Read our SOP

The purpose of our SOP is to inform on the procedures we follow to ensure our work is done consistently, safely, and with scientific integrity. Our SOP is based on various sources including the Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality, and various regional documents outlining water quality management and protocols relevant to the area. This document helps ensure our work is done efficiently, and consistently across Hubs and also helps to reduce miscommunication and aid in training new staff. Our SOP is updated regularly to ensure we always comply with the most recent recommendations for recreational water monitoring. Below is a generalized summary of the main components of our SOP. Because we sample nationally there are regional differences between our various Sampling Hubs across Canada. More details about Hub-specific procedures can be found on the Community-Based Water Monitoring Hubs page.

  • Recreational waters can be contaminated with fecal material from a variety of sources including sewage discharge, animals, and runoff, among others. This type of contamination can make people sick when they are in contact with or consume it. By testing for total coliforms and E.coli we can monitor for fecal contamination and inform the community where this type of contamination is occurring.

    The standards used to determine if a site passes or fails recreational water quality standards vary regionally. You can find links to each region’s standard on their regional page or in the full version of the SOP.

  • We have three common criteria we use to select a site for water monitoring which are as follows; they are vulnerable to surface water pollution from sewage or other harmful pollutants, they are popular public water recreational areas and they are not monitored currently by any authority or organization. There are other regional factors that may factor into site selection but these three criteria are the basis we work off of.

  • We follow the Canadian Guidelines for Recreational Water which requires the completion of an annual Environmental Health and Safety Survey prior to establishing a site for recreational water quality sampling. According to the Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality, Environmental Health and Safety Surveys (EHSSs) act as part of a multi-barrier approach to reduce risks of human exposure to recreational water hazards. More information about the contents of these can be found here.

  • Volunteer training covers understanding and demonstrating proper in-field E. coli sampling techniques, sample storage, and quality assurance and control. Coordinators train community scientists to recognize and document pollution and gather other water quality data including pH, alkalinity, total hardness, dissolved oxygen, depth, turbidity, water temperature, and conductivity using Water Rangers test kits. Training also includes assessing the local environment by documenting current weather and water conditions, as well as wildlife and recreational water users present at the sample site. With continued experience monitoring water, volunteer community scientists can progress into other volunteer opportunities such as community lead sites where they can monitor independently. Volunteer opportunities vary regionally and seasonally.

  • During monitoring sessions, staff and community scientists take a minimum of five water samples at each location. All procedures are followed accurately to ensure the integrity of the sample is intact. Other observations are also recorded at each monitoring session including weather conditions and other environmental conditions that could impact water quality. Full details about the sampling protocol can be found in the full version of the SOP.

  • The procedure for processing and analyzing water samples varies regionally depending on the equipment being used. You can visit each regions webpage to see which procedure each Sampling Hub uses in more detail.

    Data from the environmental observation and chain of custody documentation is immediately digitized in Swim Drink Fish’s database for storage and data sharing when we return to the Lab after sampling.

    When results are ready they are interpreted based on the region’s process and photos are taken of the analyzed samples for digital backups of the results, and the analyzed data is digitized in Swim Drink Fish’s database. Record-keeping ensures the integrity of water quality monitoring, thus physical and digital backup copies of all data are always stored and logged.

  • Our results are shared on various platforms. The first is on The Swim Guide which displays the most recent water quality results in the form of a Pass or Fail. If results have not been available for over 7 days this will display the historical water quality trends for the site.

    Detailed E.coli Results are available for each region on the regional community-based water monitoring hub page.

    To view our detailed raw data you can download it from the Swim Guide’s Open Data Portal.

    Our Water Rangers data can be viewed on the Water Rangers data platform. .