Following rains brought on by Tropical Storm Ophelia (2023), Fisseha Mengistu collects a water-quality sample from Governor's Bridge over the Patuxent River near Bowie.
Where can I get USGS water quality (water chemistry) data for surface water and/or groundwater?
Water quality data is freely available through the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) and the Water Quality Portal (data from multiple agencies, including the USGS). Sometimes these data are hard to understand, so you can also contact the USGS Water Science Center for the state in question to request data and reports from studies that might have been conducted on water quality.
The USGS collects water-quality information for both groundwater and surface water. When staff visit a site to collect data, they collect information in the field and collect samples to send to laboratories for analysis. In addition, some USGS monitoring locations collect water quality data using sensors. See a list of all monitoring locations that are currently transmitting these data in near real-time.
If data collected by the USGS exceeds water quality benchmarks, we do not indicate that on our websites; we encourage you to use other tools, such as EPA’s How’s My Waterway, to understand more about the data we collect.
Learn more:
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What can be causing our drinking water to have a reddish color?
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Why does my drinking water look cloudy sometimes?
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Where can I find information about my local drinking water supply?
The best way to learn about your local drinking water quality is to read the annual drinking water quality report/consumer confidence report that water suppliers now send out by July 1 of each year. The reports are often sent out with water bills, but they may be sent separately. The reports tell where drinking water comes from, what contaminants are in it, and at what levels. The U.S...
Where can I find information about bottled water?
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What can cause our water to have an earthy odor or to smell like rotten eggs?
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Do you have information about water hardness in the United States?
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Where can I get my well water tested?
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Where can I find detailed sampling methods for surface water and groundwater?
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If the ground filters water, is groundwater always clean?
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Collecting A Water Quality Sample After Tropical Storm Ophelia
Following rains brought on by Tropical Storm Ophelia (2023), Fisseha Mengistu collects a water-quality sample from Governor's Bridge over the Patuxent River near Bowie.
Related Content
Does the use of pesticides affect our Nation's water quality?
Pesticide use in the United States has increased because not only must we supply our exploding population with food, but crops and food are also grown for export to other countries. The United States has become the largest producer of food products in the world, partly owing to our use of modern chemicals (pesticides) to control the insects, weeds, and other organisms that attack food crops. But...
What can be causing our drinking water to have a reddish color?
Your water might be affected by iron, which is a commonly-occurring constituent of drinking water. Iron tends to add a rusty, reddish-brown (or sometimes yellow) color to water. If the color is more black than red, your water might contain a combination of iron and manganese. Both of these metals can cause staining of plumbing fixtures or laundry, but they are not known to cause health problems...
Why does my drinking water look cloudy sometimes?
Once in a while you get a glass of water that looks cloudy; maybe milky is a better term. After a few seconds it miraculously clears up! The cloudiness is due to tiny air bubbles in the water. Like any bubbles, the air rises to the top of the water and goes into the air, clearing up the water. The water in the pipes coming into your house might be under a bit of pressure. This causes gases (air)...
Where can I find information about my local drinking water supply?
The best way to learn about your local drinking water quality is to read the annual drinking water quality report/consumer confidence report that water suppliers now send out by July 1 of each year. The reports are often sent out with water bills, but they may be sent separately. The reports tell where drinking water comes from, what contaminants are in it, and at what levels. The U.S...
Where can I find information about bottled water?
Bottled water is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and by individual states. For general information about bottled water, sources include the International Bottled Water Association and NSF International . Learn More: Water Use - Withdrawals for Bottled Water
What can cause our water to have an earthy odor or to smell like rotten eggs?
Naturally-occurring organic compounds are created when plant material decays in lakes and reservoirs. Those organic compounds frequently cause musty, earthy odors, especially toward the end of summer. The odors can be objectionable, but generally are not harmful to health. However, odors can be caused by other constituents as well, so you might want to call your local Health Department and mention...
Do you have information about water hardness in the United States?
See our map of water hardness (as calcium carbonate) in surface water of the United States. Hardness data (reflecting mostly calcium, plus a little magnesium) for individual drinking-water suppliers is at the EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water website. It is important to note that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not set a legal limit or standard for hardness in water...
Where can I get my well water tested?
Some counties offer free well water testing, so check with your county first. If they don't, use this EPA website to find a list of state-certified laboratories in your area that do water testing, or contact your county or state health department or your State Certification Officer for assistance. Prices will vary depending on the laboratory and the test(s), but most people consider the cost to be...
Where can I find detailed sampling methods for surface water and groundwater?
The National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (National Field Manual) provides guidelines and standard procedures for USGS personnel who collect data used to assess the quality of the Nation’s surface water and groundwater resources. The manual is published as separate chapters. Learn more: Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations Reports
If the ground filters water, is groundwater always clean?
Water drawn from a well was once precipitation that fell onto Earth's surface. It seeped into the ground and, over time, occupied the porous space in some subsurface material. Big particles that are in surface streams, such as leaf chunks, will not be seen in groundwater. So, yes, big particles are filtered out by the ground, along with some minerals and chemicals that are too small to see. But...
Collecting A Water Quality Sample After Tropical Storm Ophelia
Following rains brought on by Tropical Storm Ophelia (2023), Fisseha Mengistu collects a water-quality sample from Governor's Bridge over the Patuxent River near Bowie.
Following rains brought on by Tropical Storm Ophelia (2023), Fisseha Mengistu collects a water-quality sample from Governor's Bridge over the Patuxent River near Bowie.