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EPA Selects Rhode Island Environmental Organization to Receive Water Monitoring Equipment Loan

Release Date: 07/02/2007
Contact Information: Dave Deegan (617) - 918-1017

Boston, Mass. – July 2, 2007) – EPA New England announced recently that several New England environmental organizations have been selected to receive loans of water monitoring equipment. Using this equipment, volunteers will assess the water quality conditions of New England lakes, rivers and estuaries with the data collected. Over the years, volunteers have been successful in raising awareness of failing septic systems, illicit discharges of sanitary sewerage, and nonpoint source runoff.

The Rhode Island organization selected for a monitoring equipment loan this year is the Blackstone Academy Charter School and Blackstone River Watershed Council.

The equipment loan program, the first EPA program of its kind in the nation, was initiated by EPA New England in 2006. This is the second year of the loan program. Groups who will be receiving monitoring equipment now will be able to use their equipment during this summer's sampling season.

“At least 200 New England groups are helping to protect our environment by doing volunteer water quality monitoring,” said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “These volunteers are an incredible resource helping all of us to know the condition of our streams, rivers and ponds, and I’m pleased that we can provide equipment to these groups to help them expand their sampling programs. EPA commends all the volunteers doing their part to monitor Rhode Island waters.”

Each October, EPA joins in celebrating World Water Monitoring Day, an international outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world and encourages communities to monitor the condition of local rivers, streams, estuaries and other water bodies. EPA will join the 2007 equipment loan recipients for demonstrations of their equipment on World Water Monitoring Day this October.

For more information, please visit: http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org/