Breaking Water with the Victoria Hub
We are thrilled to announce our newest hub in Victoria, British Columbia is up and running! We wanted to take this opportunity to learn more about Katie Wilson, the Victoria Community Based Water Monitoring Coordinator. She shares a bit about herself and gives us some insight into how things have been going on the West Coast.
Tell us a bit about your connection to the water.
As someone who grew up on an island, I was grateful to have easy access to multiple water bodies. I remember my entire childhood was spent on or near the water whether it was boating with my family on the strait, swimming in lakes, or canoeing on rivers.
What experiences drove you to a role working towards a swimmable, drinkable, fishable future?
At age 15, I was introduced to my now good friend who informed me about ocean plastic pollution and the impacts it was having on marine life. This was a catalyst that drove me to pursue an Environmental Studies and Geography degree so I could eventually work in the environmental field and help develop solutions to pressing issues. On my first day of university, I unexpectedly joined the Surfrider Foundation UVic club which turned into four years of leading beach cleanups and engaging students on ways to reduce their plastic consumption.
My first experience considering the importance of water quality happened when I was living in a fairly remote location and the well pump broke, preventing us from accessing water. While we could have purchased bottled water from the store, we chose to collect jugs of water from the river in front of the house. For one week we used the water for all of our daily needs and most importantly, for drinking. I had never questioned the safety of drinking the river water which made me realize the significance of safeguarding it and instilled a greater sense of appreciation.
What has been the highlight of your experience at Swim Drink Fish thus far?
One of the biggest highlights of working for Swim Drink Fish is learning how to gather information for a waterbody by going into the field and observing the multitude of factors that could be impacting its quality. Being able to visit and interact with the location I am sampling, in particular, places I have previously swam at, solidifies the concept of connecting to a place and wanting to protect it.
How do you think Victoria can benefit from recreational water monitoring?
I get the sense water quality is generally overlooked by the public in Victoria given the perception that our water is typically considered some of the cleanest and there is consequently no need to worry. For this reason, I believe people living in Victoria can benefit from recreational water monitoring by becoming more in tune with the potential real impacts on water quality and ultimately their health. By engaging volunteers in the sampling process and providing water literacy, people can become better informed in making decisions regarding their overall interactions with water. I am excited to be at the forefront of helping to launch this new hub because I foresee so many wonderful opportunities for partnerships and community engagement. Additionally, I hope to see the hub’s network expand beyond Victoria to central and northern Vancouver Island communities in the coming years to ensure everyone can participate in protecting their local waterways.
To learn more about Swim Drink Fish and get involved in the movement, visit the links below:
Clif Family Foundation is proud to support hundreds of organizations that are working tirelessly to strengthen our food system, enhance equitable community health outcomes, and protect the places we play by being stewards of our environment and natural resources. Their desire is to leave the world a better place for our children.
