In most parts of the world, the days are long gone when rivers, lakes, springs, and wells from which one can directly drink, could readily meet almost all needs for high quality water. Wheresuch water remains — mostly in high mountain regions untouched by mining, grazing, or industrial fallout — it must be protected by strict regulations. In the U.S., many states seek to preserve high quality waters with antidegradation policies. But most of the water that is used for drinking water supplies, irrigation, and industry, not to mention supplying a supporting habitat for natural flora and fauna, is much-reused water that often needs treatment to become acceptable.Whenever it is recognized that water treatment is required, new issues arise concerning thelevel of quality sought, the costs involved, and, perhaps, restrictions imposed on the uses of the water. Since it is economically impossible to make all waters suitable for all purposes, it becomes necessary to designate which uses various waters are suitable for.In this context, a practical evaluation of water quality depends on how the water is used, as well as its chemical makeup. The quality of water in a stream might be considered good if thewater is used for irrigation but poor if it is used as a drinking water supply. To determine water quality, one must first identify the ways in which the water will be used and only then determine appropriate numerical standards for important parameters of the water that will support and protect the designated water uses.
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