Free
Help us get a snapshot of water quality across the whole of the London Lea Catchment!
Join a team of citizen scientists to gather water quality samples at numerous locations along the River Lea from Bow to the M25 and along its tributaries (Dagenham Brook, Moselle Brook, River Ching, Pymmes Brook, Bounds Green Brook, Salmons Brook, Houndsden Stream and Turkey Brook). This will provide more evidence on where pollution is coming from in the catchment and allow us to keep putting pressure on Thames Water, the Environment Agency and local authorities to address these pollution issues.
Another aim of the day is to compare the accuracy of citizen science water quality monitoring kit like Hanna Checkers with professional lab testing. This is a crucial step to show that the data citizen scientists are collecting is accurate and reliable.
Here is how you can get involved:
1) Join our online training session at 12-1pm on Monday 11th August - we will explain how to take a sample, and we'll show you the sampling sites so you can start signing up to one or more. If you can't join the online training session, we will record it so you can watch it back at your convenience. Everyone taking part in the WaterBlitz must attend or watch the training session!
2) On the day of the WaterBlitz on Wednesday 20th August, you will collect your sample bottles from one of the pre-selected hub sites across the catchment at 10am. We will show you the locations of these hub sites during the training session.
3) You will go to your sampling site(s) to take water samples and then return the bottles to the same hub site where you originally picked up the bottles from. Please return the bottles by 1pm at the latest.
4) We will test the sample at the hub site and also send your sample off to a lab to be tested.
5) We will share the results of the survey with everyone that was involved, as well as with Thames Water, the Environment Agency, local authorities, the London Lea Catchment Partnership and the Lea Guardians.
The possible sampling locations will be shared shortly before the training day. These locations will be spread throughout the London Lea Catchment area.
For the water quality enthusiasts out there, these are the parameters we will be testing:
If you have any questions, please get in touch by emailing philippa.nicholls@thames21.org.uk