Pollution in England’s rivers has become a growing concern in recent years, prompting volunteers across the country to begin testing waterways themselves. In Suffolk, citizen scientists monitoring the River Deben regularly uncover evidence of sewage contamination. East Anglia Bylines previously reported on the investigation by volunteers from the Deben Climate Centre, whose water sampling has challenged official claims about river health. Now the Environment Agency (EA) wants to harness that kind of grassroots monitoring nationwide.
The agency has announced a national initiative designed to utilise citizen science across England’s waterways. A digital tool called BluePrint will allow members of the public to report on the health of local rivers, lakes and beaches in real time using their phones.
BluePrint, developed in partnership with Hello Lamp Post, builds on the success of WaterWatch – a site-based pilot that gathered public observations at five bathing water locations last year.
Shared views on shared environments
England’s waterways are constantly changing. While the EA carries out extensive monitoring, measurements alone cannot capture how these changes are experienced by the people who swim, walk and paddle there.
That is where citizen scientists come in. The EA is working with them to gather insights from communities who visit their local waterways most often – perspectives that can help the agency spot changes earlier and support more responsive environmental decision-making.
To build this richer picture of people’s experiences, the new national digital conversation tool will allow the public to share real-time observations from rivers, lakes, beaches and streams anywhere in England.
The project builds on the success of WaterWatch, which used QR signs to engage people at five bathing water locations between October 2024 and October 2025. Their input gave the EA insights into water clarity, levels of activity and visible signs of pollution.
BluePrint expands that concept from a handful of locations to a national, remote-access tool. Anyone can participate without needing to locate a physical sign, allowing the EA to hear directly from people whenever they are out enjoying their local waters. This helps the agency understand how places are being used and what changes people are noticing.
What is the BluePrint pilot?
Unlike the WaterWatch pilot, BluePrint does not rely on physical signs and QR codes at set locations. Instead, it uses geolocation so participants can share observations from any river, lake, beach or stream anywhere in England.
Participants can record information such as water clarity, how many people are in or near the water, what activities are taking place, and any visible signs of pollution. The platform also brings in live EA data, including pollution risk forecasts, tidal heights and river gauge levels. Participants can then ask questions about local environmental conditions or the Environment Agency’s work.
Running from February to July 2026, the project aims to create a clearer national picture of how waterways are used, supporting ongoing monitoring and helping strengthen responses to environmental pressures.
What the Environment Agency learnt
WaterWatch was the EA’s first step in exploring how people’s experiences can add value to its environmental work. By working with local citizen science groups, the agency increased the amount of data it received, with some groups taking part in the conversation on a regular basis.
This helped highlight issues such as seaweed accumulation and dog waste, both of which can affect water quality.
Get involved
BluePrint will open up more opportunities for the public to engage with environmental protection. With national coverage, real-time data integration and enhanced functionality, the project will support better decision-making and help the EA respond more effectively to environmental challenges.
Anyone can take part. Simply use BluePrint on a phone from any river, lake, beach or stream to share real-time information.
To learn more about the Environment Agency’s citizen science work and how to get involved, visit the WaterHub page.
Based on an Environment Agency blog post, and reproduced under the OGL 3.0 licence. Read the original here.
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