Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council made a new web app available to provide data on wind, weather and water conditions around beaches in Boscombe.
It said the SeaCheck app – developed with technology companies UnifAI Technology and Iknaia along with Wessex Water – will collect detailed data from multiple sources, including a weather station at Boscome pier, to provide near real time and predictive air and sea temperatures, wind speed and wave height information.
This is intended to help visitors to the beaches make informed decisions before going to swim or take part in activities such as surfing of paddling.
The council is also aiming to use two buoys off Bournemouth and Boscombe piers with AI to provide risk indicators for harmful bacteria in the water.
SeaCheck can be accessed through UnifAI’s BeachMonitor website. It is being piloted through the summer, with plans to assess its effectiveness in September before a further roll out.
Healthy seafront
Leader of BCP Council, Cllr Millie Earl, said: “The SeaCheck app represents a huge advancement in our efforts to promote a healthy and prosperous seafront that residents and visitors can enjoy safely. By leveraging AI and real time data, we can provide unprecedented insights into sea conditions and water quality that is available to the public.”
Ruth Barden, Wessex Water’s director of environmental solutions, said: “This is a national-first partnership project and we’re excited by its potential to give recreational water users their own ‘risk assessment’ before deciding whether to enter the sea.”
