CPIE
Measuring Water Quality

AECOS, Inc. has been involved in making water quality measurements (drinking water, ground water, and all kinds of surface waters) for over 25 years. We understand what the numbers we generate mean, but many who want to use our data, do not. Too often, a public perception of "water quality" is that of a simple property that tells whether water is polluted or not. In fact, water quality is a complex subject, in part because water is a complex medium, intrinsically tied to the ecology of the planet.

Interest by individuals and volunteer groups in making water quality observations is high, and an understanding of the basic chemistry of many water quality parameters is an essential first step to making good measurements. We hope to discuss in these pages how certain properties of natural waters are measured and why these properties might be important to us and the inhabitants of aquatic environments. Our emphasis will be on making and understanding water quality measurements in Hawai'i and other tropical/subtropical areas. The discussions are aimed at providing information to a broad range of educational backgrounds. Help us develop the site by providing suggestions for improvements.






Glossaries

A number of glossaries can be found on the Web. If you encounter words you do not understand on our pages, try one these sites specializing in water resource terms which should provide a definition and/or more information.

Information Sites on the Web

Community Water Quality Monitoring Projects on the Web

Government Water Quality Monitoring Programs on the Web

Links: [CPIE Home] | [WQ References] | [HAWAI'I AQUATIC BIOTA]
[AECOS Company Information]
Last modified April 25, 2000 by webmasters (guinther@aecos.com).