We carried out chemical tests on the water in the Kaczawa River on
October 20,1999. Paper strip with reagents tests occurred to be convenient for such
testing.
Water reaction (pH) was 7.5 and it is within standard limits for natural
waters.
Water occurred to be soft, contained little mineral salts (CaCO3 below 50 mg/l).
Water contained a small quantity of precipitate; we found no nitrates that are necessary for plant life and
grow. That explains nearly a complete lack of aquatic plants.
In our school chemical laboratory we carried out chemical tests on waters from the Kaczawa River and the river Bay where water is stagnant thanks to which animals can live because there is no risk of washing away by rushing river
current.
Waters from the river and the Bay featured a characteristic muddy
odour; the river water was transparent; the Bay water was greenish.
Moreover, pH of the river water was lower than that of the Bay water, and it
,means it was a bit acid, and it did not contain any organic substances nitrates and
precipitales. The Bay water was of basic reagent (8 pH), and we found traces of organic substances and precipitales (we observed them using a
microscope).
