The essence of water quality is easy to illustrate. Imagine that you have a choice of two lakes near which to live. The first is green, murky, and often too warm for a refreshing swim.
Fish are almost non-existent.
The second lake is clear, cool and abundant wildlife exists in and around it. Property values on the second lake are much higher than at the first. It s easy to see which lake you d choose the difference is water quality. Water quality shapes the aesthetics and uses of a lake. A clean, healthy lake will be more suitable for the recreational enjoyment of landowners and visitors as well as for wildlife.