Why is it important to monitor the quality of freshwater sources?

In Australia, we rely on freshwater sources in many aspects of our lives, including fishing, agriculture, and recreational purposes. Not only is water quality fundamental to humans, it can also affect animals and the environment around us. There are many factors that can have an impact on water quality, such as weather, pollution, and other human activities. As such, it is essential that the water quality of freshwater sources is closely monitored and the impact that humans have on the results is well understood.

What parameters are indicators of water quality?

There are several key parameters for monitoring water quality including, including conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, phosphate, acidity, alkalinity, carbon dioxide, hardness, and nitrate. Each of these parameters must be maintained within a certain range to support plant growth and the metabolic reactions in the animals that live in and drink the water. For example, most freshwater organisms thrive in a pH between 6 and 8, therefore it is important to maintain the pH within this range. Conversely, turbidity levels must be kept low in order to allow plants to grow, which provides a food source to the animals. A similar principle applies to all water quality parameters, which is why the water needs to be closely monitored, which can be done through scientific testing.

Application:

A technical consultant from Hanna Instruments visited a Laboratory Technician at a local secondary school. The school had just started running an environmental science subject for the year 10 students, however, they were unsure what practical classes they could run to give the students hands-on experience. The school was located around the corner from a local reserve that backed onto a flowing creek.