This article in the The St. Catharines Standard, The Niagara Falls Review, and The Welland Tribune showcases NC’s involvement with an organization called Swim Drink Fish, and the Niagara Coastal Community Collaborative, to test water quality in south Niagara.
The four-year initiative seeks to engage under-served communities on the Great Lakes in water quality monitoring, data-sharing and stewardship, and will see $1.8 million put toward six hubs on the Great Lakes.
Since the bacteria that is unsafe for humans can only live in water for 48 hours, regular water quality sampling – at least once weekly – is vital to ensuring safe levels for recreational water activities.Samples collected in south Niagara are taken to and analyzed at NC’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus. Swim Drink Fish then shares the results on its Swim Guide website, www.theswimguide.org, and free mobile app.
Co-founder and vice-president of Swim Drink Fish, Krystyn Tully, said that NC is a dream partner because of the expertise it has and programs it teaches, like environmental technician and ecosystem restoration.
NC’s Al Unwin, associate dean in the School of Environment and Horticultural Studies, explains that the collaboration will provide experiential learning opportunities for students who are learning about efforts to restore and preserve the natural environment. Unwin also notes that the College has been involved in local ecological restoration and conservation in Niagara for over 20 years.
