In 2023, only 6 out of 91 river stretches in Essex were classified as being good ecological quality, with the rest being moderate or poor. Pollution, litter and habitat loss have all taken their toll, and residents have noticed. A 2023 Essex County Council survey found that river pollution was the county’s top environmental concern.

To tackle this, the Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust and Essex Rivers Hub have launched Essex RiverWatch- a free citizen science project that empowers local communities to monitor and help restore our rivers.

Joining is simple, completely free, and rewarding. After a short online or in-person training session, volunteers will receive a free testing kit and access to an easy data recording app. Monthly surveys take just 10-20 minutes at a location of your choice, and involve observing your local river and testing basic water quality.

Whether you’d like to take part individually, with friends or as part of a community group, everyone is welcome, and the more people involved, the better the picture we can build of Essex’s river health.

Together, we can keep Essex’s rivers healthy for both people and wildlife.

For more information and to sign up, visit the Essex RiverWatch page.