Until now, water quality monitoring at places such as Tartu's Anne Canal has relied primarily on water samples collected by the Health Board, but the results typically reach the public only after a delay of several days. That lag can create a number of problems, said Tanel Tenson, professor of antimicrobial technologies at the University of Tartu.

"If there really is contamination at a beach, we don't find out until some time later. The opposite problem can also occur, especially at a seaside beach. The wind changes, the water is flushed out and the beach is actually clean, but the red flag is still flying. We want much faster information about water quality," Tenson said.

The CitySwim pilot project, launched by the FinEst Center of Excellence for Smart Cities, aims to make assessments of bathing water quality faster, more accurate and accessible to everyone. As part of the project in Tartu, researchers are using a small cabinet installed on the shore of Anne Canal. Inside is a pump that continuously circulates canal water past the necessary sensors.

According to Tenson, the researchers are testing existing sensors that measure indicators of bacterial activity in the water. "Some of them can take measurements and transmit data every few minutes or every half hour or hour. We want to find out whether these sensors can be used individually or in combination to complement the traditional standard methodology and provide rapid information about water quality," he said.

The project's website displays real-time information for the public, including Anne Canal's water temperature, water quality and algae activity. Collecting data in this way could also help identify the source of the bacterial contamination that periodically affects the canal.

"We want to determine whether the contamination comes from people or from animals or birds. For example, Escherichia coli lives in the intestines of all warm-blooded animals, but there are different strains, some of which are specific to humans, pigs, cattle or certain birds. That allows us to determine where the contamination is coming from," the professor said.

In addition to Tartu, the CitySwim solution is also being tested in Ireland. The project's goal is to develop a reliable, data-driven tool that helps both residents and cities make more informed decisions about the use and management of bodies of water.

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