Water quality

Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, biological, and

radiological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the
condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more
biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most
frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which
compliance can be assessed. The most common standards used
to assess water quality relate to health of ecosystems, safety of
human contact and drinking water.
Human Water Consumption
Our bodies are about 60 percent water [source: Mayo Clinic].
Water regulates our body temperature, moves nutrients through
our cells, keeps our mucous membranes moist and flushes waste
from our bodies. Our lungs are 90 percent water, our brains are
70 percent water and our blood is more than 80 percent water.
Simply put, we can't function without it. Most people sweat out
about two cups of water per day (0.5 liters). Each day, we also
lose a little more than a cup of water (237 ml) when we exhale it,
and we eliminate about six cups (1.4 l) of it. We also
loseelectrolytes -- minerals like sodium and potassium that
regulate the body's fluids. So how do we replace it?
We can get about 20 percent of the water we need through the
food we eat. Some foods, like watermelon, are nearly 100 percent
water. Although the amount of water that we need each day
varies, it's usually about eight cups (2 l). But instead of worrying
about getting in those eight cups, you should just drink when you
start to feel thirsty. You can get your water by drinking other
beverages -- but some beverages, like alcohol, can make you
more dehydrated.
If your urine is dark yellow, you might not be drinking enough
water. Of course, you need more water when you're exercising; ill

with diarrhea, vomiting or fever; or in a hot environment for a

long time. Most people can survive only a few days without water,
although it depends on a number of factors, including their health
and environment. Some have gone as long as two weeks.
Followers of a Buddhist boy meditating in Nepal claim that he has
gone two years without food or water, but doctors have not been
able to substantiate this [source: All Headline News].
When you don't get enough water, or lose too much water, you
become dehydrated. Signs of mild dehydration include dry mouth,
excessive thirst, dizziness, lightheadedness and weakness. If
people don't get fluids at this point, they can experience severe
dehydration, which can cause convulsions, rapid breathing, a
weak pulse, loose skin and sunken eyes. Ultimately, dehydration
can lead to heart failure and death.
Dehydration caused by diarrhea is a major cause of death in
undeveloped countries. Nearly 2 million people, mostly children,
die from it each year [source: WHO]. Consuming water polluted
with biological contaminants and not having access to adequate
sanitary facilities can lead to diseases like malaria and cholera
and parasites like cryptosporidiosis and schistosomiasis. Water
can be also be contaminated with chemicals, pesticides and other
naturally occurring substances.
Water Quality Standards for Surface Waters
Highlights
Water Quality Standards protect uses of water bodies including
streams and wetlands. Find out more about these types of waters
here!
Streams
Wetlands

Water Quality Standards are the foundation of the water qualitybased pollution control program mandated by the Clean Water
Act. Water Quality Standards define the goals for a waterbody
by designating its uses, setting criteria to protect those uses, and
establishing provisions such as antidegradation policies to protect
waterbodies from pollutants.
Drinking Water Standards are found elsewhere on our website.
Where You Live
Regional and state specific information.
Basic Information
The importance of Water Quality Standards and how they fit into
overall water quality protection. Fact sheet (PDF) (2 pp,
204K, About PDF)
Water Quality Standards Regulations and Federally Promulgated
Standards
Listing of federal water quality standards rules, Clean Water Act
determinations and Paperwork Reduction Act information
collection requests.
Policy & Guidance: Water Quality Standards Handbook
The Water Quality Standards Handbook is the central repository
for policy and guidance to help states, tribes, & territories comply
with federal regulations addressing water quality standards. If you
are looking for a specific document related to water quality
standards, try our Policy and Guidance Library.
ater quality monitoring is defined here as the sampling and
analysis of water constituents and conditions. These may include:
Introduced pollutants, such as pesticides, metals, and oil
Constituents found naturally in water that can nevertheless
be affected by human sources, such as dissolved oxygen,
bacteria, and nutrients

The magnitude of their effects can be influenced by properties

such as pH and temperature. For example, temperature
influences the quantity of dissolved oxygen that water is able to
contain, and pH affects the toxicity of ammonia.
Volunteers, as well as state and local water quality professionals,
have been monitoring water quality conditions for many years. In
fact, until the past decade or so (when biological monitoring
protocols were developed and began to take hold), water quality
monitoring was generally considered the primary way of
identifying water pollution problems. Today, professional water
quality specialists and volunteer program coordinators alike are
moving toward approaches that combine chemical, physical, and
biological monitoring methods to achieve the best picture of
water quality conditions.
Water quality monitoring can be used for many purposes:
To identify whether waters are meeting designated uses. All
states have established specific criteria (limits on pollutants)
identifying what concentrations of chemical pollutants are
allowable in their waters. When chemical pollutants exceed
maximum or minimum allowable concentrations, waters
might no longer be able to support the beneficial uses such
as fishing, swimming, and drinking for which they have been
designated. Designated uses and the specific criteria that
protect them (along with antidegradation statements say
waters should not be allowed to deteriorate below existing or
anticipated uses) together form water quality standards.
State water quality professionals assess water quality by
comparing the concentrations of chemical pollutants found
in streams to the criteria in the state's standards, and so
judge whether streams are meeting their designated uses.
Water quality monitoring, however, might be inadequate for
determining whether aquatic life uses are being met in a
stream. While some constituents (such as dissolved oxygen

and temperature) are important to maintaining healthy fish

and aquatic insect populations, other factors, such as the
physical structure of the stream and the condition of the
habitat, play an equal or greater role. Biological monitoring
methods (see Chapter 4) are generally better suited to
determining whether aquatic life is supported.
To identify specific pollutants and sources of pollution. Water
quality monitoring helps link sources of pollution to a stream
quality problem because it identifies specific problem
pollutants. Since certain activities tend to generate certain
pollutants (e.g., bacteria and nutrients are more likely to
come from an animal feedlot than an automotive repair
shop), a tentative link might be made that would warrant
further investigation or monitoring.
To determine trends. Chemical constituents that are properly
monitored (i.e., consistent time of day and on a regular
basis, using consistent methods) can be analyzed for trends
over time.
To screen for impairment. Finding excessive levels of one or
more chemical constituents can serve as an early warning
"screen" of potential pollution problems.
Designing a water quality monitoring program
The first step in designing a water quality monitoring program is
to determine the purpose of the monitoring. This will help you
select which parameters to monitor. The program steering
committee should make this decision based on factors such as:
Types of water quality problems and pollution sources that
will likely be encountered (Table 5.1)
Cost of available monitoring equipment

 Precision and accuracy of available monitoring equipment

Capabilities of the volunteers

Chemical analysis
The simplest methods of chemical analysis are those
measuring chemical elements without respect to their form.
Elemental analysis for oxygen, as an example, would
indicate a concentration of 890,000 milligrams per litre
(mg/L) of water sample because water is made of oxygen.
The method selected to measure dissolved oxygen should
differentiate between diatomicoxygen and oxygen combined
with other elements. The comparative simplicity of
elemental analysis has produced a large amount of sample
data and water quality criteria for elements sometimes
identified as heavy metals. Water analysis for heavy metals
must consider soil particles suspended in the water sample.
These suspended soil particles may contain measurable
amounts of metal. Although the particles are not dissolved in
the water, they may be consumed by people drinking the
water. Adding acid to a water sample to prevent loss of
dissolved metals onto the sample container may dissolve
more metals from suspended soil particles. Filtration of soil
particles from the water sample before acid addition,
however, may cause loss of dissolved metals onto the filter.
[14]
The complexities of differentiating similar organic
molecules are even more challenging.
Making these complex measurements can be expensive.
Because direct measurements of water quality can be
expensive, ongoing monitoring programs are typically
conducted by government agencies. However, there are
local volunteer programs and resources available for some

general assessment. Tools available to the general public

include on-site test kits, commonly used for home fish tanks,
and biological assessment procedures.

Technological Institute of the Philippines

363 P. Casals t. Quiapo Manila

WATER QUALITY
Assignment in

Environmental Engineering

Submitted by :
Joseph Hanzal Bulanadi