Water sampler

{{Short description|Device for field collection of water samples}}

File:WQ sampling station USGS 2004.jpg]]

A water sampler is a device for field collection of one or more samples of water for testing. There are many different designs of water samplers. Selection or a particular sampler type depends on the type of analysis to be performed (e.g. ambient water quality or wastewater), the type of water source (e.g. a lake or pond, small stream or large river, coastal waters or deep ocean) and other factors such as ambient environmental conditions (e.g. collection of stormwater during a rain event vs. ambient water sampling during dry weather). Some sampler devices are designed for manual collection (a grab sample). Composite samplers can be configured to collect multiple samples over a specified time period or flow regime.{{cite report |chapter=Chapter A2. Selection of Equipment for Water Sampling |chapter-url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/twri/twri9a2/Chapter2_V2.pdf |title=National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data |date=March 2003 |series=Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, Book 9 |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |location=Reston, VA}}{{cite report |chapter=Chapter 5. Sampling Equipment |title=Field Sampling Procedures Manual |chapter-url=https://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/guidance/fspm/pdf/chapter05_all.pdf |date=August 2005 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection |location=Trenton, NJ |pages=29–48}}