Safeswim

We designed and developed and, for its first season, managed the operation of Auckland’s multi award-winning Safeswim platform. We combined cutting edge modelling and data-visualisation, common-sense science and state-of-the-art sensor tech, added drones and digital signs and built a multi-party partnership across agencies to provide Auckland’s beach users with a world leading one-stop-shop for real time information on water quality and beach swimming conditions.

In seven months, from February to October 2017 we completely redesigned, rebuilt and relaunched Auckland Council’s beach water quality monitoring and reporting system. This required us to build and manage a multi-party virtual team and framework for management/oversight that brought together representatives from across Council departments, Council Controlled Organisations and other public agencies, and included a broad range of private sector technical experts.

Importantly, we reached out to and built a relationship with Surf Life Saving Northern Region – for the first time integrating public advice and messaging on swimming conditions and water quality.

The Safeswim programme has collected a succession of international and national awards for its innovative design and effective integration of environmental science, continuous monitoring, contaminant modelling, data warehousing and web and digital sign-based communications platforms to radically improve the accuracy and effectiveness of Auckland’s beach and water quality management systems.