New water quality sensors have been added to the ends of Bournemouth and Boscombe piers.
Wessex Water have told Bournemouth One they’ve installed the sensors which will give real time data using AI, to give information about bacteria levels, as well as the water temperature, flow and rainfall.
At the moment, they’re going through various tests and are aiming to “go live” later this year. When that happens, swimmers and other water users will be able to access the data by a web app.
The aim is to then progressively roll more sensors out at other locations including Hengistbury Head.
A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “While Bournemouth’s bathing waters are excellent, they can be affected by numerous sources and we want to give beachgoers the best possible information.
“The sensors using AI technology correlate with public health measures that normally take 36 hours to test in a laboratory, so this represents a major breakthrough and runs alongside our £3 million investment every month on storm overflow improvements across our region.
“We’re also in the process of upgrading Bournemouth’s Holdenhurst Water Recycling Centre, a £30 million project that will increase sewage treatment capacity to further protect the area’s fantastic beaches.”
