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The diagnostic survey tool is designed to be as simple as possible to use, with minimal technical knowledge necessary. The tool is split into 4 distinct sections:
- Report Details
- Environmental Data
- Water Supply
- Catchment Contamination
The diagnostics tool and water quality risk assessment programs have been developed by PhD graduates from the University of Surrey. Both the diagnostics tool and the water risk assessment process will assist field operators to better understand the specific challenges that they are likely to face with the drinking water test when monitoring groundwater, surface water and other water sources.
Once logged in (anyone can quickly set up a free account), the user will be asked various questions about the location of the water source. The answers entered (to either the diagnostics forms or risk assessment forms), populate the programs with data, which is processed to produce a report highlighting the areas of concern and potential risks to the water source in that location. A list of parameters/contaminants that are likely to be present in the water will also be produced. The more comprehensive the answers to the risk assessment questions, the more accurate the assessment of the area will be.
The diagnostic tool takes 5 minutes or less to complete, whereas the risk assessment is far more comprehensive producing better and better quality analysis as more and more data is entered.
Because of the login function, each user’s data is unique to that login. However, users of the risk assessment tool will be able to share their research with one another, thus increasing the accuracy of each water quality monitoring report.
Example: A user may populate the risk assessment program during a project in, say, 2011. That data will be processed, producing a water quality monitoring report that aids the analysis of the site.
In 2012, a further drinking water test is due to be conducted in the same area. A member of the 2012 project could ask the original user (on the 2011 project) for access to his/her data. The original user can share the data processed by the diagnostics / water risk assessment tools with the second user.
Once logged in, the second user will see any reports that have been shared with them in their account under Shared Reports, which enables access to the original user’s data/report, etc. Furthermore, for the risk assessment tool, the second user will be able to amend/update the original user’s data to produce a more comprehensive/up to date report. Because this amendment has taken place from within the new user’s login, the original user’s data remains unaffected, whilst the new user’s account stores the amended data.
Reports from any of the tools can be printed and/or saved locally. However, the data remains secure on the DelAgua server. This means that it can be easily accessed/shared, with only an internet connection required.
