Headwaters has recently partnered with UK Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Science to offer community members the opportunity to sample local water. Through this citizen science collaboration, Debi Sexton, Jonathan Hootman, and Jane Whisenant have been trained in drinking water and surface water sampling. In testing Total Dissolved Solids and pH, citizen scientists can better understand water quality both out of their tap and in local streams.
While Headwaters has participated in stream water sampling for several years, there has not been a major effort to sample tap water. With many community members being interested in drinking water quality, this is an exciting opportunity. Hopefully this water sampling project will lead to further drinking water sampling.
We greatly appreciate our three citizen scientists, Debi, Jonathan, and Jane, who have dedicated time to water sampling and are offering significant project feedback. This feedback is helping to advance community water-testing initiatives being carried out by UK CARES. We are happy to work with PhD student and Community Engagement Core Project Coordinator, Monica Mundy, Ellen Hahn, PhD, Professor, College of Nursing and UK CARES Deputy Director, and everyone who is part of the project. This collaboration will certainly help our three citizen scientists, Headwaters, and our community gain further insight into both surface and drinking water.
