Clean water is essential to the aquatic ecology of Florida. Florida’s abundant fish and wildlife are dependent on natural water, free of agricultural and industrial pollutants. Economic development also depends on clean water for domestic and commercial uses, and recreational activities. Contaminants in water can affect taste and even prohibit consumption. Nutrient loading into lakes, streams, and estuaries can cause excessive growth of algae and cyanobacteria, which can affect the aesthetic and economic value of a water body. Dependable information concerning the quality of ground and surface water is absolutely essential for the environment and the economic interests in Florida. The professional engineers and scientists at ZFI have conducted water-quality studies involving the fate and transport of nutrients, heavy metals, and pesticides in both ground– and surface-water systems. ZFI also employs experts in such diverse fields as sediment loading, lake eutrophication, and ground-water geochemical modeling. ZFI offers dependable water-quality services to provide our clients with the information they need. We offer our clients the following services:

• Design and implementation of water-quality monitoring networks
• Collection and analysis of water-quality samples
• Compilation and QA/QC of existing water-quality databases
• In-depth statistical analysis of water-quality data
• Geochemical modeling
• Salt-water intrusion studies
• Trend analysis of long-term data sets
• Fate-and-transport studies of nutrients and pesticides
• Contaminant studies
• Occurrence and transport of pathogenic microorganisms in water bodies
• Lake eutrophication studies
• Assessment of Best Management Practices for reducing nutrient loads in streams and lakes
• Occurrence of cyanobacteria in lakes and streams