Kansans invited to participate in World Water Monitoring Day
by testing water quality, reporting results from Sept. 18 - Oct. 18

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) invites Kansans to take part in an international event, World Water Monitoring Day. World Water Monitoring Day is October 18 and people worldwide are invited to participate. Participants will experience water monitoring first hand and learn about the conditions of their watersheds.

"KDHE encourages groups and organizations in Kansas to participate, with thousands of others around the world, to volunteer to sample the water quality in your area. This is a good time to stop and think about the importance of water quality in our every day lives---something most of us take for granted," said KDHE Division of Environment Director Ron Hammerschmidt.

To accomplish this important task, KDHE environmental staff will be available upon request to help groups and to serve as a guide for others who join this effort. In addition, The KDHE Watershed Management Section will be donating 100 water test kits to individuals, groups and organizations willing to test 15 sites during the monitoring month. Each kit can test up to 50 sites.

Volunteers will perform four key water tests that come included in water monitoring kits. The tests are for dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity/clarity and temperature. Volunteers will enter their test results into a global database that stores all information collected during the monitoring period, which is from September 18 through October 18. Data collected during this month can be entered at www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.

If you, your organization or your group would like to participate, please contact Jaime Gaggero, 785.296.5579 / jgaggero@kdhe.state.ks.us or visit the World Water Monitoring Day website at www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.

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