At a glance
- What it is certified to test
- 0 of the 9 common well tests on the TX list (see which)
- Price
- no per-test price printed on the lab’s website when we read it (14 Nov 2026): ask for a quote
- Turnaround
- not stated on the state list or the lab’s website: ask when you order
- Homeowner samples
- not stated: ask the lab
Lab facts
- Listed by
- Texas (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) - Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP))
- Address
- 5950 Fairbanks North Houston Road, Houston, TX 77040-5102 · Open in Google Maps
- Phone
- (866) 318-3920
- Website
- www.emsl.comNot on the state list: found and checked by us, 14 Nov 2026
- Public / homeowner samples
- Public samples: ask the labNot stated in the list.
Certification record
- Certificate ID
- TX Lab ID T104704379
- Issued by
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) - Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) (certification program)
- Expiry on the list
- 12/31/2026 · expires in 46 days
- List version
- TCEQ Laboratory Approval Status - List of Accredited Laboratories (public database, Matrix: Drinking Water), version Live database, searched 2026-11-15 ("accurate as of the date and time of the search")
- We fetched it
- 15 Nov 2026 (file SHA-256 d09853d6717d…) · open the state file
Tests on the state list
| Contaminant | On this state list |
|---|---|
| Coliform / E. coli | Not named on this list |
| Nitrate | Not named on this list |
| Arsenic | Not named on this list |
| Lead | Not named on this list |
| PFAS | Not named on this list |
| Uranium | Not named on this list |
| Radon (water) | Not named on this list |
| Manganese | Not named on this list |
| VOCs | Not named on this list |
| Asbestos | Named on the official list |
Groups as written on the state list (1)
- Asbestos
- Named on the official list The state list names this analyte (or a column for it) for this lab.
- Group-level certification Certified for a parent group (e.g. 'Inorganics') that includes this analyte. Confirm the specific test with the lab.
- Partial group certification The list marks the group as 'Partial'. Confirm this analyte with the lab.
- Subcontracted The lab sends this analyte to another accredited lab (MDH 'X*').
TCEQ lists 1 drinking-water analyte this lab is accredited for. TCEQ database: lab type Commercial; 'Commercial?' Yes; 'Is Primary?' Yes.
Nearest labs that take homeowner samples
2 other certified labs that take homeowner samples are within 25 miles of this lab. Distances are straight-line from the address on the state list (approx. = ZIP-code centre). “Takes homeowner samples” comes from a state list column or the lab’s own website, as named.
| Lab and tests named on its list | Town | Distance | Tests in common with this lab | Price printed | Turnaround printed | Homeowner samples: source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Houston Health Department, Bureau of Laboratory Services Coliform / E. coli, Lead | Houston, TX | 13 mi | 0 | – | The analysis takes 24 hours to comple... | lab’s own website, read 15 Nov 2026 |
| ALS Group USA, Corp not broken down on its list | Houston, TX | 14 mi | 0 | – | – | Washington list |
| SPL, Inc.-Conroe Coliform / E. coli, Nitrate, Arsenic, Lead | Conroe, TX | 25 mi | 0 | – | – | lab’s own website, read 14 Nov 2026 |
| Angelina and Neches River Authority Environmental Laboratory Coliform / E. coli | Lufkin, TX | 114 mi | 0 | – | – | lab’s own website, read 14 Nov 2026 |
| Lower Colorado River Authority - Environmental Laboratory Services Coliform / E. coli, Nitrate, Arsenic, Lead, PFAS | Austin, TX | 133 mi | 0 | from $46 | Normal Turnaround (7-14 Business Days) | lab’s own website, read 14 Nov 2026 |
Price and turnaround as printed on each lab’s own website and checked by a second reader; – = not published or not read yet.
Around this lab: Harris County, TX
- Private wells: about 45,985 people, 1% of Harris County’s 4,538,028 residents (USGS, 2015); rank 4 of 254 counties in Texas by people on wells.
- EPA radon zone (indoor air): Zone 3: low potential (average indoor radon may be less than 2 pCi/L). EPA says the zone map should not decide whether one home needs testing.
- Arsenic above 10 µg/L (USGS model): about 6,396 private-well users (95% range 4,381 to 9,270; 2010 base), rank 3 of 254 in the state. A screening estimate, not a measurement of any well.
- Older homes (Census ACS 2020–2024): 37% of 1,917,790 housing units were built before 1980, above the state share of 33%. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead solder or fittings, so test tap water for lead there.
- PFAS in public water nearby (public supply, not your well): 271 public systems serving this county reported EPA UCMR 5 results; 18 had a PFOA or PFOS sample at or above 4.0 ng/L.
County figures describe where the lab is, not the lab. Sources: USGS 2015 water use and 2017 arsenic estimates, EPA radon zones, Census ACS table B25034 (2020–2024), EPA UCMR 5 (2023–2026); details and links on the sources page.
Before you send a sample
Call the lab to confirm it's currently certified for the exact test and method, that it accepts samples from homeowners, and how to collect and ship them. Bacteria samples have short holding times. Status can change between list updates. To check a status, contact the Texas certification program.
Is this your lab?
Labs can ask for corrections through the agency that publishes their state list. Homeowner service, prices and turnaround above come only from the lab’s own website. To ask us to correct or remove this listing, write to us (how we handle listings).
TCEQ Laboratory Approval Status - List of Accredited Laboratories (public database, Matrix: Drinking Water). Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC). File SHA-256 d09853d6717d…
Open the state lab-certification page (official list)