Findings > Pattern​​​

How strong is the pattern of measured values being stably below water quality standards?

As described in baseline, for comparison with the standards, percentiles were used to represent "existing" conditions of metals and non-metals concentrations over all four seasons.

In the case of metals, for example, the 85th percentile of measured concentrations applied.

The table below shows the hypothetical concentrations that raise metals values, expressed as 85th percentiles, to the standards values. Also, see expectations for metals concentrations.

Results indicate, for that standards threshold, hypothetical concentrations must be at least 10 times higher than existing database values (as 85th percentiles), with only several exceptions.