While in college I studied field biology, and one field trip took our class onto Lake Michigan aboard a university research vessel.
We sampled for dissolved oxygen, towed for plankton (which we later examined in the lab), measured clarity with a secchi disc, and pulled a grab sample up from the bottom. It was the most memorable day of my career as a student. That may say a thing or two about my interests, or it may speak to the pure power and allure of water.
Now, here’s something that looks like a great way to get people in your community excited about clean water and involved in your mission of protecting it. It’s called World Water Monitoring Day, and it’s held every year on Sept. 18. Maybe you already know about it. But do you take part?
Growth trend
Sponsored by the International Water Association (IWA) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF), this international education and outreach program builds awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world.
“World Water Monitoring Day engages citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local waterbodies,” says a notice from IWA and WEF. “Although some participants act as individuals, many take part with schools, universities, and civic, environmental and faith-based groups.”
How big is this event? Last year nearly 123,000 people worldwide visited local streams, rivers and lakes to perform basic monitoring tests. That’s 67 percent more volunteers than in 2008.
Most participants test for dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature and turbidity, but some also monitor for macroinvertebrates like dragonflies, mayflies and scuds. They take samples in various settings — agricultural, commercial, residential and industrial.
In 2009, people and groups from 81 countries reported data — 11 more than in the previous year. In the United States alone, participants monitored 4,155 sites.
Do you see a growth trend here? Or, more to the point, do you see an opportunity? Here’s a chance for your clean-water agency to make a strong and lasting connection with your community.
Not difficult
The beauty of World Water Monitoring Day is that it’s not hard to get involved and engage your community. It’s not as if someone has to develop a curriculum, create a bunch of materials or plan an elaborate event.
Getting started might be as simple as contacting your local high school biology teacher. The activities don’t need to interrupt classes. Kids can do the monitoring tests just about anytime — not necessarily on Sept. 18.
While that’s the official day of observance, volunteers can monitor and report data to the World Water Monitoring Day database anytime from March 22 (World Water Day) until Dec. 31. To get involved, you just have to follow four steps:
Register. Choose any lake, stream or other waterbody where you can safely monitor. Then go to the Web site (http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org) and register yourself and the site you’ve chosen.
Prepare. You can use your own gear or buy an easy-to-use test kit (from the Web site) with instructions and enough reagents to repeat up to 50 tests.
Monitor. Invite your volunteers — whether a high school class or some other group — to help with the testing.
Report. Submit your data on the Web site.
Have you done this?
If you have taken part in World Water Monitoring Day, TPO would like to hear about your experiences. What exactly did you do? With whom did you partner? What good things came out of it.
Tell about it by sending me a note to www. tpomag.com. We’ll include a report in a future issue.
If you haven’t been a part of this initiative, consider trying it this year. There’s plenty of time to get organized, even if you want to hold your event on the Sept. 18 date.
There’s an old saying about education: “Tell me, I’ll forget. Show me, I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand.” Here’s a great way to help people in your community understand what you do and understand the importance of clean water and the treatment plants that help protect it.
Editor’s note: WEF and IWA receive financial and in-kind support for World Water Monitoring Day from sponsors including the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. EPA, PerkinElmer, ITT Corporation, Sinclair Knight Merz and Smithfield Foods.
