|
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) is joining with partners
and volunteers across the state to observe World Water
Monitoring Day on October 18. The date will celebrate
the 34th anniversary of the U.S. Clean Water Act with
education and sample collecting events.
“Education is a critical first step in preserving
Florida’s fragile environment,” said DEP Secretary
Colleen M. Castille. “By participating in World Water
Monitoring Day, Florida is encouraging our state’s
residents to protect our 700 freshwater springs, 1,350
miles of coastline and more than 50,000 miles of rivers
and streams.”
World Water Monitoring Day brings together volunteers
on an international level to participate in local
educational events and water sampling tests. Results of
water analyses taken will be used to compare water
quality over the last three decades. Since its inception
more than 80,000 people participated in World Water
Monitoring Day at more than 5,200 registered monitoring
sites.
DEP will be hosting the following events:
Wakulla Springs State Park
9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
October 18-19
550 Wakulla Park Drive
Wakulla Springs, Florida
(850) 224-5950
Middle school students will participate in Learning
in Florida’s Environment (LIFE) field labs that examine
water quality by studying aquatic insects around the
spring.
Suwannee River State Park
9:00 a.m.
October 18
20185 County Road 132
Live Oak, Florida
(386) 362-2746
Middle school students from Madison, Hamilton and
Suwannee Counties will participate in a rotation of
presentations by various agency and organizations to
learn about water quality and how it affects the
Suwannee River Watershed.
Under the leadership of Governor Jeb Bush and the
Florida Legislature, Florida has invested almost $2.5
billion to improve wastewater treatment, clean up
stormwater pollution and upgrade drinking water
facilities, funding more than 1,200 projects statewide
since 1999. Over the last six years, the State Revolving
Fund Program awarded nearly $1.6 billion to plan, design
and build water facilities across the state.
The Florida Springs Initiative, established by
Governor Bush in 2001, is the first comprehensive,
coordinated plan to restore and protect Florida’s more
than 700 freshwater springs. Last year the Florida
Springs Initiative set aside more than $300,000 to
protect spring ecosystems, water quality and flow within
Florida’s award-winning state park system.
For more information of Florida’s water initiatives,
visit
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/mainpage/programs/water.htm.
For more information about the state’s springs, visit
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/mainpage/programs/springs.htm
For information on World Water Monitoring Day, visit
http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org/. | 
