Do you know what the water quality parameters are? It is common to think that colorless, tasteless and odorless are the determining characteristics to assess whether or not this liquid is suitable for consumption. After all, that's what we learned in school, right?

Although these are important points, there are other aspects determined by the Ministry of Health that must be taken into account. Especially because there are several microorganisms, dirt and toxic products that may be contained in this resource imperceptibly to the naked eye.

Whether for supplying homes or for use in industry, ensuring the good condition of the water is extremely important to protect people, nature and also guarantee quality productions. In brewing, for example, the richness of this component is an advantage, since about 95% of the beverage consists of this input.

That's why paying attention to these parameters is so important. By evaluating them, it is possible to verify that the water treatment steps were effective. Read on and learn more!

What are the main water quality parameters?

As we have seen, knowing the water quality parameters is essential to assess whether or not the resource is suitable for human consumption. In addition, this assessment is defined by law.

All important aspects to be observed are contained in Ordinance No. 888/2021 of the Ministry of Health, which provides for the procedures for controlling and monitoring the drinking standards of this input.

In general, these are physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. See more about each of them below!

Water quality parameters — physical aspects

The main physical aspects to be evaluated when analyzing water quality are:

• temperature: temperature is a very important point to observe, as it interferes with other properties of this liquid, such as its density and viscosity. In addition, depending on the intensity of the heat, some marine life may be harmed, especially when it comes to liquid effluents that will be discharged into nature;
• color: to be considered drinkable, water must be colorless (transparent). When color is identified, it means that there are substances in solution present in it, such as iron. Waste from industrial and domestic sewage also often adds color to this resource;
• odor and taste: water must be odorless and tasteless to meet drinkability standards. When these characteristics are noticed in this resource, it means that fungi and bacteria are present, whose origin may be natural (from algae, for example) or from the sewage of homes and factories.

Water quality parameters — chemical aspects

As for the chemical parameters of water quality, the following are usually evaluated:

• pH (Hydrogen Potential): this is a numerical scale used to represent the acidity or basicity level of a solution. In the case of water, it is important that this measure be between 6 and 9 so as not to affect human and animal health;
• alkalinity: the higher the pH of this liquid, the greater its alkalinity. This property concerns the ability of water to resist acidification. When it is too high it can add flavor to the liquid, which is not ideal;
• hardness: this water quality parameter refers to the concentration of minerals present in the water, such as calcium and magnesium. The greater the amount of these elements, the harder this input is considered. According to the Ministry of Health, to supply the population, the resource should ideally meet the limit of 500 mg of calcium carbonate per liter;
• presence of chemical elements: some chemical elements, as seen in the previous point, interfere with the quality of this input and therefore need to be monitored. Some examples besides calcium are: iron, manganese, phosphorus, and nitrogen.

Water quality parameters — biological aspects

Remember that some physical characteristics that interfere with water quality (color, smell, and flavor) may appear due to the presence of algae and human and industrial waste?

The biological parameters are precisely related to the presence of these wastes in the water. The main ones are:

• coliforms: this is the name of a group of microorganisms that are present, especially in the feces of humans and animals. To be considered drinkable, water cannot contain coliforms, as this can cause a series of health problems in people. Generally, the presence of these bodies indicates that the resource had contact with sewage;
• algae: these beings play a very important role in the aquatic environment, as they are responsible for producing a good portion of oxygen. However, when in excess, they harm this input, giving flavor, odor, color and toxicity, inappropriate physical characteristics that hinder its treatment.

So, did you like to know the water quality parameters? As you can see, it is based on the evaluation of these aspects that it is possible to know whether or not the water distributed to the population or used in your industry is within the ideal consumption standards established by the legislation.

Being careful with this input is extremely necessary, as any carelessness can cause great harm to people and the environment. For this reason, it is also important to know the water treatment processes. Continue to our blog and understand what these care steps are!

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