Community-Based Recreational Water Quality Monitoring Toolkit

The sections outlined below are made to be used in conjunction with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) document you can download below. Reference the SOP when needed to provide more detailed instruction and context to the documents throughout the modules.

What is the Toolkit?

This toolkit is a modular guide to starting your own recreational water monitoring program to sample your local water quality. The toolkit contains resources for starting a monitoring program and selecting a site, tools and resources to carry-out field and lab work, and training modules to get your program started. It will guide you through the steps of planning and conducting research, and can be supplemented by the downloadable ‘Toolkit Operating Procedures’ document below.

The toolkit is publicly available and free for anyone to use! This program has been designed to ensure equal access and opportunity for anyone who would like to begin monitoring.

The toolkit can be navigated using the drop-down menu (left) located on each page within the different toolkit sections. However, if issues arise, Swim Drink Fish is always available to help and provide guidance when developing your monitoring plan. Contact gregary@swimdrinkfish.ca with any additional questions you may have during the process of developing your program.

How can the Toolkit be used?

The intention of the toolkit is to act as a framework for anyone, anywhere, to adopt our guidelines and standards for starting a low-cost, effective recreational water quality program. It can be used in the following ways:

  • As a holistic guide to creating a recreational community-based water monitoring hub.

  • As a guide to starting a community lead site with a Swim Drink Fish hub.

  • As a set of standalone documents to help you support a monitoring framework for your own community.

  • To get trained as a volunteer community scientist.

Who’s using the toolkit? Explore the Community of Practice

  • Swim Drink Fish Hubs

    Swim Drink Fish operates hubs in regions where we’ve identified potential for increased access to recreational waters, but there is limited community interest/ engagement in monitoring the water. Swim Drink Fish hubs are operated with Swim Drink Fish staff on the ground. These staff oversee the collection of water quality data at sites selected by Swim Drink Fish, and carry out community engagement work.

    Explore the Swim Drink Fish Hubs

  • Community Sites

    Community sites are water monitoring sites where local community groups carry-out the collection of water quality data without SDF staff oversight. Community sites exist in conjunction with Swim Drink Fish hubs as water quality samples are processed and analyzed at Swim Drink Fish Hub labs.

    Groups wishing to host a community site must be trained with and follow the SDF SOP for collecting recreaitonal water quality data.

    Contact us to learn about starting a community site

  • Community Hubs

    Community Hubs are operated by local community groups who are interested in monitoring their local waters with the aim of creating access to recreational water. Community hubs either use the toolkit independently to start their programs or can work with Swim Drink Fish to guide them through the toolkit.

    Community hubs maintain regular communication with Swim Drink Fish through the community of practice. They are invited to regular meetings with Swim Drink Fish hub staff to share updates during their monitoring season and support the strength/resiliency of the hub network across Canada.

    Learn more about starting a community hub

Download the Toolkit’s Operating Procedures Here.

The Toolkit’s Operating Procedures act as a guiding tool through the online modules and can be used as a physical document to begin designing your water monitoring program.

Click to Enter the Toolkit.