Helayne,

Tap water is fine in most cases.  It is wise to know a baseline pH so you have something to look at if it changes over time, and it can.  Tap water can change with the amount of chlorine added at different times of the year.  When we have heavy rains here and when I lived in St Louis years ago it could mean the slides would literally bleach out due to higher chlorine levels in running water.  Then we had to change again when they reduced it.  One area of California has tap water at 8.0 to 8.5 pH which can over blued or change the colour with long rinses. 

Hope this helps.

Pam Marcum



 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Parker, Helayne" 
> In using tap water for an H & E stain is there any documentation or
> testing that needs to be done to confirm that the tap water is ok for
> use.  They have been using DI water here and there were complaints of
> slides being too pink from the Pathologist.  I put the tap water into
> the regimen instead as I have always used tap for H & E staining -color
> is now fine - no problems.  But I was asked by the other tech is that
> was acceptable.  Having never been a supervisor I am not aware of any
> documentation needed. Can anyone advise.
> 
> Helayne Parker, HT (A.S.C.P.)
> Histology Section Head
> Skaggs Community Health Center
> Branson, MO  
> 
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> Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
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