Irrigation water quality can be classified in terms of the measured conductivity level. These classes are:
| Class | Ecw (dS/m) | Salinity Level |
| 1 | 0 - 0.28 | Low |
2
| 0.28 - 0.8 | Medium |
| 3 | 0.8 - 2.3 | High |
| 4 | 2.3 - 5.5 | Very High |
| 5 | >5.5 | Extremely High |
Class 1: Suitable for most crops on most soils, with little chance of developing a salinity problem.
Class 2: May cause leaf scorch on sensitive crops, especially under high temperatures.
Class 3: Should not be used on soils with restricted drainage. Under adequate drainage, management for Salinity control will be needed.
All water used in irrigation should be tested for conductivity priorto application. Simple and quick self monitoring can be achieved using a Hanna DiST Conductivity meter (available with DPIPWE's SALTPAK, an essential tool for managing saline soils or saline irrigation water).