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Waterwatch Event Top Quality

10 Oct 2007

A recent North Central Waterwatch and Community Stream Sampling Project event aimed at improving the standard of water quality data collected by community volunteers has proved a huge success.

North Central Waterwatch is part of a national, community based water quality monitoring program with around 70 community monitors, 60 participating schools and over 300 sites being monitored across the region on a regular basis.

Every year, Waterwatch Victoria facilitates a state-wide "Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC)" event. The event is held over a week and allows community monitors from all over the state to test their skills and ensure their monitoring equipment is up to scratch. Special 'mystery solutions' are prepared by Waterwatch Victoria and sent out to local Waterwatch facilitators. These 'Mystery Solutions' are then tested and results are sent back to Waterwatch Victoria for analysis.

In the North Central region, two events were held and many others participated individually, with a total of 61 participants getting involved and testing their skills. Results of the 2007 mystery solution tests have just come in and North Central Waterwatch is thrilled to announce that the result of this region's community monitoring network was extremely good!

The majority of participants received top marks for their quality of data, proving that the monitors really know their stuff and that the water quality data they are collecting throughout the year is of excellent quality.

Britt Gregory, Waterwatch Facilitator at the North Central Catchment Management Authority said "This annual event is just one of the quality assurance quality control measures in place to ensure integrity of water quality data. It instils our confidence in the data collected by the volunteers so we can be assured of its quality and utilise it to its fullest potential".

"These events form an integral part of the Waterwatch and Community Stream Sampling Project. They allow us to assess the quality of our training program and focus on areas for improvement," said Britt.

If you are interested in becoming a Waterwatch monitor, contact North Central Waterwatch Regional Coordinator Leigh Mitchell on 5440 1829. Thanks to the Australian Government, Victorian Government and other regional investments in the Waterwatch and Community Stream Sampling Project, involvement is free of charge!


For further information please contact: 

Communications Officer, North Central CMA
PO Box 18, Huntly VIC 3551
t: 03 5448 7124
e: info@nccma.vic.gov.au

 

 

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