CSU Water Quality Interpretation Tool

Welcome to the Colorado State University water quality interpretation tool. This tool has been created specifically to help you evaluate the quality of your water for drinking, irrigation or livestock use. To use the tool, simply enter the values that have been provided to you by a certified laboratory in the spaces below. If you do not have a value for a particular parameter, leave the space blank. At the bottom of the form, click on the intended use of the water to obtain the appropriate interpretation. Then click the submit button to obtain a table with an interpretation of the quality of your water. If you need to start over, or wish to enter data for a new water sample, click the reset form button to clear the information you have entered. Please note that some of the water quality standards used in these interpretations are specific to Colorado.

Routine Water Analysis
Alkalinity as CaCO3
Ammonium (NH4)
Bicarbonate
Boron (B)
Calcium (Ca)
Carbonate (CO3)
Chloride (Cl)
Electrical Conductivity (EC)
Hardness
Magnesium (Mg)
Nitrate (NO3-N)
Nitrite (NO2-N)
Nitrate + Nitrite (Total)
pH
Potassium (K)
SAR
Sodium (Na)
Sulfate (SO4)
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

Bacterium
Total Coliforms
Fecal Coliforms
E. Coli bacteria

Individual Metals Analysis
Aluminum (Al)
Barium (Ba)
Cadmium (Cd)
Chromium (Cr)
Copper (Cu)
Iron (Fe)
Manganese (Mn)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Nickel (Ni)
Phosphorus (P)
Zinc (Zn)
Trace Elements Analysis
Antimony (Sb)
Arsenic (As)
Beryllium (Be)
Cobalt (Co)
Cyanide (CN) (free)
Fluoride (F)
Lead (Pb)
Lithium (Li)
Mercury (Hg)
Radon (Rn)
Selenium (Se)
Silver (Ag)
Thallium (Tl)
Vanadium (V)

Other Parameters
Asbestos
Chlorophenol
Foaming Agents
Phenol

Organic Contaminants
2,4 D
2,4,5 TP
alachlor
aldicarb
atrazine
carbofuran
chlordane
methoxychlor

Volatile Contaminants
benzene
o-dichlorobenzene
p-dichlorobenzene
ethylbenzene
monochlorobenzene
styrene
toluene
trichloroethane
xylenes (total)
Please select the type of water application you would like to evaluate.
Drinking Water Irrigation Water Livestock Water

To select an appropriate analytical lab for water testing, please go to Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet (0.520) Selecting an Analytical Laboratory.

 
References:
 
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Water Quality Control Division's Primary Drinking Water Regulations.
 
Environmental Protection Agency, Ground Water and Drinking Water; List of Drinking Water Contaminants and MCLs. August, 2003.
 
Colorado State University Extension. Fact sheets: 4.908, 0.506, 0.517, 9.307, 0.513.
 
Montana State University, Dept. of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences; Water Quality and Irrigation Management Interactive Drinking Water Analysis. September 2003.
 
Irrigation Water Quality Standard and Salinity Management Strategies, 1995. Texas Agricultural Extension: Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas.
 
CSU Extension Water Quality Programs Home Page

This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.