Join Philippe Cousteau, Jr. and EarthEcho International and Make a Positive Impact in Your Community with the EarthEcho Water Challenge!

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On March 22, the United Nations World Water Day, join Philippe Cousteau, Jr., nonprofit EarthEcho International, and more than 1.5 million citizens from 143 countries in conserving and protecting water resources around the globe by participating in the EarthEcho Water Challenge. Through the simple actions of testing water quality locally, sharing data internationally, and taking action to protect water resources, individuals, schools, businesses, and community organizations can help make their communities healthier and more sustainable. This year marks the 17^th edition of the Challenge, which kicks off with worldwide community events hosted by sponsor Xylem Watermark, a new Water Challenge Ambassadors program, and a special launch event in Greenville, North Carolina.

"EarthEcho believes one of the best ways we can make our communities stronger and safer is by understanding and preserving the natural resources that sustain us. Clean water is the life blood of every community, and each of us can play an important role in making sure our waterways are healthy and protected," said EarthEcho International founder, Philippe Cousteau, "The EarthEcho Water Challenge is designed to put the tools of change into the hands of people everywhere."

The EarthEcho Water Challenge runs annually from March 22 through December 31 and is comprised of three easy steps:

• Test ? It all begins by understanding the state of water quality in your community. Get started by purchasing a simple test kit at www.monitorwater.org;
  
  
• Share ? Participants can enter their data online through the EarthEcho Water Challenge database and share their stories and photos on our website at www.monitorwater.org or though social media using #MonitorWater; and
  
  
• Protect ? Armed with knowledge about local water resources, you can use the information and tools available at www.monitorwater.org to protect local water resources every day.

World Water Day 2018 also marks the launch of the EarthEcho Water Challenge Ambassadors program, positioning 20 young environmental leaders ages 13-22 from across the United States to protect water resources in their local communities. Coordinated by EarthEcho International's Youth Leadership Council (YLC) and sponsored by Xylem Watermark, the Water Challenge Ambassadors will increase knowledge of local water resources throughout their communities by leading citizens through water quality monitoring events and water restoration and conservation programs.  To learn more about this year's Water Challenge Ambassadors, visit http://monitorwater.org/ambassadors. 

Community Events
One of the many EarthEcho Water Challenge activities taking place during World Water Day is a special event hosted in collaboration with the city of Greenville, NC and Love A Sea Turtle, a youth-led environmental awareness nonprofit focusing on a range of water-related issues. The event will engage 100 local students from A.G. Cox Middle School in water quality monitoring and conservation efforts at River Park North, home to a new state-of-the-art water quality lab and the first ever EarthEcho Water Challenge field testing station. Portions of the event will live-stream on EarthEcho's Facebook page.

On World Water Day, EarthEcho Water Challenge sponsor Xylem Watermark will host employee-led events to conduct water education programs and water monitoring activities with students in schools and local youth organizations worldwide, including sites in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, Australia, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. These events will introduce young people to their local water resources and allow them to contribute to our understanding of water quality worldwide.

Partners
The EarthEcho Water Challenge is made possible through the generous support of Xylem Watermark. In addition, the following organizations are collaborating with the EarthEcho Water Challenge through outreach, resources, and events: A.G. Cox Middle School; the American Kayaking Association; Austin Youth River Watch; BetterWorld Telecom; the City of Greenville, NC; Coventry Middle School; Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center; the EarthWays Center of the Missouri Botanical Gardens; Everglades National Park; the Florida Aquarium; Friends of the Chicago River; Girl Scouts of Silver Sage; Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition; Indiana University's Bradford Woods; LaMotte Company; Living Lands & Waters; Love A Sea Turtle; Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center; Miami-Dade County Public Schools; Mystic Aquarium; Niles West High School; Ocean Protection Advocacy Kids, Inc.; Ocean Steward; Partnership for the Sounds; Pitt County Schools; River Park North; the San Juan Bay Estuary Program; The Sink or Swim Project; Tennessee Valley Authority; Wander Like Water; the Water Environment Federation; and YES Prep Public Schools.

For more information, visit www.monitorwater.org, follow us on social media, and join the conversation with hashtag #MonitorWater:
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/EarthEcho 
Twitter: @EarthEcho
Instagram: @EarthEcho

SOURCE EarthEcho International