Wessex Water is inviting local communities to participate in the Bristol Avon WaterBlitz, a campaign to collect water quality samples from across the Bristol Avon catchment as part of the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership.

Taking place from 10 June to 25 June, in support of the Festival of Nature 2016, the campaign aims to educate people about their local watercourse and help capture a snapshot of the condition of the water environment.

The Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership and FreshWater Watch are asking individuals, schools and groups to take part in the WaterBlitz, to help collect 500 water quality samples within the Bristol Avon catchment and participate in the Festival of Nature 2016.

Wessex Water is currently hosting the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership and working closely with Bristol Water, Bristol Avon Rivers Trust and various partners to help support and promote the WaterBlitz campaign.

Zoe Hancock, Bristol Avon Catchment coordinator, said:

"The Bristol Avon catchment is a large network of streams, canals, ditches, ponds and rivers. Nutrient pollution can enter these watercourses and affect the water quality and degrade these important ecosystems and the species that inhabit them."

"The WaterBlitz is a great opportunity for people to get actively involved in monitoring their local watercourse and help us to better understand the condition of the water environment and protect it in the future."

Using the free water testing kit, people can sample a watercourse in the Bristol Avon catchment and upload the results to Freshwater Watch to compare the water quality level to other sites on an interactive results map. 

To get involved, participants can apply online at www.wessexwater.co.uk/waterblitz and register by Monday 20 June to receive a free water sampling kit.