What should an ESAM Plan describe (choose the most complete option)?

• A. Parameters measured
• B. Sampling locations and frequency
• C. Methods, equipment, and QA/QC procedures
• D. Parameters measured, sampling locations, sampling frequency, methods, equipment, and QA/QC procedures

Answer: (D)

An ESAM Plan should lay out every element that determines how surveillance data are collected, analyzed, and judged trustworthy. The most complete description includes what you measure (the parameters), where you collect samples (sampling locations), how often you collect them (sampling frequency), the analytical approach you use (methods) and the equipment involved, and the QA/QC procedures that verify data quality. Each piece matters: parameters tell you what contaminants or indicators to track, locations and frequency ensure you have representative, comparable data over time, methods and equipment guarantee consistent analysis, and QA/QC procedures provide the checks needed to trust the results (calibrations, blanks, duplicates, recovery checks, and documented procedures). Together, these components produce a defensible, implementable plan for monitoring drinking water surveillance.