With thanks to the Water Quality Monitoring Council and other sources, these are additional resources when looking for water-quality data.
USA national resources
Test your water through a state-certified laboratory listed by the United States’ EPA.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality provides a list of certified laboratories that analyze drinking water samples.
National Ground-Water Monitoring Network A compilation of selected groundwater monitoring wells from Federal, State, and local groundwater monitoring networks across the nation. The NGWMN Data Portal provides access to groundwater data from multiple, dispersed databases, including the Water Quality Portal, in a web-based mapping application. The portal contains current and historical data including water levels, water quality, lithology, and well construction. The NGWMN is transitioning from a pilot phase into full implementation. In the future we will be adding additional data providers to the network.
USGS Groundwater Watch A distributed water database that is locally managed. Surface water, groundwater, and water quality data are compiled from these local, distributed databases into a national information system. The groundwater database contains records from about 850,000 wells that have been compiled during the course of groundwater hydrology studies over the past 100 years. Includes the Active Groundwater Level Network, National Aquifer Composite Hydrographs, Real-time Groundwater Level Network, Below Normal Groundwater Levels, Climate Response Network, Long-Term Groundwater Data, and Active Spring Monitoring Sites. Also see: USGS Groundwater Flow Models
The USGS’s MODFLOW 6 groundwater modeling software and user guides are available for download. The U.S. Geological Survey is beginning to transition to the MODFLOW 6 model code for the simulation of groundwater systems. The program has been rigorously tested and reviewed, and new capabilities are under development. It is expected that this new version will keep MODFLOW as the simulation code of choice by the groundwater community.
Interactive FEMA map of flood zones in the USA. Search by address, then choose to “Show Map.”
PFC contamination map Locations contaminated by PFCs (see the article’s description).
Chromium-6 contamination map It’s “that Erin Brockovich chemical”: The National Toxicology Program has concluded that hexavalent chromium (also called chromium-6) in drinking water shows “clear evidence of carcinogenic activity” in laboratory animals, increasing the risk of gastrointestinal tumors. In September 2010, a draft toxicological review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) similarly found that hexavalent chromium in tap water is “likely to be carcinogenic to humans.” (from Environmental Working Group)
Various beaches
The Swim Guide The water quality of 7,000+ beaches (North America and New Zealand).
Lake Erie beaches of NE Ohio Data compiled and presented by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (@NEORSDbeaches).
State and regional resources
Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies Organization of the largest publicly owned water utilities in the United States. AMWA is the voice of metropolitan water systems on federal water policy issues, and its programs foster sustainable, innovative utility management.
My Water Quality California Water Quality Monitoring Council
California Water Library The California Water Library provides streamlined access to a curated collection of reports, articles, essays, fact sheets, research, white papers, and other documents generated by state and federal agencies as well as non-governmental organizations.
Oroville dam Current status of the dam and its surrounding infrastructure
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Sanibel – Captiva Conservation Foundation Florida’s River, Estuary and Coastal Observing Network (RECON) is a network of water quality sensors deployed throughout the Caloosahatchee River and Estuary to provide real-time water quality data. Established to understand dynamic and changing conditions in the Caloosahatchee partly caused by extreme freshwater releases from Lake Okeechobee and the Caloosahatchee watershed.
Restore the Mississippi River Delta
WWALS Watershed Coalition Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
Great Lakes Observing System GLOS
Lead in Drinking Water — Public Water System Information New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Pacific Northwest Water Quality Exchange
Latin American Water Funds Partnership Fondos de Agua
Oceans and coastal zones
Also see regional resources that may serve both marine and freshwater environments.
Marine Ecology Progress Series The leading journal in its field, MEPS covers all aspects of marine ecology, fundamental and applied. Topics covered include microbiology, botany, zoology, ecosystem research, biological oceanography, ecological aspects of fisheries and aquaculture, pollution, environmental protection, conservation, and resource management. MEPS aims for the highest quality of scientific contributions, quick publication, and a high technical standard of presentation.
U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System Program Data Access Page
Alaska Ocean Observing System AOOS
Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System MARACOOS
Central and Northern California Coastal Ocean Observing System CeNCOOS
Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System SCCOOS
Gulf of California Marine Program Scientific information that has a direct, positive impact on conservation and management issues and policies in the region.
Caribbean Coastal Ocean Observing System CariCOOS
Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System GCOOS
Louisiana Coastal Flood-Area Estimator Maps
Northeastern Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System NERACOOS
Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems NANOOS
Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System PacIOOS
Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association SECOORA
International resources
Most of the resources at this site are targeting North America, but we feature some noteworthy resources from around the world. Suggestions welcome.
United Kingdom
Real-time Water Quality App makes the seas a safer place. The free app alerts water users when sewer overflows discharge untreated human sewage into the sea, and when water quality is reduced by pollution at 315 beaches across England and Wales. Warning beach goers in real time via the Safer Seas Service helps subscribers find the beaches that have the best water quality exactly when they want to hit the beach.