Our Digital Solutions for your Environmental Data

Water Monitoring Data Validation and Interpretation

The cost of water monitoring, especially of water quality monitoring, is high, and when data is collected, but not interpreted in a manner that can lead to informed management decision-making, it is simply a waste of time and money.

Incorporating efficient environmental data interpretation and management systems is one of the key factors which contributes to a business’ success. According to Mervyn King (former governor of the Bank of England), "sustainability is the primary moral and economic imperative of the 21st Century.  It is the most important source of both opportunities and risks for businesses. Nature, society, and business are interconnected in complex ways that should be understood by decision-makers". Read more here.  In this regard, sustainability science is the scientific way of gathering data to analyse pathways towards a (more) sustainable world, by taking into account future generations.

And the only way in which we can understand these complex relationships, is when we make sure that decision-makers (both in our own organisations and in government) understand our environmental data.  If we fail to present our environmental data in a visualised and easy-to-understand format to decision-makers, we are ultimately responsible for the poor governance decisions that will inevitably be the result.

This is why CBSS pride ourselves that we do not simply "monitor" water quality by having samples taken and having laboratory results produced.  Yes, this is the start of the water monitoring process, but having loads of Excel^(R) spreadsheets with reams of laboratory results, can never be regarded as "water quality monitoring"  or even "water resource monitoring".

In order to achieve good water governance , and to ensure compliance and reduce risks, all water monitoring data requires proper validation and interpretation by a qualified water chemist.  Validated water monitoring data need to be compared against site-specific limit values developed based on the Resource Quality Objectives for the nearest surface water or groundwater resource.  More often than not, lazy pseudo-scientists will compare environmental water sample results against the South African Drinking Water Standard, which is simply bad science, and incorrect from both a legal and a technical perspective.

Contact us to talk about turning your water monitoring data into management information that will save you time and money, and that will reduce your environmental compliance risks!!

Digitalisation and Visualisation of your Environmental data

The digitisation and digitalisation (read our blog here on the difference between these concepts) of environmental data plays an essential role in ensuring the transformation of environmental policy into good governance practices on a site-specific basis. Incorporating efficient environmental data management systems is one of the key factors, which contributes to a business’ success.  Given its transformative nature, sustainability is expected to adapt to the new possibilities and perils of the digital age, or vice versa, digitalisation is the driver that changes sustainability.  

If we fail to present our environmental data in a visualised and easy-to-understand format to decision-makers, we are ultimately responsible for the poor governance decisions that will inevitably be the result.

We therefore have to make sure that decision-makers understand environmental data and the complex relationships that underpins them. Environmental data solutions does not mean "somebody who can do GIS".  Environmental data digitisation and digitalisation, as well as visualisation, are about much, MUCH more than the ability to make pretty maps.

If you are still collecting any type of environmental related data on a clipboard or other piece of paper (like weigh-bridge loads, field measurements of levels or volumes of water in impoundments, or field measurements of water quality variables, or maintenance logs, or even complaints registers), or if you are storing heaps and heaps of lab results on some excel spreadsheet somewhere, you have not digitised or digitalised your environmental data, and you cannot claim that your data is being used to inform sound decision-making.

At CBSS, we  create innovative solutions, services and products that will digitise, digitalise, and visualise your environmental data.

Whatever the data, if you currently collect it in an excel spreadsheet, or even in a photocopied(!) form on a clipboard, we can convert it into a digitised format, and help you to turn your data into visualised management information.

And we will ensure that this information is available to you, in a secure online format that is scientifically correct, and understandable to non-specialists.