Water is essential to human existence. Every form of life we know requires it. Water is also a universal solvent. It collects all elements from its environment and transports them directly to our homes and bodies. World Water Monitoring Day was created to educate and encourage people to monitor water quality in their area. Water pollution is a grave problem. It is essential to learn how to recognize, treat, and prevent it.

World Water Monitoring Day is an international day to increase public awareness and participation in protecting water resources. It aims to empower citizens to monitor their local water bodies to ensure that they are safe. Anyone can use a simple kit to test local water bodies for various parameters that will determine their water quality. These include dissolved oxygen (DO), clarity (turbidity), pH (pH) and temperature. Earth Echo International is the current sponsor for World Water Monitoring Day. They provide all information necessary to purchase inexpensive test kits. The sponsor’s website then displays the results of the monitoring events so they can be shared with the communities who participated.

It is likely that you will want to learn more about EarthEcho International. This non-profit environmental group was established in memory of Philippe Cousteau. He is a well-known oceanographer. The organization is managed out of Washington D.C. by his widow and children. The foundation was originally called the Philippe Cousteau Foundation. The name was changed after a dispute with Cousteau Society.

It may interest you to know that the original date for World Water Monitoring Day was chosen a month later. On the 18th October. This was to honor the US Clean Water Act which was created on this date. The act was created by Congress in 1972 to restore and protect the United States’ water resources. However, they changed the date in 2007 to encourage participation in all parts the world, even those where temperatures are below freezing.

America’s Clean Water Foundation created World Water Monitoring Day in 2003. It was intended to be a program that reached people around the world to raise awareness about water pollution and encourage people to test their water. This information is then intended to be shared through various resources, including the World Water Monitoring Challenge Website (www.monitorwater.org).

Look at the water that comes out of your tap. This means you are drinking water from a municipal source that has been monitored and treated for disease and pollution by government officials. How safe and clean is the water? Although most people believe that tap water is safe, some incidents like the one in Flint, Michigan, show that even city water can be dangerous.

A well can make your life easier or more difficult. Wells are particularly vulnerable to changes in the environment, as well as the contaminants that can get into groundwater and soil. Although they draw water from a smaller reservoir, so they are less susceptible to the effects of issues that could affect entire communities, wells should still be monitored regularly to ensure safe and clean water.

World Water Monitoring Day reminds you that you need to test your water. You can purchase testing kits from many places, including your local hardware store. Your water company can usually check your water for free if you live in the area. Ask them for the results to report them on one of the many water reporting websites. Your entire community can take part in making sure everyone has clean water.

Although testing is an essential part of World Water Monitoring Day it is equally important to share your results. After you have collected your results, upload them to the EarthEcho Water Challenge global database. This will allow you to join more than 1.5 million people around the world who have used the program to monitor the quality and quantity of their local water. You can also share your results on social media to encourage others to do the same.

You should also consider what your water quality data means and look at how you can help protect your local waterways. Your findings can be presented to your local council. They may organize a cleanup along the coast or collaborate with you on a project for steam recovery. There are many options, and there are plenty of great ideas online. EarthEcho’s Water Challenge Action portal has many of them.