The Official Blog of Alabama Water Watch
The AWW family mourns the loss of Colonel Richard (Dick) Bronson who passed away on June 10, 2024, at the age of 90. Col. Bronson was a dedicated AWW Volunteer Monitor, friend, and environmental educator whose legacy leaves a lasting impact on Alabama. This is a moment to honor a dear friend, and tell his story so that others might be inspired to work as tirelessly as Dick did to care for Alabama’s precious waters.
What are consumer confidence reports?
Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs), also known as “annual drinking water quality reports” (EPA) are reports published by public water systems (well water is NOT included) mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Simply put, water providers are required to monitor drinking water quality and report results to water users each year. These annual reports provide information on potential contaminants detected through testing.
Continue reading “At a Glance: Consumer Confidence Reports”By Jera Dills and Sydney Zinner
As summer heats up, there’s no better time to celebrate where many of us spend the longest days of the year – the lake! July is North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) Lake Appreciation Month, an annual celebration that encourages us to reflect on the ecological, social, recreational, and economic importance of lakes, and ways to protect and preserve them for future generations to enjoy.
This month-long celebration is an excellent opportunity to learn more about lake ecosystems, participate in stewardship activities, and enjoy the natural beauty of our local lakes.
By: Emily Ward and Jera Dills
Each year, Alabama Extension and the Auburn University School of Fisheries, Aquaculture & Aquatic Sciences host Fish Camp for high school students to explore water resources related career opportunities.
By: Sydney Zinner
On June 25-26, 2024, a new cohort of educators gathered at the Alabama 4-H Center in Columbiana to complete their certification as 4-H Alabama Water Watch (AWW) Educators who will conduct bacteriological monitoring with their students in the coming school year.
This is the third cohort of educators to be part of this NOAA BWET-funded project, 4-H AWW Exploring Pathogen Pollution in Our Waters, which started with the first cohort in 2021. Educators came from various parts of Alabama, including Pickens, Shelby, Madison, St. Clair, Marshall, Blount, Hale, Lauderdale, and Autauga Counties.
Continue reading “2024 Exploring Pathogen Pollution in Our Waters Educator Professional Development Training “By: Sydney Zinner
Congratulations to our 2023-2024 AWWard Winners! Thank you all for your dedication, enthusiasm, and incredible contributions to the AWW Program. You are an integral part of our team!
Continue reading “2024 VOLUNTEER AWARDS”By: Sydney Zinner
We were excited to host the 2024 AWW Annual Meeting at the beautiful Kreher Preserve and Nature Center in Auburn, AL! We gathered with Monitors, Trainers, Board Members, program partners, and new friends to celebrate the accomplishments of our AWWesome Volunteers throughout the last year. Read on for a recap of the day!
Through Water Chemistry Monitoring, Volunteer Monitors test the physical and chemical characteristics of water to identify pollution sources and long-term trends in water quality. Six variables (listed below) are measured with a customized test kit and results can be compared with water quality standards that define conditions for healthy waterbodies.
Continue reading “What is Water Chemistry Monitoring?”
Through Bacteriological Monitoring, Volunteer Monitors detect levels of E. coli and other coliform bacteria in water as indicators of fecal contamination. Monitors are trained in bacteriological sampling (site selection, plating and incubating samples, and counting bacteria colonies) and water quality standards.
by Sydney Zinner
In Fall 2023, AWW was approached by Dr. Miriam Wyman with the Auburn University Office of Sustainability to do a project with her Sustainability Capstone Students in Spring 2024. The AU Water Resources Center (WRC) offers Auburn faculty opportunities for various experiences with their students to connect them with water resources, however, this was the first request to do a semester-long project with a group of students.
Capstone students were from various colleges at Auburn, including Patricia in Biosystems Engineering, Jaiden in Natural Resource Management, David in Building Science, Elizabeth in Horticulture, and Hart in Environmental Design.
Continue reading “Auburn Sustainability Students Conduct Stream Biomonitoring for Capstone Project “