Drinkable Rivers engages people to experience their rivers, and empowers local organisations to strengthen their specific mission by also monitoring the health of their river by inviting their communities to engage in citizen science.
Since autumn 2024 a small group of members of Stedenband Haarlem Mutare joined Citizen Science Programme of Drinkable Rivers. From October we measure several parameters concerning the Water quality of the River Spaarne that flows through the city of Haarlem. These measurements are physical, chemical as well as ecological. In 2025 we have planned a monitor programme to study the dynamics of River Spaarne. Our most important monitor station is at the centre of Haarlem near the office of Haarlem-Mutare. This station will be measured monthly in summertime and once or twice in wintertime. For the River Spaarne the nutrients nitogen and phosphate are of uttermost importance, next to the concentration of the bacteria Escherichia coli. Occasionally we will measure these important parameters also at the beginning (“source”) and at the end (“outflow”). River Spaarne is not a real river any more, it is at present a ‘canal’ and is part of the superfluous polderwater system of the Water Authority of Rijnland, which means that the ‘urban’ river is also influenced by agricultural load. The initial conclusion, after three measurements in autumn 2024, is that the concentration of phosphate exceeds the standards by far and large, and as far for E. coli concentration is it wise not to swim in the river. After this first year we will make a definitive monitoring plan.
However, the project of Drinkable Rivers already contains tens of measurement hubs all over the world. These measurements will be used to compare rivers systems and their possible influences.
Of course we will not only perform measurements of the water quality, also student will be involved in our action. Together with the programme: ‘Save the River, Aqua Heroes Game for Children’ we promote the awareness of the importance of a good water quality.
In the future we will try to extend our measurements to the River Pungwe in Mutare. To be continued.