What is a water quality score?

A water quality score is a single number (typically 0–100) that represents the overall quality of a water sample. AquaReport's AquaScore™ grades water as Gold (80–100), Silver (60–79), Bronze (40–59), or Poor (0–39) based primarily on the enforceable federal EPA limit (MCL) and contaminant detection. It is a proprietary informational rating, not an EPA score.

How does AquaScore calculate water quality?

AquaScore starts at 100 and deducts points primarily for exceedances of the enforceable EPA legal limit (MCL), with a small secondary health-reference adjustment (not the EPA MCLG) and a light factor for detection within the limit. It also factors in field readings like pH and hardness; chlorine and TDS are shown for context but not penalized.

Water Quality Scoring Systems: How to Grade Water for Customers

How water quality scoring systems work, why they help dealers sell, and how AquaReport's AquaScore algorithm grades residential water.

By Jacob Lightsey. Published 2026-05-08. Updated 2026-05-22. Category: Features.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a water quality score?: A water quality score is a single number (typically 0–100) that represents the overall quality of a water sample. AquaReport's AquaScore™ grades water as Gold (80–100), Silver (60–79), Bronze (40–59), or Poor (0–39) based primarily on the enforceable federal EPA limit (MCL) and contaminant detection. It is a proprietary informational rating, not an EPA score.
How does AquaScore calculate water quality?: AquaScore starts at 100 and deducts points primarily for exceedances of the enforceable EPA legal limit (MCL), with a small secondary health-reference adjustment (not the EPA MCLG) and a light factor for detection within the limit. It also factors in field readings like pH and hardness; chlorine and TDS are shown for context but not penalized.

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