Water Watch - Hello Lamp Post
Water Watch - Hello Lamp Post
The Environment Agency have joined forces with Hello Lamp Post as part of the Supporting Citizen Science project to pilot this novel approach for collecting and sharing data and information.
Hello Lamp Post invites local residents and visitors at selected sites across the country to chat to their local beach, river or lake using the Hello Lamp Post artificial intelligence platform. We hope this will be more than a one-way conversation, with residents and visitors contributing to citizen science by sharing their own observations from these sites.
Phase one of the pilot saw the signage put into place in late September 2024. Phase one ran until July 2025, capturing data both in and out of the bathing water season.
We are delighted to be able to continue working with Hello Lamp Post in phase two of the project, which will include the continuation and development of the signage at Windermere, River Nidd and River Ribble, as well as some new locations. Phase two will run from July 2025 - March 2026.
The information from these conversations will help us to understand who visits these sites and how this varies over time, providing information on water quality observations and any signs of pollution. This ongoing project adds to our recently published report into water recreational use across England that gives robust and insightful data on how people use our waterways for the first time.
You can get involved from wherever you are!
Start the conversation with Hello Lamp Post: Chat with Hello Lamp Post 
If you live near any of the following locations, look out for our Hello Lamp Post signs. We would love to hear from you!
Windemere, Cumbria- Rayrigg and Miller Ground
Ribble River, Lancashire- Edisford Bridge
Nidd River, Yorkshire- Harrogate
Par Beach, Cornwall
Combe Martin, Devon
Zoom out on the map to see the Hello Lamp Post signage locations
Read our gov.uk blogs and press releases about the project
What citizen scientists are telling us about bathing waters through AI signposts -GOV.UK
AI signs for citizen science to be used at South West beaches - GOV.UK