Water

In real life

Why is measuring water relevant in these real-life situations:

a hot summer’s day where the temperature has climbed over 40 degrees Celsius
the release of contaminated water into a wetland environment
the flow of water in a river system such as the Murray-Darling basin?

Tools for analysing water include tests for phosphate, nitrogen, turbidity, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, faecal bacteria and temperature.

Using a water testing kit

Water quality is measured using a range of materials. The measurements of each are an indication of good or poor water quality. This can indicate the cause of problems with water quality and what actions should be taken to improve it.

How to use tools for water testing (.pdf 138kB)

In the field you may like to record all your results on one water quality summary table (.doc 47kB)

Find out more

Go to the Riverina Environmental Education Centre for more information about water quality.

Quiz question

Which is better quality water, in the bottle or from the tap?