EarthScience Information Systems (ESCIS) is pleased to announce the release of the Shoalhaven City Council Aqua Data website, a branding of the ESdat Public Portal.
Aqua Data is a web-portal providing greatly enhanced community access to the results of water quality monitoring completed by Shoalhaven City Council (SCC). Aqua Data is the public interface of a detailed system designed to streamline the way SCC manage and share environmental data.
Aqua Data is accessed via a link on the Shoalhaven City Council web site directing users to the Aqua Data home page
http://webreports.esdat.net/SCC/Search/Locations#results-map
The Aqua Data home page features a map interface with water sampling locations clearly displayed on a familiar Google Maps background. Clicking on a water sampling location within the map generates tables and graphs of water quality data for that location. The tables and graphs can then be downloaded and printed.
Aqua Data provides a free and easy to use portal for the community to access up-to-date water quality data.
Key benefits include:
- Increased visibility and accessibility of important community information
- Freeing up SCC resources, previously dedicated to responding to community requests for water quality information
Greg Howarth, the SCC Project Manager, explains how Aqua Data will benefit the community?
“Aqua Data has been designed to improve the sharing of water quality monitoring results with the community and to assist consideration of water quality data within the catchment planning and catchment management decision making process.”
The benefits of the new system extend beyond the public portal. Behind the scenes the new system developed by EScIS completely upgrades the way SCC manage water quality data. EScIS have implemented ESdat Online as the framework to allow SCC staff to import, review and approve laboratory testing results. The approved results then automatically appear on Aqua Data.
ESdat Online uses a web-browser interface, allowing SCC staff to rapidly compile and compare historical results with new data as soon as it is received. SCC now have greatly enhanced ability to assess water quality, identify any potential hazards and trigger a suitable response. Greg Howarth, the SCC Project Manager again:
“ESdat Online will save Council time and resources that we can now spend serving our customers”
EScIS have worked closely with ALS, who provide laboratory analytical services to SCC, to develop an efficient and robust system of transferring data from the laboratory into the SCC system as quickly as possible.
ALS have worked hard to successfully meet the critical technical requirements of the project to ensure a smooth transition for SCC as the new system is adopted.
Philip Kennedy, ALS Projects Coordinator:
”ALS realises the importance of providing accurate and timely data, particularly when related to public health. The ALS IT team have modified system outputs to support the requirements of SCC and EScIS. This exciting initiative demonstrates ALS’ capability and commitment to streamlining the data management processes and looks forward to working with ESCIS on further projects.”
SCC has extended the use of ESdat Online beyond the data presented in Aqua Data. SCC also use ESdat Online to centralise management of lab testing data associated with the day-to-day operations of important SCC infrastructure, such as water treatment facilities.
“The ability of the ESdat Online system to automatically email staff informing them that a reading is outside the expected range will be a great asset in assisting rapid responses to time critical issues.”
SCC and EScIS are excited by the positive changes in community engagement and SCC operations the Aqua Data and ESdat Online will deliver and are currently working together to map future expansion and development of the system.
Greg Howarth, SCC Project Manager:
“Shoalhaven City Council (SCC) are now keen to work with other water quality custodians to expand the use Aqua Data, so that the benefits of having a cost effective, one-stop, easily maintained and accessible water quality information service is shared and utilised by a growing audience”
For further details regarding Aqua Data please contact:
Tom Wilson Senior Implementation Manager, EScIS
0448 682 616
Greg Howarth Project Manager – WQ Web Portal, Shoalhaven City Council
0456 592 221