Testing The Waters

"Whether to meet a permit requirement or to comply with state or local regulations, municipalities and private firms alike are constantly testing the waters. Just as their reasons for testing vary, so do their testing protocols... Many use a combination of the two protocols, which appears to be the most accurate, cost-effective solution. Automatic data collection eliminates some man-hours and payroll costs while freeing workers for other tasks not easily performed by probes and machines. The result: easily obtainable water-quality data, which help solve water problems and aid in catching water-quality scofflaws."