The 2014 Monitoring Period For World Water Monitoring Challenge Is Now Open

Popular hands-on program connects thousands of people to their waterways each year

World Water Day 2014 marked the start of this year’s monitoring period for World Water Monitoring Challenge (WWMC)—an international outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world. From March 22 through December 31, thousands of people worldwide are expected to connect with and monitor their local water bodies through a series of simple, hands-on tests.

Coordinated by the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the International Water Association (IWA), WWMC grew out of the original World Water Monitoring Day program in 2012. While an official “day” continues to be observed each year on September 18, the broader “challenge” encourages people everywhere to test the quality of their waterways, share their findings, and do their part to help protect this essential resource.

“Everyone who uses water is responsible for it in one way or another. Yet, many of us are unaware of the condition of our local water bodies and the direct and indirect impacts our actions have on the quality of these resources,” said WEF Executive Director Eileen O’Neill. “The WWMC provides a fun and easy way to engage and learn about some of the most common indicators of water health and encourages further participation in more formal citizen monitoring efforts.”

The program receives financial and in-kind support from its primary sponsors and enjoys the support of many partner organizations and individuals around the world. WWMC data is entered online and the 2013 results are currently being tabulated for release at a later date.

For more information, visit www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.

About WEF
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization of 36,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world. WEF members, Member Associations and staff proudly work to achieve our mission to provide bold leadership, champion innovation, connect water professionals, and leverage knowledge to support clean and safe water worldwide. For more information, visit www.wef.org.

About IWA
The International Water Association (IWA) is a global network of water professionals that spans the continuum between research and practice, covering all facets of the water cycle. IWA membership comprises 10,000 individuals and 400 corporate members, working in 130 countries. The Association seeks to connect water professionals worldwide to lead the development of effective and sustainable approaches to water management. For more information, visit www.iwahq.org.