Ag Water

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed with University of Arizona researchers, Ag Water is a computational tool for agricultural water management aligned with the FDA Produce Safety Rule. The system's primary module calculates a Microbial Water Quality Profile by ingesting user-provided E. coli sample data to determine the requisite Geometric Mean and Statistical Threshold Value. It facilitates both initial profile establishment and annual rolling updates. A secondary module evaluates microbial contamination probability by integrating environmental data, weather conditions, and site-specific water parameters.

Evidence & Research Context

• The app's risk-assessment function is based on evaluation research that quantified the impact of environmental factors, including rainfall and water temperature, on microbial levels in irrigation sources.
• The system is designed to operationalize federal Produce Safety Rule standards, which require growers to establish a microbial water quality profile to mitigate produce contamination risks.
• An associated research article details the app's iterative development, which incorporated grower feedback to improve functionality and added a Spanish-language interface for broader accessibility.

Intended Use & Scope

This app is a decision-support tool for agricultural growers managing compliance with the Produce Safety Rule. Its primary utility is to perform required statistical calculations for a Microbial Water Quality Profile and provide risk-based guidance for sampling. The system does not conduct water testing; outputs are contingent on accurate user-inputted laboratory data.