Waterwatch is a free, fun and hands-on river health education program that supports volunteers, schools and businesses to actively protect the health of our rivers and creeks. The Statewide program is hosted by Merri Creek Management Committee on the northern Yarra River creeks. This includes the Darebin, Moonee Ponds, Edgars and Merri Creeks. The program is funded and supported by Melbourne Water and the Cities of Darebin, Moonee Valley, Moreland, Whittlesea and Yarra.

The program builds community understanding  and enables constructive actions to rectify water quality problems.

Our Waterwatch Coordinator assists schools, community groups and individuals to use water quality monitoring equipment and standard procedures to assess the water quality of their local waterways.

Want to help your local rivers and creeks? Become a Waterwatch volunteer monitor.

Becoming a water quality volunteer monitor is free and easy to do. Step one: The first step is to go along to a Waterwatch monitoring session with one of our trained Waterwatch monitoring groups. Check out Table 1 below for current sites and groups to find a site that is close to you. Then email the leader of that group to find out when they are next conducting Waterwatch sampling and testing. Most groups meet on a weekend. Step two : undertake a free one day river health training workshop to learn all about monitoring our waterways and the current waterwaay pollution issues. You will learn the different sampling techniques, including aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling and identification, how the data you collect is used and how to develop a monitoring plan. Its fun, free and very easy to do! For free Waterwatch workshops on the Merri, Edgars or Darebin Creeks, visit our events calender. Visit the State Waterwatch site for upcoming events and training workshops around the State.  Visit the Healthy Waterways Waterwatch Melbourne events page for upcoming training sessions around Melbourne.  Any questions please contact MCMC's Waterwatch Coordinator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 9380 8199.

Above: Waterwatch supports citizen science. Each year Waterwatch, with support from Melbourne Water, conducts Water Quality Training and Waterbug Cenus Workshops that provide training opportunities for new and current volunteers. These events provide participants opportunities to meet others that are interested in taking action to improve waterway health.

The MCMC Waterwatch program currently supports 8 volunteer groups, who conduct regular monitoring of water quality at 15 sites in the Merri, Edgars, Darebin, Moonee Ponds and Lower Yarra catchments including Westgate Park. These groups are outlined in table 1. Currently we have 15 trained participants that lead these groups, with many other community members volunteering their time on a regular basis. New volunteers are welcome at many of these groups. It’s a great opportunity to meet others who are concerned about local creeks and to help do something about improving the water quality. To go along to a sampling session, email the group leader contact.

Table 1. Waterwatch monitoring groups their sites, and who to contact to join in. Updated May 2023.

Waterwatch monitoring volunteer groups are supported by the Waterwatch program with a range of services, including supply of chemicals for their testing equipment, field equipment, a range of training opportunities, data collation training, Quality Assurance and Quality Control events and ongoing group support. This support is funded by contributions from both Council (the Cities of Darebin, Moreland, Whittlesea and Yarra) and Melbourne Water.

Waterwatch supports citizen science to monitor water quality effectively. MCMC’s Waterwatch Coordinator conducts Quality Assurance, Quality Control (QAQC), frog census, water bug census, database and other training for new and existing water quality monitors. All the water quality data collected by the groups can be accessed by the public on the Victorian Waterwatch Database at: http://www.vic.waterwatch.org.au/

What support is available to become a Waterwatch volunteer?

• Water Quality Monitoring kits are available for long term loans.
• A monitoring manual includes sections on: Habitat surveys, biological surveys, physical and chemical tests, from results to actions and resources
• Fundraising advice for groups who need to raise money for the purchase of monitoring equipment

• Training opportunities

What do groups measure?

Testing parameters include pH, Conductivity, Temperature, Turbidity, Phosphate, Ammonia and Dissolved Oxygen, Visual Habitat assessment, Litter surveys and Macroinvertebrate surveys (water bugs).

For more information please visit: the Waterwatch Program at Melbourne Water or Waterwatch Victoria.