Water Rangers Conservation group enables citizens to test local water quality with free portable kits.

Through the Loblaw Water Fund, World Wildlife Fund (WWF-Canada) is supporting a citizen-science research project by Water Rangers, an Ottawa-based conservation organization.

Water Rangers has developed an easy-to-use portable water-testing kit that allows anyone to monitor water quality, regardless of experience. Members of the public can reserve a kit online, collect it from a host in their area, watch a short instructional video and then get out on the water. Collected data is entered in an online data platform using a smartphone app.

The kits can be borrowed free of charge in the following cities: Ottawa, Toronto, Montréal, Cornwall, Prince Edward County. (Kits can also be purchased from WaterRangers.ca.)

Additional information about the Loblaw Water Fund:

Over the past five years, the fund has supported over 60 projects across the country. Results from those projects include:

• Over 3340 hectares of habitat for freshwater species restored
• Planting of over 80,000 native trees and plants
• More than 12,000 volunteers engaged in conservation efforts for their local rivers and lakes