You cannot fix water quality or improve equipment performance without knowing exactly what is in your water supply. Here is how to interpret your comprehensive laboratory report.
While people often use the word “salinity” to describe troubled bore or dam water, that only scratches the surface. To truly solve a water problem, we must analyze the pH, dissolved gases, and the major base ions: Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, and Chlorides.
Aquarius Specialized 59-Test Analysis
Because standard laboratory reports vary significantly in quality, Aquarius Drilling established our own specialized testing service. We provide a fast, comprehensive 59-test laboratory analysis. If your sample arrives by Wednesday, you receive your results and treatment roadmap by the weekend or following Monday.
1. Core Water Indicators (Vitality & Balance)
These key parameters reveal the vitality and basic chemical balance of your water supply:
pH (Acidity vs. Alkalinity)
Indicates if water is corrosive (acidic, <7.0) or scale-forming (alkaline, >7.0). Ideal drinking range is 6.5 – 8.5.
Electrical Conductivity (EC)
The most accurate and reliable scientific method for measuring dissolved ionic salinity in water.
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)
Calculation of total minerals (EC × 0.567). Hard water begins around 200ppm; brackish hits ~1,400ppm TDS.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Measures natural vitality. 5 ppm is the minimum benchmark for healthy water; 10 ppm is excellent.
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
A dissolved gas that pulls down pH and causes pipe corrosion. High levels indicate hidden subsurface issues.
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
Measures oxygen stress exerted on the water by decomposing biological and non-biological matter.
2. Important Calculated Indices
Raw numbers don’t tell the whole story. We calculate specific behavioral indexes to predict how your water will interact with pipes, soils, and pumps:
| Calculation | What It Measures | Real-World Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Total Hardness | Calcium (CaCO₃) + Magnesium (MgCO₃) | Calcium causes white crusty scale; Magnesium creates green staining on brass and copper fittings. |
| Total Alkalinity | Carbonates, bicarbonates, and hydroxides | Determines the water’s buffering capacity to resist acid changes. |
| Saturation Index | Formula using pH, temp, & alkalinity | Predicts whether water will aggressively dissolve metals or deposit thick scale inside pipes. |
| Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR) | Ratio of Sodium to Calcium and Magnesium | The true indicator for irrigation salinity. Ratios should remain ≤ 5.00 to avoid soil ruin. |
3. The Ion Balance: Cations vs. Anions
Water chemistry relies on the balance of positively charged Cations and negatively charged Anions. These ions rarely remain separate—they bond into compounds:
- Cations (+): Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium (plus Ammonium and Hydrogen).
- Anions (-): Chlorides, Sulphates, Bicarbonates, Phosphates, Nitrates, and Silica.
When Calcium and Magnesium combine with Chlorides and Sodium, you have the foundation of Salinity. Furthermore:
- Nitrates: Ingesting high nitrates harms kidney and liver function and can cause dehydration, posing extreme danger to infants and elderly livestock.
- Sulphates & Rotten Egg Gas (H₂S): When water loses oxygen through bacterial decomposition, sulphates reduce to sulphides, combining with hydrogen into foul-smelling, corrosive Hydrogen Sulphide.
- Silica: An extremely hard mineral that forms glass-like scale that acid cannot easily dissolve.
4. Trace Elements & Red Bacterial Slime
Even small concentrations dictate whether water is usable:
- Iron (Fe) & Manganese (Mn): Levels above 3 ppm pull pH down and act as a feast for iron bacteria. They generate thick reddish slime that chokes bore pumps, valves, and irrigation drippers.
- Copper (Cu): Aggressive, low-pH water leaches copper from house plumbing, leaving blue/green stains on fixtures and a bitter metallic taste.
How Aquarius Delivers Your Results
Our color-coded certificate places your test results directly alongside WHO Drinking Water Standards and irrigation tolerances. Below the laboratory data, we provide a plain-English explanation of your water’s condition with a clear, step-by-step treatment roadmap.
Get Your Water Tested Professionally
Send your bore, dam, or tank water sample for our 59-test comprehensive analysis. Clear results with custom treatment recommendations.