| ALABAMA WATER
QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM IMPRESSES EPA
The Alabama Water Watch (AWW) program was recently recognized by the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its accomplishments in promoting
water quality.
“The U.S. EPA was very impressed with the level of detail, commitment
and personal association and enthusiasm of all the volunteers of the
Alabama Watch program,” said Hank Zygmunt, assistant associate
director of watersheds for the EPA’s national agriculture office.
AWW is a community-based water quality monitoring program that trains
citizens to measure water quality conditions, educates people about
water issues and aids in improving environmental policy.
“This type of a volunteer program represents an excellent example
of what communities can do when they want to understand their watersheds
and want to provide invaluable baseline environmental data to all organizations
and agencies that can make a difference in promoting a healthy watershed,”
Zygmunt said at a recent gathering about water quality programs.
AWW was established in October 1992, and more than 4,000 citizens have
become certified water monitors since the program’s inception.
There are currently 79 active groups, and since 1993, citizens have
sampled about 1,500 sites on 500 water bodies around the state. One
third of the citizen monitors are teachers and students and the remaining
two-thirds are adult groups such as home-owner groups or smaller groups
of individual volunteers.
“These people aren’t making any money by sampling, they’re
involved because they love it and are interested in protecting and restoring
their natural resources,” said program manger, Bill Deutsch of
AU’s Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures.
The AWW program office provides training and workshops in a total of
10 levels of certification in three different areas - chemical, bacteriological
and biological. “Our quality assurance protocols have been approved
by the EPA,” Deutsch said. “From the beginning we set up
the program so that our data would be trustworthy.”
Funding for AWW is provided in part by grants from EPA, the Alabama
Agricultural Experiment Station , Alabama Cooperative Extension System
and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). Legacy,
Inc., Partners in Environmental Education provided funding for purchasing
chemical refills for test kits.
“It takes time, energy and a strong commitment on the part of
the leaders of the program, which obviously has been demonstrated by
Auburn University and state officials,” Zygmunt said. “Alabama
should really feel quite proud of all the accomplishments brought forth
by institutionalizing the Alabama Water Watch program.”
AWW is affiliated with AU's Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures
and the International Center for Aquaculture and Aquatic Environments
of Auburn University. It is a part of the Fisheries and Aquacultures
Peaks of Excellence program.
The Auburn University Peaks of Excellence program encompass seven multi-disciplinary
research areas selected for their strength and ability to address state,
regional and national research and development needs. Other Peaks programs
include Cellular and Molecular Biosciences, Detection and Food Safety,
Forest Sustainability, Poultry Products Safety and Quality and Transportation
.-30-
11/22/02
By Aimee Malone
CONTACT: Deutsch or Wendi Hartup 888-844-4785
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