About Swim Guide:
Swim Guide is a free smartphone app developed by the Waterkeeper Alliance that gives citizens daily and weekly updates on locations, closures, swim advisories, pollution and water-quality issues at over 400 beaches in BC.
Canadians have strong emotional bonds to their favourite swimming holes, but are largely unaware of the threats to these waters from industrial point-source pollution, municipal sewage discharges that are largely untreated, and CSOs (combined sewage outfalls) that dump stormwater mixed with raw sewage. Awareness of water quality is vital in BC's metropolitan areas, most of which have outdated sewage treatment facilities, and have point-source emissions and CSOs located near popular beaches. The app enables the public to make informed recreational choices and to advocate for both better water monitoring and pollution control at their lakes, rivers & beaches.
Swim Guide is an easy-to-use application (“app”) for iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch® and Android provided free to all citizens. It allows users to gain access to important updates on beach closures, swim advisories, and pollution, and learn about, locate and enjoy beaches in their area. FRK was among the first Waterkeeper organizations to launch the Swim Guide mobile application in 2011.
Swim Guide was created to serve all those who use our water bodies for recreation—swimmers, surfers, families with children, and paddle-sport enthusiasts— while catalyzing awareness and change on water quality and habitat conservation issues.
Volunteer Responsibilities:
• Spreading the word about Swim Guide and FRK by poster distribution, staffing info tables and on-the-ground outreach at local beaches, community centres and summer events
• Contacting health authorities for daily water-quality data and updating the back end of the app
• Website updates and database management
Volunteer Qualifications:
• Desire to help protect BC ‘s beaches, rivers, and water bodies-- experience in water recreation (swimming/kayaking/canoeing/fishing) a plus
• Great communication skills and a sense of humour
• Willingness to meet new people at local beaches and events and talk about Swim Guide
• Ability to collaborate and work with a team
Tyee Bridge
Riverkeeper and Campaigns Director,
Fraser Riverkeeper Society
604.879.2203
