Summer students essential for water quality monitoring
Lincoln University student Alex Williamson is one of four students joining our recreational water team, marking the start of our summer water quality monitoring programme. Check the LAWA Can I Swim Here? website to find out where’s good to swim this summer.
When she’s not in the lecture theatre, training at the gym or flinging a rugby ball around the paddock, 20-year-old Alex is out there helping to keep us safe in our waterways this summer.
The summer students help bolster field staff resource for a four-month cycle of water sampling throughout Waitaha Canterbury, results are available on the LAWA website.
Based in Timaru, the former Craighead Diocesan student, has returned to our team for a third year and loves getting back to her regular routine, testing upwards of 30 sites every week within Timaru, Temuka, Fairlie, Waitaki and the number one swimming spot in South Canterbury, Caroline Bay.
As part of the LAWA water quality criteria, Alex is predominantly testing for traces of E.Coli or enterococci and undertaking a visual check for toxic algae.
Alex Williamson has returned for her third and final year as a summer student.
Water sampling critical for health information
Equipped with a range of quirky gadgets such as a grab arm, bathyscopes (a road cone-like object used to get an accurate understanding of what’s going on under the water), thermometers and sample bottles, much of Alex’s work goes under the radar, but remains no less important when it comes to assisting health experts to provide the right advice via the LAWA website.
"My family have a bach in Twizel, so we grew up playing in the Twizel River, Lake Ruantaniwha, Lake Benmore and other areas.
"It’s quite special to be back out in this environment and carrying out work to help inform people about what the quality of sites are for swimming."
"There’s nothing better than being out and about on a hot summer’s day, my office backdrop is always pretty amazing," Alex said.
Alex sends the samples to the lab and the results are uploaded onto the LAWA website.
If a sample has high levels of E.Coli or enterococci (faecal bacteria), or toxic algae is spotted at a site, the results will be passed on to our National Health Service who may issue a health warning or ask for further investigations.
A fine balancing act
Outside of work, Alex is in the final stages of completing a degree in Environmental Policy and Planning. She is also chasing her goals on the field - recently joining the Canterbury Rugby Women’s Academy and on a Lincoln University sport scholarship.
She’s unsure exactly what the future holds, but with impressive grades giving her the opportunity to progress to Honours in her final year, there’s still time to figure out the next move as she continues to carry out a fine balancing act between commitments.
For now, though, another busy summer awaits, and the next water sample is due.
Find water quality results on LAWA
- Visit 'Can I Swim Here?' (lawa.org.nz/swim) for recreational water quality information.
- Be sure to check the latest information before you and your family head out to your favourite spot.