Nearly three decades ago, LabWare partnered with Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) to support their mission of protecting public health and the environment through effective wastewater collection, treatment, and recycling.
This long-standing collaboration has been marked by continuous innovation, automation, and a shared commitment to quality. At the LabWare 2025 North America Customer Education Conference held in Tucson, AZ, Principal IT Analyst Matthew Garchow from OC San shared his journey with LabWare, highlighting a number of specific implementations and adaptations that have withstood the ever-evolving landscape of the technological climate throughout the past nearly 30 years.
Solving Real-World Challenges
In 1997, OC San faced a challenge: they needed a way to group and track samples as they moved through real-world processes. LabWare responded with a solution that streamlined sample organization and tracking, laying the foundation for more efficient lab operations. This approach enabled batches to be organized by test, sample & test, or results, with integration to lab instruments and batch-level results and calculations. Reflecting on the implementation, Matthew noted, “I don’t think there’s a better example of LabWare bringing value to customers than this capability.”
“I don’t think there’s a better example of LabWare bringing value to customers than this capability.”
Enhancing Quality Control with Recovery and RPD Analyses
LabWare introduced Recovery and Relative Percent Difference (RPD) Analyses into OC San’s Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). These tools enabled the lab to monitor quality control samples such as replicates and matrix spike duplicates over time. But OC San wanted more than just graphs—they needed statistical insight into whether samples were in or out of control. Implemented in 2000, Matthew noted that “we bought it once and we get to use it for 25 years. That’s pretty awesome.”
“We bought it once and we get to use it for 25 years.
That’s pretty awesome.”
Enter Statistical Quality Control
LabWare delivered a Statistical Quality Control (SQC) module that empowered OC San to create custom calculations for limit detection and manage charting through a user-friendly interface. This allowed lab users to define their own control limits and perform statistical calculations independently giving them full ownership of the process.
Streamlining Ocean Monitoring with LIMS Integration
OC San’s Ocean Monitoring Program (OMP) involves regular sampling of fish, sand, sediment, and water across various sites. Previously, data was scattered across spreadsheets and folders, involving multiple individuals and increasing the risk of error. LabWare helped integrate these files into the LIMS using off-the-shelf modules and basic configuration to track field activities. The result? A system that feels familiar like Excel but includes audit history for traceability and compliance.
Meeting New Standards with the Water Solution
In 2020, California adopted a modified version of the TNI 2016 Standard, based on ISO 17025. OC San, having anticipated the adoption after becoming TNI-accredited in 2017, engaged with LabWare for assistance on the LIMS side, implemented ISO17025 in 2019, setting new expectations for both laboratory and IT operations.
“Nearly half of our sampling occurs following a very specific set of patterns. Before the Water Solution, our process for logging the samples was a home-grown Excel spreadsheet with macros to generate CSV files. Then those CSV files would create the samples in the LIMS. The Excel spreadsheet was paired with hundreds of sample login templates, all of which needed to be maintained by IT to ensure no details were missed.”
LabWare’s answer was the Water Solution tailored for water testing workflows. “The Water Scheduler functionality in the Water Solution allowed IT to turn a code-based process into a configuration-based process, enabling the business to maintain their own sample scheduling without IT involvement.” LabWare’s solution allowed OC San to program routine sampling patterns into the system, automating the rest. While their previous method was time-consuming, the Water Solution proved to be a more flexible system that allowed the team to program routine sampling patterns directly into the LIMS, both saving time and reducing errors.
Streamlining Field and Lab Workflows
The Water Solution introduced a water management screen that allowed OC San to organize their work into distinct programs — each with its own sampling points, patterns, analyses, and test lists. This structure gave both field and lab staff a clear, centralized view of their operations.
Flexibility was key. The system allowed users to:
- Log samples manually
- Adjust sample dates
- Create collection runs to optimize sampling within the plant
These features helped OC San streamline their workflows and improve coordination across teams.
Smart Scheduling with the Calendar Feature
LabWare developed a calendar interface specifically to meet OC San’s needs and benefit the users. It displays samples by collection run, lab, or program, with color-coded test lists for easy visualization. Users can move samples around as needed and even print the calendar for physical reference. “A feature of the Water Solution that allowed field and lab staff to coordinate is the Scheduler Calendar. Upcoming samples are visible to both lab and field staff, and adjustments can be made right on the calendar. Staff can search and filter the samples, honing in on the samples that matter most to their group.” This enhancement brought clarity and control to scheduling, making it easier to manage complex sampling routines. As per Matthew, “LabWare is always improving their product based on what they learn from their customers.”
“LabWare is always improving their product based on what they learn from their customers.”
Quality Management Made Accessible
Previously, OC San’s QA team tracked corrective actions in Excel. Today, they use LabWare’s eQMS, or an Electronic Quality Management System, which centralizes audits, documents, training, CAPAs, and compliance workflows in one platform. This allows lab staff to log and manage their own corrective and preventive actions without relying on administrators.
Management can now monitor quality improvements in real time, and the investigation screen provides visibility into key metrics like out-of-specification and out-of-trend data. The focus remains on maintaining compliance with permit limits, a goal OC San consistently meets.
Training That Works for Everyone
With a lab staff of around 60 people, training is essential. LabWare’s training management module allows OC San to:
- Create courses and training profiles
- Track due dates and schedules
- Certify staff for regulatory, bench, and capability-based training
Training profiles are tailored by lab location, ensuring that each team member is equipped with the right skills for their role.
Preparing for the Future
OC San recently migrated their LIMS database from Oracle to SQL Server — a strategic move driven by staffing changes. Matthew led much of the migration himself, with support from the LabWare community and longtime consultant Jim Darlington, who has worked with OC San for 25 years.
This migration laid the groundwork for future LabWare upgrades, with documented requirements, test scripts, and validation plans already in place.
OC San is also helping shape the future of LabWare’s Lab Intelligence by providing feedback and insights. Matthew developed an AI chatbot to help new users navigate internal documentation and processes, a testament to the forward-thinking culture LabWare supports.
A Relationship That Evolves
What makes this partnership truly special is LabWare’s ability to evolve alongside OC San. Each enhancement wasn’t just a product update, but rather a response to a real-world challenge, delivered through collaboration and understanding. “As OC San’s implementation has matured over the years, we have been able to expand our use of the system for more areas of our lab and complex processes that are only possible to implement with the use of LIMS Basic. We feel empowered to use the system to its full extent, knowing that LabWare is there if we need them.”
"We feel empowered to use the system to its full extent, knowing that LabWare is there if we need them.”
LabWare’s LIMS has a comprehensive platform that supports field operations, regulatory compliance, and data integrity. And through it all, the relationship has remained strong, built on trust, adaptability, and a shared commitment to excellence.
Looking Ahead
As OC San continues to innovate and expand its environmental programs, LabWare remains a trusted partner, ready to adapt, support, and evolve. Because in a world of constant change, the strongest partnerships are the ones that grow together. “OC San feels like a partner with LabWare. When we have new requirements or ideas, LabWare staff will listen to our feedback. By attending the annual Customer Education Conferences, our staff have been able to grow our skills and network with other customers who may be facing the same challenges. At the same time, OC San also gets to spend time with LabWare staff to collaborate and share knowledge beyond the training courses.”
“OC San feels like a partner with LabWare."
Discover how LabWare’s flexible, user-driven LIMS solutions can help your organization streamline workflows, meet regulatory demands, and empower your team, now and into the future. Contact our team today to learn more.
