling configs to one SRC?
A: Yes. Each sampling configuration can target different analytes with different collection methods, container requirements, and lab methods. This is useful when a single report requires multiple types of sampling with different specifications.
Q: What pacing options are available?
A: Time-based pacing uses minutes or hours between aliquots. Flow-based pacing uses volume increments: million-gallons, gallons, liters, or cubic-feet. Pacing is only relevant for Composite sample types.
Q: What happens after I click Finish?
A: The SRC is activated (or enters Available status for SMRCs with Specific Control enforceability) and sample reports begin generating based on the configured schedule. ASRCs and General Control SMRCs become Active immediately.