Water Quality, Dissolved Oxygen, and Phosphorous Activity Source: Source: American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Adapted with permission. Tap water from the kitchen has very different properties from water in a stream or a pond, even if they might appear similar. Water quality refers to the physical and chemical properties of water that make it suitable for a particular use based on biological, physical, and chemical characteristics. A fish might live in sedimentrich water at the bottom of a lake, but you would not want to drink it! [Read More]