Purified Water Laboratory Operations Review 35
CLSI C3-A4, 2006
TYPE USE
Clinical laboratory reagent grade (CLRW)
Special reagent water (SRW)
Instrument feed water
Water supplied by a method manufacturer
Autoclave & wash water
Commercially bottled, purified water
Meets CLSI specifications for ionic, microbiological, & organic impurities, particulate &
colloid content. Pure enough for most routine testing. Replaces previously designated
type I and type II water. No single purification method can produce water of this quality.
Purification systems use various combinations of distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis,
& filtration. Lab must test at regular intervals for resistivity (the ↑the resistivity, the ↓
the ion concentration), microbial content, & total organic carbon (TOC).For applications that require water of different purity than CLRW, e.g., DNA/RNA analysis,
trace metals. Must meet specifications of assay.Used in automated analyzers for rinsing, dilutions, water baths. Specifications set by
manufacturer.Water provided by manufacturer for use in particular test system. Not for use in other
applications.Feed water for autoclaves & dishwashers. Impurities that could contaminate washed
labware or solutions in autoclave are removed. Replacement for previously designated
type III water.Must meet specifications for intended use & be packaged to protect from degradation &
contamination.