HM Digital EC 3 Temp Water Conductivity Tester/ Meter

EC range
(µS/cm)

Usefulness of water

0 - 800

• Good drinking water for humans (provided there is no organic pollution and not too much suspended clay material)

• Generally good for irrigation, though above 300 µS/cm, some care must be taken, particularly with overhead sprinklers which may cause leaf scorch on some salt sensitive plants.

• Suitable for all livestock

800 -
2,500

• Can be consumed by humans although most would prefer water in the lower half of this range if available.

• When used for irrigation, requires special management including suitable soils, good drainage and consideration of salt tolerance of plants.

• Suitable for all livestock.

2,500 -
10,000

• Not recommended for human consumption, although water up to 3000 µS/cm could be drunk if nothing else was available.

• Not normally suitable for irrigation, though water up to 6000 µS/cm can be used on very salt tolerant crops with special management techniques. Over 6000 µS/cm, occasional emergency irrigation may be possible with care, or if sufficient low salinity water is available, this could be mixed with the high salinity water to obtain an acceptable supply.

• When used for drinking water by poultry and pigs, the salinity should be limited to about 6000 µS/cm. Most other stock can use water up to 10,000 µS/cm.
• Water over 4000 µS/cm can cause shell cracking in laying hens.
• High magnesium levels can cause stock health problems in this range. Analysis recommended.

Over
10,000

• Not suitable for human consumption or irrigation

• Not suitable for pigs, poultry or any lactating animals. Beef cattle can use water up to 17,000 µS/cm and adult dry sheep can tolerate 23,000 µS/cm. However it is possible that waters below these EC levels could contain unacceptable concentrations of particular ions. Detailed chemical analysis should therefore be considered before using high salinity water for stock.

• Water up to 50,000 µS/cm (the salinity of the sea), can be used to flush toilets provided corrosion in the cistern can be controlled.