12/9/02

Aimee Malone, 334/844-5964

Water Quality Volunteers

EPA LIKES STATE WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM

AUBURN -- The Alabama Water Watch program -- part of an Auburn University Peaks of Excellence Program -- has been cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its work 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 people to measure water quality conditions, provides education 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.

More than 4,000 people have joined AWW and established 79 active groups since the organization was created in 1992. Citizens have sampled about 1,500 sites on 500 water bodies around the state. One third of the members-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," said program manager Bill Deutsch of AU's Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures. "They're involved because they love it and are interested in protecting and restoring their natural resources."

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. Legacy, Inc., Partners in Environmental Education provided funding for 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.

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CONTACT: Deutsch or Wendi Hartup, 334/844-4785.