Mapping Ireland’s Water Infrastructure

Project Summary

As Ireland’s research infrastructure adopts new technological advances and moves towards the Internet of things (IoT) model, it is becoming increasingly clear that much of the water-related research and monitoring facilities around Ireland are operated on the stand-alone model, neither connected to other pieces of infrastructure, nor available to other research activity.

This project will identify and map the location of all relevant water-research and monitoring infrastructure in Ireland, which will be made available to the public through an online interactive map of the database.

Main Objectives of Project

The primary objective of mapping the water around Ireland is to log and update the current research infrastructure, innovative water technologies require trialling and process proving in demonstration sites to validate their technological, economic and environmental performance, and to support further technology development and commercialisation. An online interactive database will provide a central place for researchers and the public to explore and search Ireland’s available research infrastructure. The project will develop a strategic roadmap including recommendations on how best to advance the water research infrastructure in Ireland.

The online catalogue will build on the successful DROPLET platform developed by the EPA. DROPLET is an easy-to-use interactive web application for exploring information about projects which have been funded in Ireland on Water Research.

Nimbus Role

Collaborators

The key work packages of the project include:

Building the database – to identify and map the location of all relevant water-research infrastructure around Ireland including Northern Ireland, and develop a comprehensive ‘inventory of use’ database for infrastructure listing all relevant operational details of the water-related research infrastructure;
On-line interactive catalogue – To investigate the user platform requirements specification to enable the design of an online interactive catalogue detailing all water-related infrastructure details. Also the overall system architecture of the online interactive web based platform will be developed and a solution for its sustainable management post project will be developed;
Water Roadmap – To develop a strategic roadmap, based on the study findings, which includes recommendations on how best to develop the water research and innovation sector in Ireland.