Media inquiries

About Water Rangers

Born out of a belief that all people have the right to participate in freshwater conservation, Water Rangers creates accessible water-quality monitoring tools and data systems that empower people to do just that.

Interested in learning more?

All media inquiries can be sent to contact@waterrangers.ca.

Founder Kat Kavanagh was frustrated after testing her local lake and trying to discern the water’s health from complicated lab reports and a filing cabinet full of hardcopy data. Determined to tackle the absence of user-friendly methods for collecting, sharing, and accessing water data, Kat combined her love for user-experience design and the environment to lead a team of other technologists to create the first Water Rangers prototype back in 2015. That year, the team won the first Aquahacking Competition, and Water Rangers was transformed from prototype to reality. 

We imagine a world where every community has a the tools they need to care for their local waterbodies.

Kat Kavanagh, Executive Director

Shortly after our data platform was launched, people started to express to us that they wanted to test the water, but that they didn’t know where to start. This led us to design and start selling our water quality testkits. Our testkits are designed to be used by anyone, no matter their technical ability.  

Today, our data platform is being used in over 20 countries and counting, and we’ve distributed more than 5,500 testkits in Canada, the UK, and beyond.

Quick facts

  • Our data platform is free and can be used by anyone (app.waterrangers.ca)
  • Over 250,000 individual data points logged (app.waterrangers.ca/observations)
  • Data platform is being used in more than 20 countries
  • Over 6,400 waterbodies monitored
  • Almost 300 groups across North America and the UK are using Water Rangers’ testkits (https://app.waterrangers.ca/groups)
  • Our test kits are available in French and English. Our flagship kit is the Freshwater Explorer Testkit, which allows users to test for air/water temperature, conductivity, pH, clarity, dissolved oxygen, chlorine, hardness, and alkalinity (https://waterrangers.com/testkits/). We also have kits specifically designed for ocean water testing and for monitoring road salts in winter.
  • More than 60% of Canada’s watersheds are data deficient, meaning we have no idea whether they’re healthy or not (see WWF-Canada’s Watershed Reports for more info!). This makes the need for accessible water quality monitoring greater than ever.
  • Water Rangers is the new steward of the Watershed Reports, powered by AquaAction. We assumed responsibility for the Watershed Reports in June of 2023, and work is underway on the third edition of the reports, which we’ll be publishing in the fall of 2024. Learn more here.

Partners and collaborators

Some of the incredible people that we work with include:

  • URegina: Water Rangers has partnered with the University of Regina and Environment and Climate Change Canada to monitor 70 lakes in Saskatchewan. See water rangers.ca/saskatchewan for more.
  • DataStream: In 2021, Water Rangers and DataStream began an official collaboration to address barriers in making community collected data openly available for decisions and action in freshwater stewardship. Our shared goal is to increase the number of high quality water quality datasets that are published in open and accessible ways, using consistent, machine readable and scientifically robust reporting formats. Today, dozens of Water Rangers’ contributors elect to share their data with DataStream, too.
  • Ocean Diagnostics: Water Rangers has teamed up with Ocean Diagnostics to equip the next generation of environmental change-makers with the knowledge and skills needed to address complex global issues, like water quality and plastic pollution. With our Water Quality Educational Testkit and Ocean Diagnostics’ Microplastics Education Toolkit, educators can feel supported in providing immersive nature-based learning experiences inside and outside their classrooms.
  • Water First: Water First is a non-profit that partners with Indigenous communities throughout Canada to help solve water challenges. Their mission is to address water challenges in Indigenous communities through education, training, and meaningful collaboration. Some of this training includes water sampling, tracking and monitoring pollution levels in the water, and running and maintaining water treatment facilities. They also visit schools and run workshops to increase students’ interest and knowledge in water science. Since 2019 Water First has used Water Rangers testkits as part of their workshops. 
  • Riparia: Riparia connects young women and science on the water. With their team of guides, scientists, and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, participants learn and experience different ways of doing science, thinking about water, and learning from their environment. 

Audience

The Water Rangers community of water testers extends across North America, the UK, and beyond. 

Our audience is made up of people who are passionate about protecting their local water bodies. They are community builders, educators, conservationists, and traditional water protectors. Water Rangers has extensive partnerships with government agencies, conservation authorities, educational institutions, Indigenous communities, and other NGOs.

Testimonials

[Water Rangers] has allowed us to collect baseline water samples at strategic points along our river, as our community faces a proposed mine which will sump into the river… this program gave the community a sense that we are proactively protecting the river we love, in case the mine is approved. It has given us confidence that if it is approved, we have baseline data, and can hold industry to a higher standard.

Sarah, tester from New Brunswick

Seeing the water temperature change, measuring the amount of oxygen, and monitoring other parameters felt like I was checking in on Lake Erie to see if it was doing okay – and now whenever I walk or drive by a body of water, I wonder how it’s doing. I’m so appreciative of this experience and it completely changed how I look at the environment around me!

Morena, Lake Erie Guardian 2021

My teen took interest in the science experiment with [your kit] in May. Thank you so much, he was convinced science was not for him cause it didn’t go well in school. Now homeschooled for three years, I’ve been trying a lot of things in the science area without success but your tiny kit did it!

Annie, Tiny Kit recipient

I went to the Toronto Islands Public school and did some water sampling with three Water Ranger kits with 26 first graders along with several parents and their teacher… This was very exciting for everyone, and the kids were able to learn about the waters right outside their school.

Elise Mackie, Swim Drink Fish

Water Rangers in the media

Press releases

Previous media coverage

Awards

Connect with us on social media

Water Rangers’s social media accounts include:

If you mention us or the work we’re doing on social media, make sure to tag us! We’re usually happy to re-share posts that align with our mission and values.

Contact us to learn more

All media inquiries can be sent to contact@waterrangers.ca. We’d love to talk to you in both English and French!