When water quality decisions affect public health, regulatory compliance and commercial outcomes, your lab’s data must be defensible. GBJ now supplies Waters ERA (often shortened to ERA) certified reference materials and proficiency testing schemes for Australian environmental and process water laboratories — giving teams access to accredited CRMs, PT programmes and technical support that reduce measurement risk and speed up accreditation-ready reporting.
Why ERA-certified materials matter for water testing
ERA has supplied proficiency testing (PT) and certified reference materials (CRMs) since 1977 and is positioned as a global provider for environmental and process water quality assurance. Their products are used to verify instrument performance (TOC, conductivity, turbidity, ions, metals), validate methods and benchmark lab proficiency over time. Choosing ERA CRMs or PT rounds gives labs documented traceability and a clear audit trail — critical when regulators or customers request evidence of data quality.
Accreditation — the backbone of trust
ERA’s CRM and PT programmes are covered by multiple independent accreditations (including ISO/IEC 17025, ISO 17034 and ISO/IEC 17043 in different scopes), which means their production, homogeneity/stability testing and scheme administration are independently assessed. For laboratories pursuing or maintaining NATA/ISO accreditation, using ERA-certified reference materials and participating in ERA proficiency testing helps demonstrate compliance with key measurement and QA requirements.
Data-driven benefits for Australian labs
Traceable calibration & verification: ERA’s CRMs come with lot-specific Certificates of Analysis (CoAs) showing assigned values, measurement uncertainty and preparation methods — essential inputs for uncertainty budgets and method validation.
Method suitability across matrices: ERA offers materials for environmental water, process water and specialized matrices (e.g., wastewater, potable supply, TOC reference materials), reducing matrix mismatch and improving spike/recovery performance.
Proficiency monitoring: Regular participation in ERA proficiency testing schemes shows trends in lab performance and flags systematic bias before it becomes a customer or regulatory problem. ERA’s PT schedules are available monthly, quarterly or biannually depending on the parameter.
What water parameters and product types are available
ERA’s portfolio covers common water parameters used in Australian compliance and process control workflows:
Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) CRMs and system suitability sets.
Conductivity, turbidity, pH, and chlorine reference materials for supply and process water.
Inorganic/trace-metal reference materials and PT rounds suitable for ICP-based workflows, with CoAs that include uncertainty statements and stability data.
Practical, data-led checklist before you order ERA CRMs or PT schemes
Match matrix and concentration: Choose CRMs whose matrix mirrors your sample prep (e.g., ultraclean acidified solutions for ICP vs. aqueous matrices for TOC). Matrix mismatch is a frequent source of bias.
Check accreditation scope on the CoA: Confirm which ISO standards cover the product lot (ISO 17034 for RM production, ISO 17025 for testing, ISO 17043 for PT schemes). This matters for regulatory audits.
Plan frequency: Subscribe to PT rounds that align with your accreditation cycle (monthly for high-risk parameters, quarterly for routine panels).
Assess uncertainty and homogeneity data: Use the CoA uncertainty (typically expanded, k=2) in your lab’s measurement uncertainty budget.
Why buy ERA-certified materials through GBJ in Australia?
Sourcing ERA-certified reference materials and PT schemes via GBJ brings practical advantages for Australian labs: local stock and logistics reduce lead time; a local technical contact helps interpret CoAs and select matrix-matched CRMs; and combined procurement with other QA consumables simplifies audit documentation. GBJ’s partnership means Australian teams can access ERA’s accredited portfolio without lengthy import hurdles.
Real-world impact — two short examples
A municipal lab that implemented ERA TOC CRMs and participating PT rounds reduced instrument drift-related corrective actions by detecting bias early in quarterly PT reports (trend analysis helped them adjust method blanks and reagent prep).
An industrial water laboratory adopting ERA trace-metal CRMs for ICP calibration tightened its measurement uncertainty by incorporating the CRM’s lot-specific uncertainty into its validation files — improving confidence at regulatory reporting limits.
Final thoughts
For Australian labs handling environmental and process water testing, ERA certified reference materials and proficiency testing are proven ways to strengthen data defensibility, reduce audit risk and optimise method performance. Whether you are validating a TOC system, verifying turbidity/ conductivity, or confirming ultra-trace metal results by ICP, selecting accredited CRMs and participating in ERA PT programmes should be core elements of your QA strategy.
Interested in a tailored plan? GBJ can review your test menu, map ERA PT schedules and recommend the ERA certified materials that best reduce uncertainty and align with Australian accreditation needs. Contact our technical team for lot-specific CoA reviews and procurement support.
For Further Enquiry Contact: sales@gbjpl.com.au