Making the Most of Section 82: From Instrumentation to Public Information

Section 82 of the Environment Act 2021 has moved continuous water quality monitoring from an area of innovation and trials into a major programme of delivery for the water sector. The challenge is no longer simply whether we can install instruments upstream and downstream of assets; it is whether we can produce data that is reliable, assured, useful and understandable.

This fifth SWIG Section 82 workshop will focus on making the most of Section 82, from instrumentation through to public information. The day will follow the full journey from monitoring location, instrument choice, installation and maintenance, through to telemetry, data quality, assurance, interpretation, publication and communication with customers, regulators and wider stakeholders.

The event will be practical and case-study-led. We are looking for honest lessons from water companies, regulators, researchers and delivery partners on what is working, what remains difficult and what needs to mature as the sector scales up delivery through AMP8 and beyond.

Key themes will include reliable field instrumentation, pumped kiosk and in-river approaches, power and communications at remote sites, calibration and maintenance regimes, data validation, flagging, gaps, uncertainty, event context, EDM overlays, catchment context, public dashboards and the challenge of explaining what the data does and does not mean.

The aim is for delegates to leave with a clearer view of how Section 82 can deliver more than compliance. Done well, it can improve understanding of river water quality, inform investment and operational decisions, support regulatory confidence and provide better, clearer information to the public.