Blackpool MP Chris Webb uses new technology to test sea water quality

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Blackpool MP Chris Webb uses new technology to test sea water quality

Blackpool MP Chris Webb uses new technology to test sea water quality

By Richard Hunt

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb had the chance to use a new piece of technology which makes it quicker and easier to test a beach’s water quality.

The MP took a sample of water from the sea at South Shore in order to test it using Bacterisk, a new rapid testing technology developed by UK firm Molendotech, which provides real-time results in just 15 minutes.

That’s a significant improvement on the current 48-hour turnaround time. This technology can detect harmful pathogens like Salmonella and Leptospirosis that are not picked up by standard tests.

Chris Webb used new technology to test the waters off South Shore

Chris Webb used new technology to test the waters off South Shore | National World

Water quality is particularly vital to Blackpool’s status as one of the UK’s most important seaside destinations, as well as to public health. Although the resort’s beaches were recently awarded Seaside Awards they have still yet to reclaim the coveted Blue Flag status for water quality., lost several years ago.

As well as Mr Webb being an MP for the UK’s number one seaside resort, he is also Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hospitality and Tourism, and a vocal campaigner for cleaner waters.

Within 15 minutes of Mr Webb using the small portable testing device – barely any bigger than a sturdy wallet- it gave a welcoming ‘low level’ reading for harmful bacteria in the sea.

Mr Webb said: “ This is incredibly important. One of the first questions I asked as an MP was about water quality in our sea. We know sewage is being dumped in our precious sea waters and that the Environment Agency warned last year that the water wasn’t fit to bathe in.

Chris Webb (right) and Colin Dente with water samples taken from the sea at South Shore

Chris Webb (right) and Colin Dente with water samples taken from the sea at South Shore | Third party

“We have kids in Blackpool who should be able to come from their homes and enjoy our fantastic seafront but unfortunately they’ve been denied that by poor water quality.

“So I’m here today with this fantastic new technology to test our waters in real time, so we can know if it’s safe to go into the sea right now.

“We should see this technology being used right across the country, available for councils to use. It was important to see for myself this technology, and collect the water myself and put it in the machine, so I know it is an accurate test of the water quality here in Blackpool.”

The Bacterisk kit used in Blackpool | National World

The kit works by detecting endotoxins which are released by various harmful bacteria – and because there are simpler and quicker to test for than the presence of the bacteria itself, endotoxins provide a way of not just detecting, but also measuring the severity of contamination – and more quickly.

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