My Watermark is Lake Erie, Ontario.

I have gone to camp as a camper and then as a counsellor for years on Lake Erie. And a big part of camp is swimming! twice a day! But as I grew up, as the summers went on swimming in the lake, I started to notice the building in the distance. It was a power plant on the water, the water I was swimming in. And I am not saying it leaked harmful things into the water for sure, but it made me think as a child: wait is that bad, is there stuff in the water, should I be worried?

No one ever talked about the water safety or that plant being right there on the same water we were in twice a day. And I can not imagine a day of camp without swimming in the lake, but I do wonder about a day where we test the water and educate the campers about the water they are in. I think that is an important part to consider and to keep us safe. I had questions about the water quality in the lake that I loved, but no one to answer them.

Lake Erie holds fond memories of growing up and making friendships. I want to protect that for future kids to feel the same joy that comes from being a kid at camp, care free, swimming in the water.