Citizen scientists are poised to play a crucial role in meeting the global water quality goals set by the United Nations. This blog explores how these dedicated individuals can provide extensive and responsive data to help policymakers understand and tackle the water quality crisis. Learn about successful case studies from Tanzania, Kenya, and Sierra Leone, where citizen science is already making a significant impact.
Filling the Gap in Water Quality Data
The United Nations targets for clean water based on the Sustainable Development Goals don’t look good from a global perspective(as monitored by The Water Project). One of the biggest problems is the lack of complete data to reach a full understanding or to create an effective response.
Enter citizen scientists. Local communities who depend on water sources for their livelihood, all of which can provide Ivana’s team with a wealth of data that works in conjunction with the limited resources available to government. Citizen scientists, non-professionals willing to help both expert and amateur scientist during scientific research Citizen scientists know their water body the best and have strong reason for improving the quality of water.
Dr. Izzy Bishop from the UCL Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research comments: “Locals who know the water and use it are both a motivated and knowledgeable resource, so citizen science networks can allow them to contribute extensive data whilst serving as custodians of their local water bodies and sources. When combined with the power of citizen science, that data has the potential to transform water resources management and improve water quality.
Real-World Examples of Successful Citizen Science Programs
The report flags a number of case studies in which citizen science is contributing to improved monitoring and management of water quality.
Working with the governments of both countries in their water user associations, the World Water Quality Alliance also participated in several gap analysis exercises and pilot tests carried out in this basin. Those associations — which are composed of river-dependent citizens, such as fishermen — have been gathering data that has given them weighty clues about the River’s state and how agricultural pollutants have been affecting its very quality.
Great example: Sierra Leone (MSA 751) — where the government has reported on SDGs — water quality using a combination of gov agencies data and citizen science data. Citizen scientists — villagers armed with smartphones equipped with a Water Data water quality measurement app have gathered more than double the data needed to help draft a management plan for the Rokel River basin.
Turning Up The Volume of Citizen Science for Global Impact
Citizen Science — the added value of research with and for society — Report In addition to directly mitigating environmental degradation, involving local communities in the scientific process can also enhance environmental education, mobilize action at the community level, and speed response to water quality issues.
“Governments will need input from local people to help them monitor water quality and make it better through a highly cost-effective method – citizen science,” added Stuart Warnor, the coordinator of the UN Environment Program Global Environment Monitoring System for freshwater (GEMS)—Water.
Based on their findings, the report authors suggest that governments and organizations could make great progress towards achieving the global water quality goals by emulating successful case studies and implementing citizen science on a larger scale. This citizen collected data when synchronized with the efforts of government authorities can lead to better understanding of the water quality challenges and in propositioning effective policy decisions and management plans for water resources.
