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World Water Monitoring Day Starts

(Washington, D.C. - Sept. 18, 2008) Today, EPA and several other organizations are joining together to kick off the 5th Annual World Water Monitoring Day. World Water Monitoring Day is a month-long international effort aimed to increase public awareness and involvement in water monitoring and protecting water resources around the world.

"World Water Monitoring Day reconnects people with their watersheds and reminds us all to think globally and test locally," said Benjamin H.

Grumbles, EPA's assistant administrator for water. "EPA supports this grass roots movement to measure for progress and develop community-based solutions."

World Water Monitoring Day engages people of all ages in monitoring the condition of local rivers, streams, estuaries and other waterbodies.

School-age groups are encouraged to participate. Conducting simple monitoring tests teaches participants about some of the most common indicators of water health and encourages further participation in more formal citizen monitoring efforts.

Worldwide participation is expected to surpass last year, when more than 46,000 people tested water quality in 43 countries. Over 21,000 participants monitored 2,250 sites in the United States alone. Program coordinators plan to expand participation to 1 million people in 100 countries by 2012.

World Water Monitoring Day program coordinators, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the International Water Association (IWA) will join EPA, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other partnering organizations to celebrate World Water Monitoring Day 2008 Sept. 18 at Hains Point Park in Washington, D.C.

World Water Monitoring Day runs from Sept. 18 until Oct. 18.

For more information about WWMD 2008 and to find about how you can participate, visit: www.WorldWaterMonitoringDay.com