A pilot project testing a digital tool that lets you report on the health of your local waterways in real time, directly from your phone, ends next month.
BluePrint, developed by the Environment Agency in partnership with Hello Lamp Post, follows WaterWatch, a year-long pilot that gathered public observations at five bathing water sites. The concept went national in February and ends in July.
“England’s waterways are constantly changing. While the Environment Agency carries out extensive monitoring, measurements alone can’t capture how these changes are felt by the people who swim, walk and paddle there,” the agency said.
“That’s where you come in. We’re working with citizen scientists to gather insights from communities who visit their local waters most often – perspectives that can help us spot changes earlier and support more responsive environmental decision-making.
“To build this richer picture of people’s experiences, our pilot project, BluePrint, will allow the public to share real time observations from rivers, lakes, beaches and streams anywhere in England.
“It builds on the success of WaterWatch, a site based pilot that used QR signs to engage people at five bathing water locations between October 2024 and October 2025. Their input gave us unique insights into water clarity, levels of activity and visible signs of pollution.”
BluePrint has expanded the concept from five sites to pilot a national, remote access tool, ensuring anyone can participate without needing to locate a sign, giving the agency a way to hear directly from people whenever they are out enjoying their local waters, and helping it understand how places are being used and what changes people are noticing.
“Unlike the WaterWatch pilot, BluePrint does not rely on physical signs and QR codes at set locations,” the agency said. “Instead, BluePrint tests the use of geolocation. You can record information such as water clarity, how many people are in or near the water, what activities are taking place, and any visible signs of pollution.
“The platform also brings in live Environment Agency data, including pollution risk forecasts, tidal heights and river gauge levels. You can then ask any questions about local environmental conditions or the Environment Agency’s work.
“This project aims to create a clearer national picture of how our waterways are used, supporting our ongoing monitoring and helping strengthen our response to environmental pressures.
“WaterWatch was our first step in exploring how people’s experiences can add value to our environmental work. This year-long pilot invited people at five bathing water sites across England to share simple observations about local conditions through Hello Lamp Post. Their input gave us unique insights into water clarity, levels of activity and visible signs of pollution.
“By working with local citizen science groups, we were able to increase the amount of data we received, with some groups taking part in the conversation on a regular basis. This helped to highlight issues such as seaweed accumulation and dog waste, which can affect water quality.
“Existing signage will remain in place at the River Nidd, the Ribble at Edisford Bridge and Lake Windermere, while new signage was introduced at the River Teme, the River Dart and additional sites in London and Worthing. Features, including photo uploads with automatic anonymisation, will further enhance the quality of the citizen generated data.”
Visit https://engageenvironmentagency.uk.engagementhq.com/citizen-science-participate/widgets/128334/faqs
