{"id":14211,"date":"2021-08-20T09:46:22","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T08:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=14211"},"modified":"2021-09-02T15:37:51","modified_gmt":"2021-09-02T14:37:51","slug":"creating-accessible-water-quality-monitoring-to-combat-water-pollution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/creating-accessible-water-quality-monitoring-to-combat-water-pollution\/14211\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating accessible water quality monitoring to combat water pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"
Rivers and streams throughout the world are facing unprecedented stressors. Urbanisation is ever increasing and the construction of buildings, roads, residences, industries, sewage treatment systems, population centres, parks, and recreational centres around our rivers and streams is advancing. Agricultural development is even more pervasive, with runoff from pastures, croplands, animal processing facilities, septic tanks, and waste lagoons all affecting the natural environment.<\/p>\n
The extent of this water pollution is causing stressors throughout our aquatic ecosystems that will eventually become out of our control. With every major weather event we witness the impact of urbanisation as excessive sediment and erosion mixed with microplastics, pathogens, and toxic materials flow down our rivers and into our sea. We need to work to improve and control these problems, but a fundamental question remains. How do we test and document the problem in a way that actively engages stakeholders? We need to show visible improvement from our efforts to encourage and expand water monitoring, otherwise the continued expenditure of time and money could be perceived as wasteful. In order to be effective, we must actively hold ourselves accountable.<\/p>\n
An important step in the process of defining and tackling the problems of urbanisation is the creation of a clear definition of end-point indicators for stream health. The water quality of the world\u2019s streams and rivers are often communicated in somewhat subjective terms such as \u2018swimmable\u2019 or \u2018good\u2019, but what do these descriptors actually tell us? These are subjective terms and cannot easily be enforced, they do not describe in any detail what the extent of water pollution in a particular body of water may be. Whilst such terms as \u2018swimmable\u2019 are generated for public use and understanding, the measures reinforcing these declarations are scientific and complex.<\/p>\n