Clean drinking water is a huge concern for every country, as it can pose serious health concerns such as gastrointestinal, reproductive, and neurological problems. World Health Organization (WHO) reported that drinking contaminated water causes around 3.4 million deaths each year. Pollutants from factory discharge, wastewater treatment plants, agriculture, and consumer products can seep into the water if not processed properly. The US Environmental and Regulatory Agency (EPA) identifies and sets legal level for the amount of contaminants that can be found in water.
It is very important to let citizens know about the water quality. City of Vancouver has setup water monitoring stations across the city that measure temperature, turbidity, free chlorine, pH, and E.coli, and the data is published as open data online. We have created an online dashboard where users can interact with the data and stay up to date concerning the quality of water in their region.
The dashboard uses SensorThings, which allows us to see the previous data up to the most recent date. By making this data open, it allows citizens to stay informed. Data is powerful and can help citizens make informed decisions in what they are drinking and how it can affect their health.
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