A dilute drug test result happens when a urine sample appears heavily diluted. Drinking copious water was once considered a way to falsely pass a drug test, but the Department of Transportation and other organizations have cracked down on how they view those test results. Let’s take a look at what happens after a dilute drug test.

What Is a Dilute Drug Test?

Dilute urine samples account for approximately 2,600 DOT drug tests every year. Dilute drug tests are not automatically considered pass or fail. Instead, they require additional scrutiny that may affect the end results.

If you’re planning to over-hydrate in the hopes of passing a drug test, don’t. The Medical Review Officer (MRO) will know that the urine is diluted, and you can run the risk of suspension or termination. As always, the best way to pass a DOT drug test is to not consume prohibited substances.

How Drug Testers Detect Diluted Urine Samples

Some dilute urine are visibly lighter than they should be. Having relatively clear urine is a sign of good hydration, but the urine shouldn’t look like water. Even if you’re not trying to over-hydrate to pass a drug test, having crystal clear urine may be a sign that you’re drinking too much water during the day. This is flushing nutrients out of your system too quickly or too frequently. Find a healthy balance that keeps you hydrated without draining your body of key nutrients.

Aside from a visual inspection, there are validity checks to determine if urine is diluted. Urine has a certain specific gravity, which dictates how concentrated it is. If the sample falls outside of the normal concentration range, it’s marked as diluted.

Testers also evaluate the creatinine levels in urine. Creatinine comes from the breakdown of creatine in the body. Kidneys flush out creatinine through urine, so if the creatinine levels are significantly lower than they should be, the sample is considered diluted.

What Happens If a DOT Drug Test Comes Back ‘Dilute’?

The Department of Transportation has special protocol for dilute urine tests:

  • If the urine sample is diluted and shows positive for a prohibited substance, the result is considered a positive drug test (failed drug test).
  • If the urine sample is dilute and negative for prohibited substances, the MRO may receive instructions for recollection under direct observation (retest). The employee must immediately return for recollection. If the employee declines, the test is marked as a refusal.
  • If the MRO does not have instructions for recollection, they can accept the negative drug test or request recollection under direct observation (pass or retest).

In other words, a positive test result is an automatic failure, even if the sample is diluted. A negative test result may require immediate retest, or it may be considered a pass.

What to Do after a Failed DOT Drug Test

If you fail or refuse a DOT drug test, you’ll need to complete a SAP program. A DOT-qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) will create a personalized set of tasks for you to complete in order to regain employment. After those tasks, you’ll be retested and released for work, if you pass.

American Substance Abuse Professionals has thousands of SAPs throughout the USA. We’d be happy to help you through the return to duty process and provide access to a DOT qualified SAP near you.