Arizona Guide to Water Quality and Uses

Adult human beings may drink up to two liters/day (approx. two quarts/day) of fresh water to stay alive. However, we can consume up to two quarts/hour of water, depending on the level of activity, ambient temperature, and humidity conditions (Born 2013). We also need fresh water to cook with and to clean ourselves. About 40% of our food production depends on irrigation (UN Water 2013) using water with low salinity and other contaminants. Climate scientists project increasing temperatures and possibly less rainfall in the Southwest now and into the near future, see Extension Publication #AZ1458 (Artiola et al. 2008). Thus, climate change is likely to stress the limited water resources of Arizona and affect water quality by concentrating contaminants and stressing water-dependent environments. This publication presents brief summaries of the types of water sources, their water quality, and possible uses in Arizona. Since the types and amounts of constituents found in water, whether nutrients, pathogens, contaminants or pollutants, help determine its possible uses, it is necessary to measure water quality to determine treatment options for a given use. To assist in this task, we present a triangle-shaped diagram (Figure 8) which divides water quality into three major groups: Pathogens, Salinity, and Specific Contaminants, placing major water sources in relation to the three groups. Home and well owners can use this diagram as a general aid to evaluate various sources of water, determine their likely water quality, and identify appropriate uses for them.