Water quality is "what the water's like" and is a less specific term which may be based as much on personal knowledge, perceptions and beliefs as on scientific measurements. Qualities of water may include color, clarity and so on. One person may judge a lake as having "poor water quality" while another person may judge the same lake as having "good water quality", depending on their knowledge, interests and concerns. Here's a bit more about water quality.

	Range in Florida	Most FL waters:
Alkalinity	0 - 300 milligrams/L CaCO3	75% have less than 35 milligrams/L CaCO3
Aquifers	Our freshwaters come from rainfall and aquifers.	There are several aquifers in Florida.
Bacteria	Most bacteria are "good" or benign.	Each year, a few shores are closed due to bacterial pollution.
Calcium	1.7 - 2300 milligrams/L	75% have less than 22 milligrams/L
Chloride	0.2 - 94 mg/L	75% have less than 16 milligrams/L
Chlorophyll	1-400 micrograms/L
Clarity	1 ft to 38 ft	70% have water clarity of 3 ft - 12 ft
Color	0 - 700 PCU	70% have water color values of less than 70 PCU
Drinking Water	We use a lot of freshwater!	We're starting to reach our limits.
Eutrophication	See trophic state.
Geology	Limestone and phosphates	Geology determines base water chemistry and base trophic state
Iron	0 - 2.4 milligrams/L	75% have less than 0.24 milligrams/L
Magnesium	0.02 - 600 milligrams/L
Nitrogen	50 - 6000 micrograms/L	75% have 401 - 1500 micrograms/L
Phosphorus	1-1000 micrograms/L	60% have 1 - 24 micrograms/L
Pollution	See these two charts about drinking water "pollution".	Ask about "the dose".
Potassium	0 - 50 micrograms/L
Salinity	Also see sodium and chloride.
Silica	0 - 14 milligrams/L	75% have less than 2.4 milligrams/L
Sodium	1 - 1100 milligrams/L	75% have less than 13 milligrams/L
Specific Conductance	11-5500 ?S/cm @ 25? C	75% have less than 190 ?S/cm @ 25? C
Sulfates	0 - 500 milligrams/L	75% have less than 20 milligrams/L
Trophic State	All four categories	70% are mesotrophic to eutrophic