Join Water Rangers at Spanish Banks for a live water testing demonstration as part of the Surfrider Foundation Vancouver’s beach cleanup. From 3:00 to 5:00 pm, our team will be running two back-to-back sessions showing how community scientists measure the health of the water right in front of you.

We’ll be testing for dissolved oxygen, water and air temperature, water clarity using a Secchi disc (if we can access deep enough water), pH, hardness, nitrate, nitrite, bacteria levels, and salinity – the same parameters our volunteers measure at beaches, lakes, and rivers across Canada. It’s a hands-on look at what community water monitoring actually looks like in the field, and a chance to see how the data we collect helps communities ask and answer the question that matters most: is it safe to swim?

No experience needed. Come curious, stay for both sessions if you like, and leave knowing a little more about the water you just helped clean up.

Healthy beaches don’t happen by accident. They’re looked after by people who show up — to clean them, to test them, and to pay attention over time. If today sparks something for you, we’d love for you to stay involved. You can volunteer with Surfrider Foundation Vancouver, join a local watershed stewardship group, or get your own Water Rangers’ kit to start testing regularly! Every data point helps, and every person who gets curious about water makes a difference.