Evaluation

Welcome to our Water Quality Interpretation Tool. This resource has been created to help you evaluate your drinking, livestock and irrigation water quality test results. The tool was developed by water experts at Colorado State University with input from colleagues at land-grant universities in the western U.S. To use this tool, simply follow the instructions provided below.

Please visit our Contact Us page to reach the team member in your state who will be able to assist you with any questions you may have.

Adobe Reader is required to view PDF files. To download free Adobe Reader software click here.

To use the tool, simply follow these steps:

  1. Select the state where you collected your water samples:
  2. Select your water application type:
  3. Enter the values that have been provided to you by a laboratory in the spaces pertaining to your analyses results. If you do not have a value for a particular parameter, leave the space blank.
  4. Click the submit button below to obtain a table with an interpretation of the quality of your water.
  5. If you need to start over, or wish to enter data for a different type of water, click the reset button below.
Routine Water Analysis
Adjusted SAR
Alkalinity as CaCO3
Ammonium (NH4)
Bicarbonate
Boron (B)
Calcium (Ca)
Carbonate (CO3)
Chloride (Cl-)
Electrical Conductivity (EC)
Hardness as CaCO3
Magnesium (Mg)
Nitrate as Nitrogen (NO3-N)
Nitrate (NO3)
Nitrite as Nitrogen (NO2-N)
Nitrite (NO2)
NO3-N + NO2-N (Total)
pH
Potassium (K)
Residual Sodium Carbonates
Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR)
Sodium (Na)
Sulfate (SO4)
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
Turbidity

Bacterium
Cryptosporidum
OR
E. Coli bacteria
OR
Fecal Coliforms
OR
Giardia lamblia
OR
Total Coliforms
OR

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)

Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts
Bromate
Chlorite (ClO2-)

Trace Elements Analysis
Antimony (Sb)
Arsenic (As)
Beryllium (Be)
Cobalt (Co)
Cyanide (CN) (free)
Fluoride (F)
Lead (Pb)
Lithium (Li)
Mercury (Hg)
Selenium (Se)
Silver (Ag)
Thallium (Tl)
Vanadium (V)

Radionuclides
Beta photon emitters
Gross Alpha Emitters
Radium 226/228
Radon (Rn)
Uranium (U)

Other Parameters
Asbestos
Foaming Agents

Volatile Contaminants
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Benzene
Ethylbenzene
o-dichlorobenzene
p-dichlorobenzene
Styrene
Toluene
Xylenes (total)

Organic Contaminants
1,2,4-trichlorobenzene
2,4,5 TP
2,4 D
Alachlor
Aldicarb
Atrazine
Benzo(a)pyrene
Carbofuran
Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)
Chlordane (C10H6Cl8)
Chlorobenzene (C6H5Cl)
Dalapon
DBCP
Glyphosate
Methoxychlor
Picloram
Simazine
Vinyl Chloride