UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 
 COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE benj. ide wheeler, president 
 
 ___,,_. _.. THOMAS F. HUNT, Dean and Director 
 
 CIRCULAR No. 103 
 
 (June, 1913) 
 
 CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF WATERS 
 
 Owing to the diverse character of the sources of water supply and 
 the extensive occurrence of alkali in the waters of California, the 
 Agricultural Experiment Station is prepared, as a part of its public 
 service, to furnish free chemical analyses of water for irrigation and 
 domestic purposes, to rural consumers, but to this class of persons 
 only. The analysis made is adapted to this particular purpose, it 
 is not a complete chemical analysis, and the reports are purposely 
 framed to prevent their use for advertising purposes. For this latter 
 service, applicants are advised to secure fuller examinations and more 
 complete reports from a commercial chemist. 
 
 Ordinarily the examination will consist only of a mineral analysis 
 designed to determine the suitability of the water for irrigation and 
 domestic purposes. This will in proper cases only be supplemented 
 by the so-called "sanitary chemical analysis," to determine the 
 probability or lack of probability of the water having become con- 
 taminated by animal matter or sewage. Under no circumstances will 
 we examine waters for bacteria and disease producing organisms. 
 Where specific infectious diseases, typhoid, dysentery, etc., have 
 appeared and the water supply is suspected, applications for assist- 
 ance should be made to the Secretary of the State Board of Health, 
 Sacramento, California. 
 
 HOW TO OBTAIN ANALYSES 
 If, on reading the above, you find that you are entitled under our 
 regulations to an analysis, that the analysis furnished is the kind you 
 desire, and you are willing to comply with all of our conditions, you 
 may fill out and forward the attached certificate. On receipt of the 
 certificate, properly made out, we will forward you one of our packed 
 sample bottles by express C.O.D. You will then fill the bottle in 
 accordance with our directions and forward by express prepaid. 
 
 TIME OF TAKING SAMPLES 
 
 Samples should in all cases be shipped at such a time as to reach 
 Berkeley on Tuesday morning and the bottle should be filled as short 
 a time before shipment as possible. We reserve the right to refuse 
 
to analyse samples which arrive on any other day than Tuesday or 
 are more than forty-eight hours old. These requirements are to 
 enable us to render prompt service and to avoid those changes which 
 are likely to take place in certain classes of waters. 
 
 DIRECTIONS FOR SAMPLING 
 
 Do not close the spring lock of the sample case until bottle is filled 
 and replaced. 
 
 Do not rinse out the bottle as it is already perfectly clean. 
 
 Do not remove bottle from case nor the stopper from bottle till 
 just before filling. 
 
 Do not touch the inside of the neck of the bottle nor the stem of 
 the stopper. 
 
 Hold stopper by the outer end or handle while filling the bottle. 
 
 To fill: From a tap, spigot, or hydrant. — Allow the water to run 
 for fully ten minutes before collecting, then remove stopper and fill 
 the bottle to a point about one inch below the base of neck. 
 
 From a river, pond, reservoir, or basin. — Lower the bottle, with 
 the stopper in place, into the water to a depth of twelve inches below 
 the surface, remove the stopper, allow the bottle to fill completely and 
 replace the stopper before bringing to the surface, to avoid collecting 
 any scum. When brought to the surface, pour out a small quantity 
 so that the sample shall fill the bottle to a point one inch below the 
 base of neck. If the water is shallow, collect the running water in 
 a clean vessel and pour into bottle. Precautions must always be taken 
 not to stir up any sediment. 
 
 After filling secure the stopper in its place by tying on the cloth 
 cap attached to bottle. 
 
 Before closing the box, fill out and return card to the envelope 
 in top of sample case. 
 
 SHIPPING THE SAMPLE CASE 
 
 Close box, placing padlock in place and snapping the spring lock. 
 Remove the pasteboard address card bearing your name, when our 
 printed address will appear. Send by express prepaid as soon as 
 practicable after taking sample. 
 
 CERTIFICATE TO BE FILLED OUT 
 
 On the following leaf is the certificate to be filled out. It may 
 be detached and used as such. 
 
CERTIFICATE FOR ANALYSIS 
 
 Division of Agricultural Chemistry, 
 
 Agricultural Experiment Station, 
 University of California, 
 
 Berkeley, California. 
 
 This is to certify that the sample of water which I propose send- 
 ing you for analysis will be taken and forwarded in exact accordance 
 with your directions ; that I will pay the express charges on the empty 
 container from Berkeley to my address and on the full container from 
 my address to Berkeley; and that it is not my intention to use the 
 analysis for advertising purposes. 
 
 I further certify that the following answers to your questions are 
 true to the best of my knowledge and belief. 
 
 Location of place of drawing? (To be in accordance with United 
 States Land Office description if possible, otherwise distance and 
 direction from some well-known place). 
 
 Character and name (if any) of body of water. (River, creek, 
 lake, pond, well?) 
 
 In case of flowing waters. — What is the seasonal variation of flow, 
 and distance of other users from the stream? 
 
 In case of a well. — Is it dug, bored, or driven, and how is the top 
 protected. What is the depth to water, depth of water, and amount 
 supplied ? 
 
 In case of ponds or lakes. — State size, depth, etc. 
 
Give the distance of the water supply from the most probable of 
 the possible sources of contamination, such' as cesspools, outhouses, 
 barns, kitchens, etc. 
 
 Does the land drain from any such source of pollution toward the 
 water supply? If so, describe the so-called "lay of the land" (top- 
 ography). 
 
 State for which of the following purposes you propose using the 
 water: Drinking, washing, boiler, watering stock, irrigation. 
 
 Have you used this water heretofore, and if so, have you observed 
 that it has any peculiar properties or effects? 
 
 Further remarks: 
 
 (Signature) 
 
 (P.O. address) 
 
 (Date) 
 
 (Signature of Witness when convenient) 
 
 Please note that the interpretation of the analysis depends upon 
 the facts requested and that without the interpretation the analysis 
 will be valueless to you. 
 
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