Breaking Water with Mark Chiang
Swim Drink Fish is highlighting members of our incredible ecosystem. This Breaking Water segment features Rev. Mark Chaing. After becoming interested in the water quality of his local river, Mark began his journey with Swim Drink Fish. Mark is a Community Scientist with the Swim Drink Fish Edmonton Water Monitoring Hub.
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us where you work/what you do?
My name is Mark, and I work for a Presbyterian Church in Edmonton, Alberta. I am also a Doctor of Ministry student, studying Queer Theology.
Where did you grow up? Did you have a relationship with water there?
I grew up in Ontario with parents who were zoology and ecology students. They had us out regularly in creeks and marshes and bogs, identifying plants and chasing after tadpoles. Being paid as student lab technicians, they couldn’t afford camps or travel for us, so instead, we went to nearby lakes to play at the shoreline. It gave me a passion for open water swimming.
What inspired you to volunteer with Swim Drink Fish and how has the experience been so far?
I love living in Edmonton, but I was always frustrated that there wasn’t a place close by to swim. Last summer, I saw a report that the North Saskatchewan River was safe to swim in. 15 years here, and this was the first time I heard it! I was ecstatic but skeptical. How do we know it’s safe? That question led me to volunteer with Swim Drink Fish.
I’ve had an excellent time with Swim Drink Fish, and I brag to my family that now I’m a scientist too!
What have you learned during your experience with Swim Drink Fish that has really surprised you?
We collect samples from two locations along the North Saskatchewan River. It’s just a short bike ride apart, but their results can be very different. This surprised me and made me realize the impact our urban area has on the river. It makes me want to advocate for a cleaner, healthier river — from one end of Edmonton to the other.
Do you have anything else that you’d like to share about your work, your connection to water, or how we can encourage people to join the movement for a swimmable, drinkable, fishable future?
Like me, most Edmontonians don’t realize they can swim in their own river. By posting our test results and testing more locations, we can help dispel the myth that the river is dirty. I believe getting more people to swim in the river will help convince our city to prioritize cleaner water.
If you’re interested in becoming a Community Scientist, visit https://www.swimdrinkfish.ca/volunteer
Clif Family Foundation is proud to support hundreds of organizations that are working tirelessly to strengthen our food system, enhance equitable community health outcomes, and protect the places we play by being stewards of our environment and natural resources. Their desire is to leave the world a better place for our children.
