Our Waterwatch volunteers have been measuring water quality for more than 20 years to give us a better understanding of our waterways’ long-term health. Become a volunteer or view water monitoring resources and data.
COVID-19 update
Water quality volunteer field activities have now resumed where state health guidelines can be followed. Before restarting any activity, contact your program manager for advice on specific safety requirements and to receive a copy of our COVID-19 Control Plan.
Check out our ‘Expert Connections’ webinar series on ecological and waterway themes, and the Melbourne Water social media for updates and events.
Become a volunteer
Become a Waterwatch volunteer, and monitor water quality and assess habitats in your area.
Monitoring groups are provided with free, specialised training and receive ongoing support from their Waterwatch Coordinator to develop and implement their own monitoring program. Information collected by these groups is made available to Melbourne Water, the EPA and local councils to help identify what can be done at a local level to improve our rivers and creeks.
Access waterway data
Explore the health of your local waterway by viewing data collected by volunteers around the state — it's all available on the Waterwatch Victoria Data portal.
To learn what this data can tell us, view Waterwatch Victoria's data interpretation manual.
Resources for monitors
Data collection forms
Record your water quality results using the following data forms.
Equipment instructions and maintenance
Instructions on using your water quality monitoring equipment can be found in the Waterwatch handbook.
There are also some excellent videos on using, calibrating and maintaining your equipment created by our colleagues at the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority:
- Waterwatch 5: Sample collection and testing
- Waterwatch 6: Temperature
- Waterwatch 7: Turbidity
- Waterwatch 8: Testing pH level
- Waterwatch 9: Testing electroconductivity
- Waterwatch 10: Phosphate test
Contact us
A number of dynamic Waterwatch monitoring groups across Melbourne are seeking new members. Contact us to find out about any groups near you, and for more information on any of our activities:
- email [email protected]
- call 131 722