Good water quality is needed to sustain the environment (surface and groundwater dependant ecosystems) and for the beneficial uses of people. This includes the social value of water for Indigenous and European cultural uses, recreation and aesthetics, agriculture, industry and drinking water.

Water quality can be degraded by the presence of:

• Chemicals (for instance pesticides including insecticides, herbicides and defoliants)
• Turbidity (the amount of suspended solids in water)
• Salinity (the amount of dissolved salts)
• Bacteria (harmful to human health / the greater environment)

 
The quality of water found in our environment is affected by many processes, both natural and human influenced. Point sources of pollution (such as sewage discharge or industrial wastes) and diffuse sources from broad scale erosion and salinity can reduce water quality.

Improvement in surface and ground water quality requires a landscape level approach. The adoption of Best Management Practice (BMP), which encompasses all aspects of natural resource management, by all industries, is the key to improving water quality and the condition of the ecosystem. BMP, both in the riverine zone and the surrounding catchment area, should result in an improvement to groundcover, which will slow water movement, reduce flood-flow velocity and subsequent erosion and instream degradation.

Waterwatch program is underway in the Namoi Catchment

Namoi CMA has a new program involving land managers, community groups, schools  and individuals to help monitor the quality of water and protect and manage their local waterways and subcatchments.

Stephanie McCaffrey, the new Waterwatch Coordinator with Namoi CMA, said that “by collecting credible water quality data, Waterwatch communities make a unique contribution to natural resource management”.

Waterwatch volunteers monitor the health of local waterways, alert communities to water quality issues, collect water quality data and contribute to regional decision making for the management of water and catchments.

Waterwatch offers training, education, and support to communities, teachers and land managers.

If you would like to find out more and get involved in Waterwatch contact Stephanie on 6764 5961 or by emailing stephanie.mccaffrey@cma.nsw.gov.au