Tampa Water Department staff gave children at Temple Crest Park a chance to use their scientific skills to monitor the water in the Hillsborough River.
Event information: The after-school demonstration was held ahead of World Water Monitoring Day, which will take place on September 18th. Staff members supplied students with water monitoring kits from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The children were then given water samples from the Hillsborough River to test for pH levels, temperature and more.
The City of Tampa gets its water primarily from the Hillsborough River. That water goes through an extensive treatment and filtration process to make sure it is safe to drink. As part of the Water Department’s monitoring process, a team of scientists and technicians also conduct over 35,000 tests for more than 200 contaminants. At the end of the day, the City of Tampa provides clean, safe drinking water to more than 710,000 customers.
For more on the Water Department’s treatment process and water monitoring efforts check out: https://www.tampa.gov/water/water-quality
What is World Water Monitoring Day? Water Monitoring Day is part of an international effort to build awareness and promote efforts that protect the world’s water supply. The program asks communities on a local level to keep an eye on the conditions of their rivers, streams, and other waterways. More than 80,000 people have participated in World Water Monitoring Day since it started back in 2002.
For more information on World Water Monitoring Day visit https://www.monitorwater.org.