Community-Based Water Monitoring Hubs

Our Community Based Water Monitoring Hubs monitor in areas that are under monitored yet are popular sites for recreation, and in doing this we help protect public health from contaminated water by providing current, reliable water quality data than is open and easily accessible.

These hubs also operate through community based science and act as a way to connect the community to their water by allowing people to become a part of the sampling process.

Finally, the hubs act as a central source for water literacy education in thier communities by participating in events with other likeminded organizations and hosting water literacy events with groups to help inform people about their waters and what they can do to protect and restore them.

Community Based Water Monitoring is a form of community science (sometimes known as citizen or participatory science). Community science is science conducted by individuals without scientific training. Community science allows individuals to participate in scientific research by either collecting data as part of larger participatory research projects, or using the scientific method as a tool to answer questions and respond to local environmental concerns.

Community science builds on a contemporary perspective of science that understands western science as one of many valuable epistemologies for understanding the world around us. By allowing a multitude of folks to ask scientific questions, community science supports an anti-colonial and feminist approach to science where all perspectives and values are incorporated.

Community-based water monitoring CBWM is a tool used by communities to track the health of their local watershed and improve decision making about water resources. CBWM plays an increasingly important role in Canada as it helps us address the current gaps in data that make it difficult to effectively safeguard our expansive waters in a way that is cost-effective and inclusive.

The Swim Drink Fish CBWM hubs allow folks to practice community science by participating in or developing community-based water monitoring programs. By participating in our existing monitoring programs, community members can address their concerns about local water quality, deepen their connection to the water, and grow to become water stewards.

Interested community groups can also work in conjunction with existing Swim Drink Fish hubs across Canada to start a new water monitoring program at a waterbody important to them through our ‘Adopt a Site’ program. This program offers the same benefits as participating in existing programs, but further develops water stewardship ethics, and supports communities to monitoring the waters that matter most to them.

Central to the success of the Swim Drink Fish CBWM hubs, has been their ability to foster a culture for connecting to and protecting waters. As community scientists share knowledge with their friends and family, and as they meet with other community scientists at the water’s edge, they build relationships because of the water. Having the water as a core cultural element, means that folks may integrate water connection and protection activities into their daily lives. We’ve found that this water focused culture is what brings people back to the Swim Drink Fish hubs week after week, and drive the continuation of the CBWM programs.

Firstly, we monitor the water to provide essential water quality information for recreational water users who can use this data to make informed decisions about when and where and how they connect with the water. Routine water monitoring is essential because water quality is highly localized and can change as frequently as the weather. Our monitoring work also establishes baseline datasets for water quality. Baseline data and continued monitoring can help us understand and address various water quality issues and better understand the long-term trends of the water.

We focus on recreational water because we believe that restoring recreational waters is a gateway to restoring other waters. Recreational waters invite people to swim, paddle, sail, surf, snorkle, dive, and more. For many of us, it was through recreational waters that we first connected with the water in a meaningful way, which we believe is the first step to becoming a protector of the water.

We believe that making test results public gives you direct access to the information you need to make an informed decision about getting in your local waters. You can see for yourself which sites meet government guidelines for water quality and decide where or when you want to go in the water.

Open Data is defined as structured data that is machine-readable, freely shared, used and built on without restrictions. (Gov of Canada - Open Data). The goal is interoperability. For more information, visit here