Provision of data services

Tender description

A team at the University of Exeter is part of the “BlueAdapt” research project investigating the transmission dynamics of coastal pathogens and how these will shift in the response to climate change. As part of this project, the University will perform a case study to evaluate and enhance a smartphone app that issues real-time water quality alerts to users, in order to assess changes in users’ beach visitation behaviours. Such changes in behaviour may alter human exposure to waterborne microorganisms and subsequent illness. As such, the University intends to award a contract to Surfers Against Sewage for the provision of data and analytical reports based on app usage, in order to achieve the research objectives of the project. Their Safer Seas and River Science (SSRS) app is the only app identified that can offer the required criteria. Lot 1: A team at the University of Exeter is part of the “BlueAdapt” research project investigating the transmission dynamics of coastal pathogens and how these will shift in the response to climate change. As part of this project, the University will perform a case study to evaluate and enhance a smartphone app that issues real-time water quality alerts to users, in order to assess changes in users’ beach visitation behaviours. Such changes in behaviour may alter human exposure to waterborne microorganisms and subsequent illness. As such, the University intends to award a contract to Surfers Against Sewage for the provision of data and analytical reports based on app usage, in order to achieve the research objectives of the project. Their Safer Seas and River Science (SSRS) app is the only app identified that can offer the required criteria, including: • A near real-time water quality alert service across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (approximately 450 locations). • A large user base, with over 200,000 unique app downloads to achieve the sample size required for the research. • Enables app-users to voluntarily submit a health report associated with their visit to a location to support research objectives (e.g. the range of infection indicators considered). • Nation-wide coverage of both sewage pollution alerts from water companies and Pollution Risk Forecast alerts from the regulators (Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Environment Protection Agency).