Jefferson Lab > EH&S > Earthwise
Privacy and Security Notice

World Water Monitoring Day is October 18th

The global hydrologic cycle produces the world's supply of clean, useable water. Both life and health are at stake in many parts of the world where water quality is diminished. The greatest impacts on the world's water supply are from lack of understanding, inadequate resources, misuse, and the use of improper and inappropriate practices during commerce and recreational activities. "Since the world's water supply is constantly recycled through natural processes over vast geographic expanses, water quality truly becomes a worldwide issue." (Roberta Savage, America's Clean Water Foundation)

Citizens and organizations from around the world are invited to share in the water quality monitoring activities that will take place on the first annual World Water Monitoring Day 2003. From September 18th to October 18th, citizens will have an opportunity to monitor the quality of their local watersheds and share that information by entering the results into an international database. On October 18th, volunteers will celebrate World Water Monitoring Day together.

"World Water Monitoring Day is about raising awareness at the global level of the importance of water to us all and the quality of the environment in the local community. World Water Monitoring Day is a perfect example of thinking globally and acting locally." (Andrew Speers, www.epa.gov)

To ensure that citizens around the world have clean water for domestic, recreational, agricultural, and commercial uses, the US EPA is partnering with the International Water Association and America's Clean Water Foundation to urge people around the globe to test the quality of their streams, lakes, wetlands, and coastal waters. Volunteers of all ages will measure temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity/clarity.

In 2002, over 75,000 people across the US participated in National Water Monitoring Day at over 3600 monitoring sites. How did Virginia stack up?

The State of Virginia topped the country in the number of sites registered (623) as part of National Water Monitoring Day. Many partners actively participated, including the Department of Natural Resources, Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries, James River Watershed Association, educators and citizens. There were 1,483 participants in Virginia alone. Activities included:

Visit www.worldwatermonitoringday.org/ for more information.