About our ECIE Risk Forecast Tool
In 2021, we secured funding to improve two stretches of river in Warwickshire and Shropshire. The project introduced enhanced treatment, such as Ozone, at some of our treatment works and gave us an opportunity to use innovations that would help us better understand the quality of the water.
As part of this work, we have developed the E.coli and Intestinal Enterococci (ECIE) Risk Forecast Tool, which will share more information about rivers in these two specific trial locations in our region.
What is the ECIE Risk Forecast Tool?
The ECIE is a tool designed to forecast the levels of two types of bacteria, E. coli and Intestinal Enterococci, in rivers.
Our tool provides a simple forecast: either Normal Risk or High Risk.
These bacteria can arise from a variety of sources, including sewage treatment final effluent, fields, roads and animals. There are also other factors that can impact river water quality beyond these bacteria which are beyond the scope of this tool. The tool provides this information only, and shouldn’t be used on its own as indicator of the overall health or safety of the water.
Why was it created?
Severn Trent has developed the ECIE as part of the Green Recovery initiative to seek improvement in the availability of environmental information.
We are publishing and making this information now available for people to use. We hope that it clearly demonstrates our on-going commitment to open environmental information and improvement, and this useful tool goes further to supporting our Get River Positive programme.
How the Tool Works
The ECIE uses a combination of up to date weather forecasts, data from Severn Trent's sewer network, and river models built using data from 2022 to predict bacterial levels. Every day, our tool updates its forecasts based on the latest weather data.
Whilst the map won’t give real-time data, it will provide a forecast outlook for the day in four-hour timeslots.
Where can you use it?
The tool is only available for rivers Leam and Avon in Warwickshire, and the river Teme in Shropshire. The map will show the forecasted bacterial risk at various points along these rivers.
Using the ECIE Risk Forecast Tool
Click the button below to access and explore the interactive tool. You will be presented with a map displaying the river stretches and their corresponding current forecasts.