Lake County General Health District monitors the quality of surface water at 24 locations throughout the county. Samples are collected quarterly and results are posted to our Water Quality Dashboard.

These grab samples only indicate the quality of the water on the day of the sample, but we hope to use sampling data to spot trends in water quality and to identify potential sources of contamination.

The Sampling Process

Data and water samples are collected at each of the individual sites during each day of monitoring. The data includes the date, time, and coordinates of the sample, weather conditions, and any other factors that may impact the water quality when the sample was taken. At the time of sample collection, measurements of the water’s level of dissolved oxygen and nitrates will be taken. Samples are then transported back to LCGHD’s laboratory where each sample will be tested for the presence of E. coli. 

Based upon each of the measurements taken, each sample will be assigned a score from 0 to 10, with 0 being very poor water quality and 10 being exceptional water quality. These scores as well as a breakdown of individual parameters can be accessed on our Water Quality Dashboard.

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For more information, please contact: