Meteor wins EA bathing water messaging contract

The Environment Agency has awarded Meteor Communications a 3-year contract to issue bathing water alerts via text and email during the May to September bathing season.

Under the Bathing Water Regulations 2013, the Environment Agency monitors and reports bathing water quality around English coasts and at designated inland bathing waters. This data is utilised by the Agency’s Bathing Water Pollution Risk Forecasting system which models factors such as weather and tides to predict bathing water quality. This pollution risk information is disseminated to the public via the Swimfo website, and Meteor Communications will be responsible for sending daily and intra-day Pollution Risk Forecast notification messages to Environment Agency Bathing Water Area Leads and those Local Authorities that are responsible for managing beach access and signage to inform bathers on water quality status. The notifications will also be sent to digital public information signs that are located at some beach locations.

Meteor Director Andrew Scott says: “Water quality and communications are two of our key specialisms, so we are delighted to have been awarded this contract, and bathing water quality is a highly topical issue, so it is gratifying to be able to help.”