Water quality monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic

What you need to know for the 2021 sampling season

Can I sample during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Water Rangers provides you with the tools and testkits you need to collect field samples at your chosen location. But when it comes to sampling during the pandemic, your local health unit will provide you with the most current public health measures that you should follow when heading into the great outdoors. 

Always follow the advice of the medical professionals, and always put your health, and the health of your community first when you are out testing this season. 

Here are the top five questions that you should answer before heading to the field:

  1. Do you have COVID-19, or show symptoms of COVID-19?

You shouldn’t be out in the community if you have COVID-19, or symptoms of COVID-19. 

  1. Are there any local, regional, or state/province-wide orders in place that apply to your ability to get outside, travel to your monitoring site, or access your monitoring site?

Find out what public restrictions apply to getting outside in your area, and always follow the public orders in place for your region in order to help stop the spread of the virus. 

  1. Is the location where you monitor open for visitors?

Always check to see whether your sample site is open for visitors in order to avoid disappointment. 

  1. In most regions there are still restrictions on gatherings with people outside of households. If you are sampling with others, are there orders or restrictions that apply to the size of your group?

It’s very important to follow the regulations in place regarding the number of people you can gather with outside your household.  If you are sampling with a group, make sure this is in line with local public health regulations. 

  1. Do you have a mask and other PPE, in case you need to come within 2 meters of others during your sampling trip?

Make sure to have your mask, hand sanitizer and other PPE before you head out. 

Does water testing count as exercise?

To determine if water testing qualifies as exercise and is allowable under a stay-at-home order, please contact your local health unit.

Where can I find information about the current COVID-19 related rules and orders that apply to me and my community?

When confirming whether or not you can get to the field to collect samples you first need to know the rules that currently apply to you and your region. Rules and orders are constantly changing, so please check them before each and every sampling trip. 

As Water Rangers affiliates are active in 20 countries, we cannot list all regulations here. all. Instead, we’ve shared links to the public restrictions and orders in place for the Canadian regions where we have the most users. 

Canadian public health measures and advice: COVID-19

If you can get out and collect field samples in your region….

Access our testing protocol here.

When should I sample?

If you are able to get out to the field in your region, Water Ranger’s official testing day is the last Sunday of every month! Testing on Friday, Saturday, or Monday of the same weekend is also encouraged if Sunday doesn’t work for you. 

Still have questions?

If you still have questions, let us know and we can try to answer them to the best of our ability. When in doubt, please refrain from testing.