Environment

Call to Action Help Protect Water Resources World Water Monitoring Day Starts Today

by Amy Judd | September 18, 2008 at 11:43 am

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Organizations all over the world are joining together today to start the month long celebration of the annual World Water Monitoring Day, which is in aid of protecting the world's water resources.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is partnering with program coordinators in the event that runs from Sept. 18 to Oct. 18.

EPA officials say that raising public awareness and involvement in water monitoring is important to protecting water resources around the world.

"World Water Monitoring Day reconnects people with their watersheds and reminds us all to think globally and test locally," Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA's assistant administrator for water, said in a statement. "EPA supports this grass roots movement to measure for progress and develop community-based solutions."

During the event, people of all ages are encouraged to monitor the condition of local rivers, streams, estuaries and other waterbodies. By conducting simple monitoring tests, participants learn about the most common indicators of water health and often go on to participate in more formal monitoring efforts.

World Water Monitoring Day program coordinators are the Water Environment Federation and the International Water Association are joined by a number of partner organizations.

Hains Park in Washington DC is getting in on the action.

This year's program features a special hand washing campaign to recognize the United Nations' International Year of Sanitation. The event is coordinated by the Water Environment Federation and the International Water Association, with partners, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, and many more.

The day itself has quite a history.

World Water Monitoring Day is celebrated on September 18. It was initially chosen to be a month later (October 18) to recognize the anniversary of the U.S. Clean Water Act, which was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1972 to restore and protect the country’s water resources. In 2007, the date was changed to facilitate participation in parts of the world where temperatures reach freezing at that time.

The coordinators of WWMD, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the International Water Association (IWA) plan to expand participation to one million people in 100 countries by 2012.