Teaching Through Doing: Alabama Water Watch

Alabama Water Watch (AWW) is a volunteer-run non-profit extension program that monitors water quality on all major river basins in Alabama. Their mission is to improve both water quality and water policy through citizen monitoring and action. The program was established in 1992 and has been growing ever since. Volunteers collect and analyze data to help the community make positive impacts.

AWW have three main goals: (1) To educate citizens on water issues in Alabama; (2) To train citizens to use water quality testing equipment; (3) To empower citizens to make a positive impact. Their vision is to have a citizen monitor on every stream, river, lake, and coast in Alabama. Every year they release their annual report to keep the public up to date on how they serve and bring change to our community.

One of their most known programs is the 4-H Alabama Water Watch Program (4-H AWW). This allows youth to learn the answers to questions like “What lives in my favorite creek? or “How clean is the lake I swim in?” through hands-on experiences. They teach students about water testing and why it’s essential, and how to conduct water quality testing on local bodies of water. The student also gets to learn what the data they collect means. It allows students to explore potential careers in natural resource and environmental fields while gaining valuable skills and knowledge.

What Do They Do?

• By using Bacteriological Monitoring, they detect levels of E. coli and other bacteria in water. They determine if water is safe to drink and/or for recreational purposes.

• With Stream Bioassessment, they assess stream health using aquatic bugs as water pollution indicators.

• They test water characteristics to determine pollution sources and term trends in water quality. They use a customized kit to monitor pH, hardness, alkalinity, air and water temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and salinity. All submitted AWW data is available on the AWW Water Data website for graphing and mapping.

AWW uses precise equipment for Water Chemistry and Bacteriological Monitoring. Requirements for the nets and other equipment used for Stream Biomonitoring are not as specific. You can learn more about monitoring equipment, including prices, on the materials section of alabamawaterwatch.org.

There are materials available for check-out by certified educators and volunteers in some county Extension offices. Check with the program coordinator for more information.

Want to Get Involved?

Their next event is a WRC Water Webinar by Dr. Ann Ojeda on perceptions, risk, and reality of septic system impacts on water resources. Dr. Ojeda is an Assistant Professor in the Auburn University College of Science and Mathematics Department of Geosciences. Ojeda’s research is the intersection of geology, environmental science, and human health, particularly concerning toxic organic contaminants in the environment.

You can register at https://auburn.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpdumrrTwqHN07zRxryCHfwB_uvsvB_oj_