First Steps Water Quality Monitoring and Human Health
levels known to be associated with illnesses in swimmers; or how do bacteria levels in our stream upstream from the farm compare to bacteria levels just downstream, or what are the bacteria levels in and around the known swimming holes? There are other questions you might ask as well; these are just examples. In addition to enabling you to test your hypothesis, the questions you develop will help sculpt a monitoring plan. For example, if you decide to focus your efforts on answering how bacteria levels in your stream vary above and below the farm, that determines a couple of things: (1) the parameter that you want to monitor (in this case bacteria) and (2) where you will monitor (in this case, at least above and directly below the farm, and likely at a “recovery” site still further downstream).
5. Find out if there are existing data or plans to collect data
Because less that 15% of our nation’s river miles and streams are actually assessed regularly, citizen groups around the country have taken it into their own hands to conduct water quality monitoring. Volunteer monitoring groups that are often part of watershed associations or other environmental groups receive training to conduct scientifically credible monitoring of certain parameters of water quality. Find out if there are any watershed associations in your area doing monitoring. You may be able to interest them in your specific concerns and integrate your efforts.
There are a number of public agencies with which to check that also conduct water quality monitoring. This includes State environmental agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes. States and tribes receive money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish and maintain monitoring programs and report the results to the EPA. Many local governments, such as city and county environmental offices, may also conduct water quality monitoring. The EPA conducts some limited monitoring of its own.
Other Federal agencies also conduct water quality monitoring and you should check with the regional offices of each. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts extensive river and stream monitoring around the country. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also conduct water quality monitoring related to their responsibilities.
If there have been reported health concerns, it’s also possible that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has compiled data on your community. Be aware though, historically, ATSDR has often concluded that data are insufficient to demonstrate a connection between pollution and health problems. The Agency uses conservative methods based on traditional epidemiological approaches that do not tend to be (statistically)
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