AS PART of Local Government Week, the Tweed Laboratory Centre opened its doors to the public today and allowed interested residents a sneak peek into the goings on within the council-owned facility.

In December the centre will celebrate its 25 anniversary and over this period the facility has undergone many changes.

Laboratory coordinator Paul Wright said technological innovations meant the laboratory produced more accurate test results, was faster in achieving these results and needed less labour to get things done.

The majority of the laboratory's work was done for Tweed Shire Council however, the facility was a profit centre in its own right and did about 1/3 of all its work on behalf of other councils, private companies, organisations or individuals.

"We test water samples for Byron Shire Council and do a variety of tests for developers, consultants and accommodation providers with public pools.

"It's important for clients to know what's in their water as there are numerous regulations they have to comply with," Mr Wright said.

The laboratory's bread and butter work was testing water samples for bacteria such as E. coli.

"If even the smallest level of E. coli is discovered in any of the test samples we immediately inform the NSW Department of Health as part of our duty of care.

"We look for indicators of contamination and assess the risks associated.

"The tests we do provide us with a snapshot of what people are drinking in the area," Mr Wright said.

The facility also checked water from sources such as bore water, tips and quarries.

The laboratory specialised in algae testing and received hundreds of samples from sources all along the eastern seaboard.

Out of hundreds of algae, only six were poisonous but as it involved dam water for human consumption finding out whether there were any algae was crucial.

Mr Wright said the facility turned over about $2 million annually and made a profit.

"About 10% of the profit goes to the council's sewerage fund but we have control over the other 90%.

"That means that when we need a new piece of equipment we can go out and buy it without having to ask permission first," Mr Wright said.