{"id":17042,"date":"2023-03-21T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.prnasia.com\/story\/archive\/4047626_AE47626_0"},"modified":"2023-03-21T19:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-21T19:00:00","slug":"australia-creating-world-first-weather-service-for-water-quality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/transmediavictoria.net.au\/?p=17042","title":{"rendered":"Australia creating world-first ‘weather service’ for water quality"},"content":{"rendered":"

CANBERRA, Australia<\/span>, March 22, 2023<\/span> \/PRNewswire\/ — Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has launched a mission to deliver a world first ground-to-space water quality monitoring system. <\/p>\n

The United Nations estimates three billion people could be at risk from unsafe water. Through AquaWatch Australia, CSIRO is working with partners internationally to help safeguard freshwater and coastal resources. <\/p>\n

AquaWatch will provide near real-time updates and predictive forecasting \u2013 a weather service for water quality <\/i>\u2013 once fully operational. It will support better water quality management and can be used to monitor water quality for drinking, sanitation, aquaculture, environmental assessment and a wide range of other applications to help meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. <\/p>\n

CSIRO, with foundation partner SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre, is bringing together research, government and industry with an initial co-investment of AU$83 million to design and develop AquaWatch.  <\/p>\n

Data collected using an extensive network of Earth observation satellites and ground-based water sensors will be integrated at a central data hub where CSIRO’s capability in data analysis and artificial intelligence can provide forecasts a few days ahead. <\/p>\n

CSIRO Chief Executive, Dr Larry Marshall<\/span> said water is one of the world’s most important and vital resources. <\/p>\n

“In places where people still face the risk of unsafe water for basic needs like drinking and sanitation, a service such as AquaWatch could be a game-changer. <\/p>\n

“The ingenuity behind AquaWatch is it integrates Earth observation with other science capabilities like in-situ sensing, ecosystem modelling, engineering, data science and artificial intelligence.  <\/p>\n

“It is the latest example of CSIRO’s Missions Program, which are large-scale scientific and collaborative research initiatives aimed at accelerating the pace and scale at which we can solve the greatest challenges.” <\/p>\n

CSIRO and its international partners are already working together on pilot projects in: <\/p>\n