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Next Generation of Environmental Stewards Learn Importance of Water

Release Date: 10/17/2006
Contact Information: Elias Rodriguez (212) 637-3664, [email protected]

(New York, NY) To celebrate World Water Monitoring Month and raise awareness of people around the world about the critical importance of their streams, lakes, wetlands and coastal waters, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) teamed up with students and organizations to test waters in the Onondaga Lake area. Local EPA officials joined representatives of the Onondaga Lake Partnership, the Onondaga Environmental Institute, the Upstate Freshwater Institute, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the State University of NY School of Environmental Science and Forestry, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and other friends of the environment at Kelley Brothers Memorial Park.

“World Monitoring Day raises global awareness of the importance of water quality to the environmental and local communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg. “Each year, participants across the country and around the world help us gather information and characterize the conditions of our waters. Let’s take this time to reaffirm our commitment to protect and restore the earth’s waters as we continue to work together for clean water, today and every day.”

World Water Monitoring Month celebrated from mid-September to mid-October, recognizes the importance of being more aware of the water we use for drinking, swimming, showering and in our gardens. Checking the health of our water fosters a better understanding of which activities pollute them, and how we can protect them with greater vigor. Around the world this month, volunteers of all ages are performing four key tests in their local waterways. These tests measure dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity/clarity and temperature. Volunteers will then enter their findings on a Web page accessible to the public. The Syracuse event was funded through an EPA grant to educate and encourage the next generation of environmental stewards.

The Onondaga Lake Partnership (OLP), of which EPA is a partner, promotes cooperation between federal, state and local governments, and other parties in the management of environmental issues for the Onondaga Lake and its watershed.

To learn more, visit: https://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/monitoringmonth.html and http://www.onlakepartners.org

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