> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://exchange.ca-wn.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Great UK WaterBlitz - URL: https://exchange.ca-wn.org/great-uk-waterblitz-2/ - Published: 2026-04-26T15:56:39.000Z - Updated: 2026-04-27T16:16:56.000Z - Author: CA-WN Exchange - Tags: nature, water, individual impact Over a late April weekend citizen scientists around the country set about collecting freshwater samples from their local water courses. **CA-WN took part** to find out what was involved in contributing to FreshWater Watch’s Great UK WaterBlitz1. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6b/9d/6b9d1f4f-4192-42dd-8678-29d4899fa5bc/content/images/2026/04/Hoarestone-Brook.png) A CA-WN sample site: Hoarestone Brook near Bugbrooke Twice a year WaterBlitz volunteers sign up to receive a **water quality testing kit** and commit to spending time to collect their water sample, carry out the tests, observe surrounding nature and submit their findings online. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6b/9d/6b9d1f4f-4192-42dd-8678-29d4899fa5bc/content/images/2026/04/waterkit.png) There are three clearly labelled tubes in the kit, one for testing the quantity of **nitrate**, one for **phosphate** and one for assessing the water sample’s **pH** level - how alkaline or acidic it is. Who knew that pH stands for *power of Hydrogen*? Each tube contains a chemical that reacts to sampled water by gradually changing colour. A colour chart is used to gauge the result after carefully defined times; pH at 20 seconds, nitrate level at 3 minutes and phosphate at five minutes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6b/9d/6b9d1f4f-4192-42dd-8678-29d4899fa5bc/content/images/2026/04/score.png) A **photograph** and visual site survey complements the water sampling with general details being **uploaded online** as tick boxes describing the type of water course (ditch, pond, stream, lake, river or canal), nearby land use, bankside vegetation, any floating matter and water colour (from colourless to yellow, brown, green, grey or milky white). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6b/9d/6b9d1f4f-4192-42dd-8678-29d4899fa5bc/content/images/2026/04/Tove-site-April-2026.png) A CA-WN sample site: the River Tove's mill stream alongside West Northamptonshire Council offices in Towcester Below, the extract from the live map **shows that only a few** of West Northamptonshire’s water courses are being sampled. **Autumn WaterBlitz** runs from **18–21 September 2026**. If you know anyone with an interest in the water quality of our drought-prone region do encourage them to [register here](https://earthwatch.org.uk/greatukwaterblitz/?ref=exchange.ca-wn.org) for further details of how to make a **free** citizen science contribution. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/6b/9d/6b9d1f4f-4192-42dd-8678-29d4899fa5bc/content/images/2026/04/site25.png) Map source: [https://www.freshwaterwatch.org/pages/great-uk-waterblitz-results](https://www.freshwaterwatch.org/pages/great-uk-waterblitz-results?ref=exchange.ca-wn.org) If there’s enough of us concerned about the quality of the water in our publicly accessible streams, rivers or canals **it could be worthwhile setting up our own group to routinely monitor and submit reports.** [**Let us know** ](mailto:secretary@ca-wn.org?subject=Water%20quality%20survey)if that sounds like a worthwhile commitment you would be able to make. **REFERENCE** 1 [Great UK WaterBlitz](https://earthwatch.org.uk/greatukwaterblitz/?ref=exchange.ca-wn.org)