Catalonia to install traffic light warnings on non-supervised beaches

The idea is to indicate the water safety for swimmers

The Catalan Civil Protection Department has launched a pilot project to test the viability of an automatic warning system for bathing safety on the region’s beaches. The system consists of placing measuring devices in water buoys that send real-time measurements to the authorities about the scale of the waves.

If the system is deemed successful it would serve as a blueprint for scaling it up for use on non-supervised sand strips in a way that would help wannabe swimmers know whether to avoid the waters during rough conditions. And the way the authorities consider communicating to bathers the swimming conditions is by placing traffic light signals on the beach, which will work similarly to the flag system used on beaches with lifeguards.

Three municipalities as first test sites

The pilot project takes place on the beaches of three Catalan towns: Cambrils, Roses and Mataro. These three town councils are collaborating with the SARTI centre team at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and the company Ona Safe & Clean, which produces the measuring devices.

For the purpose of the pilot project, however, the measuring devices are installed in buoys on supervised beaches in order to compare the data obtained with that provided by the surveillance services of each municipality. 

If the comparisons are satisfactory the municipalities will then have the chance to test the traffic light idea on non-supervised beaches and coves starting in September.

The colours on the light signal will be the same as the coloured flag system used on supervised beaches: suitable for bathing (green), not suitable (yellow) or bathing prohibited (red).

Ultimately, the system will also be used on supervised beaches outside of lifeguard working hours, so that there will always be a warning to would-be bathers no matter the time they decide to swim.