This article explains how to complete Determine Test Type as step 2 in the ClearStream workflow, what the outcome means, and what to do if you made a mistake.

01/ Introduction

With the relaunched version of the ZDHC Gateway, you must complete a facility profile, a new step that determines if and what needs testing.

The Determine Test Type step, second in the ClearStream workflow, requires your facility details—industry, type, discharge, and volume—so the platform can determine whether testing is needed and what to test. This step is linked directly to the live ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines. The outcome is calculated in real time based on the selected guidelines version.

Your submission and all profile histories are saved. You can return at any time without losing data.

02/ Before you begin

Complete this step only when you have accurate information about your facility. You will need to know:

• Your industry type (Textile, Leather, Footwear, or Fibres).
• Your facility type — available options depend on the industry type you select.
• If your industry type is Fibres, your specific fibre type (selected in an additional dropdown).
• Your discharge type (direct discharge, indirect discharge, or zero-liquid discharge).
• Your pre-treatment setup, including whether treatment is applied and whether sludge is produced.
• Your daily wastewater volume (more or less than 15 m³ per day).

Note: Only complete this step with accurate information, as your answers determine required testing. Incorrect information may result in incorrect tests or fees. If unsure, check with your lab or a ZDHC-recognised expert before submitting.

03/ Steps

1. In the ClearStream module, open the Determine Test Type step.
2. Select the guidelines version. This is currently a selectable option and may be pre-selected in a future update.
3. Select your industry type from the dropdown: Textile, Leather, Footwear, or Fibres.
4. Select your facility type. The available options update based on the industry type you selected.
5. If your industry type is Fibres, select your fibre type from the additional dropdown that appears.
6. Select your discharge type: Direct discharge, Indirect discharge, or Zero-liquid discharge.
7. Select your pre-treatment setup: indicate whether treatment is applied and whether it produces sludge.
8. Select your daily wastewater volume: Less than 15 m³/day or More than 15 m³/day.
9. If your facility produces sludge, select the sludge disposal pathway from the dropdown.
10. Click Submit and confirm that you want to proceed.
11. Wait for the platform to calculate the outcome. This may take a moment, as the result is retrieved from the live digital guidelines.
12. Review the outcome shown in the confirmation modal.

04/ Understanding the outcome

Testing is not required

Your facility profile is outside the scope of the current ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines. You do not need to complete ClearStream wastewater testing. It is not possible to proceed to laboratory selection.

Note: If you receive this outcome but believe testing should apply to your facility, review your profile carefully and verify your answers with a laboratory or ZDHC-recognised expert before resubmitting.

Testing is required

Your facility must complete wastewater testing. You will see displayed the required discharge points, parameter categories, and parameters based on your profile. Click View required tests to review details. This information will also be sent to your chosen laboratory.

05/ Getting help with your facility profile

If you are not sure how to answer the profile questions — for example, if you are unsure which discharge type applies to your facility — the following resources can help:

• Find Your Expert — available on the ZDHC Gateway, this tool lists ZDHC-recognised laboratories and consultants who can assess your facility and advise on your discharge type, scope, and applicable parameters. Use this before completing the profile if you are uncertain.
• ZDHC Roadmap to Zero — the Roadmap to Zero programme documentation provides definitions of facility and discharge types, and explains when testing is required under the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines. If you are unsure whether your facility is in scope, this is the authoritative reference.
• Your wastewater laboratory — if you already have a laboratory in mind, contact them directly. Most ZDHC Approved laboratories can advise on scope and discharge type based on a brief facility description.

Tip: A short initial conversation with a laboratory or consultant before completing this step can prevent errors that are difficult to correct later in the cycle.

06/ If you made a mistake

If you entered incorrect information, you can restart the Determine Test Type step. Restarting clears your current submission and allows you to re-enter your facility profile from the beginning. All previous submissions are saved to the system history.

Note: If you have already selected a laboratory and submitted a testing request, you must cancel that request before restarting the test type step. Failing to follow this process can cause administrative delays. Contact your regional ZDHC team or support if you are unsure how to proceed.

07/ Tips & Notes

Tips: 

• If you are unsure about your discharge type or pre-treatment setup, check your environmental permit documentation or speak with your facility's environmental manager before completing this step. Incorrect entries are among the most common sources of error in the ClearStream process.
• Your submission saves automatically. You can return to this step any time without losing progress.

Note: In a future update, this step will be pre-filled with verified information from your Supplier Profile, reducing the risk of errors. Until then, you are responsible for entering the correct information manually.