Reported by:

Escosio, Aaron Christian O.

Indicators
Includes turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen,

temperature, nitrates, and bio-indicators

Turbidity

This is a river with high

turbidity

Levels: Turbidity
Ideal level: 1 NTU (Nephelometric unit)
High level: 5 NTU

Causes: Increased in
Turbidity
1. Increased levels of sediment from erosion
2. Re-suspended sediments from the bottom
(stirred by bottom dweller fish)
3. Waste discharge
4. Algae growth
5. Urban runof

Results: Turbidity

pH (French: puissance
d'Hydrogne)
07 is acidic
7 is neutral
7 14 is basic

Levels: pH
Surface Freshwater: 6.0 9.0
Swamps: as low as 4.3
Salt Water: 8.1 but as low as 7.7

Causes: pH
Causes of changes of pH:
Natural conditions,
dumping of waste (such as:
batteries),
farm runof (such as: fertilizers)

Results: pH
Results of changes of pH:
A change in pH by 2 units results in a water
system having 100 times a diference in acidity
Most aquatic life cannot withstand water
outside the optimum pH thus resulting in death

Definition: Dissolved
Oxygen

Levels: Dissolved Oxygen

Causes: Dissolved
Oxygen
Causes of changes in amount of dissolved
oxygen: turbulent actions (waves), water
depth, and plant growth and increase in
population

Results: Dissolved
Oxygen
Results of changes in dissolved oxygen:
When DO drops too low, fish die
When DO is high, the water actually tastes

better but can corrode water pipes

Definition: Temperature

Levels: Temperature
Low: cannot be tolerated below 32 degrees F
High: only rough fish can tolerate

temperatures above 97 degrees F or 36

degrees C

Causes: Temperature

Causes of change in temperature: source of

water, time of year, depth of water, and shade

from shoreline vegetation

Results: Temperature
Results of changes in temperature: extreme

changes in temperature can result to death of

aquatic organisms

Definition: Nitrates
Nitrates: compound that contains the nitrogen

based polyatomic ion commonly found in

fertilizers

Levels: Nitrates
Drinking Water Max: 10 mg/L
Fish: Below 90 mg/L seems to have no efect

on aquatic life

Causes: Nitrates
Causes of increase of nitrates:
Fertilizer runof (both farm
and home), manure pits, leaks
in septic systems & animal
waste

Results: Nitrates
Results of presence of nitrates:
Nitrates can increase the plant production
that may result to Eutrophication or Anoxia

Definition: Bio-indicators

Levels: Bio-indicators
High level of variety: healthy
Small level of variety: poor

Causes: Bio-indicators
Causes of changes in
bio-indicators:
Pollution

Results: Bio-indicators
Results of few varieties of bio-indicators

present: the lack of a large number of

diferent varieties of bio-indicators is
indicative of pollution

Common Water
Pollutants
Acid Rain
Bacteria in Water (coliform & escherichia coli)
Nitrogen & Phosphorus (manure, sewage,

fertilizer & industrial effluent)

Pesticides
Runof
Sewage overflows or leakage

Efects:
Poisonous drinking water
Poisonous food animals
Unbalanced water ecosystem if extreme, it

may result to death of the water body

Standard for Drinking

Water
Primary standards:
They protect you from three classes of
harmful pollutants:
1.Pathogens
2.Radioactive Elements
3.Toxic Chemicals

Standard for Drinking

Water
Secondary standards:
Regulate contaminants that cause:
1.Ofensive taste
2.Odor
3.Color
4.Corrosion
5.Foaming

Surface Water Standard

Water quality standards consist of the following:
1. Designated Uses of the water body
2. Criteria to protect designated uses
3. Antidegradation Requirements to protect
existing uses and high quality waters
4. General Policies to address implementation
issues.