Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has today announced a partnership with global engineering firm Mott MacDonald to turn Auckland Council’s Safeswim into a multi-million dollar global product.

The partnership with Mott MacDonald will look to sell Safeswim, Auckland Council’s real-time, region-wide water quality monitoring system, to third party uses such as other councils and regional authorities around the world.

Mayor Phil Goff said, “Auckland is leading the way on how to monitor and invest in water quality. Now we’re turning it into a product and taking it to the world.

“Safeswim is a programme that for the first time in New Zealand highlighted accurately the breadth and frequency of poor water quality at our beaches. The results gave momentum to our decision to invest at record levels in cleaning up our beaches over the next 10 years.

“In partnership with Mott MacDonald we will offer Safeswim to cities and regional authorities around the world to help them deal with their own water quality issues. It will help other cities protect their environment and could provide council with the opportunity to realise a multi-million dollar revenue stream.

“We have already had interest in Safeswim from cities in Australia and North America, and I expect more cities to get in touch once Mott MacDonald’s global team swings into action.

“Safeswim is an example of smart infrastructure being used to make our city world class. It allows us to better understand our water quality issues, pinpoint where the issues are and help us clean up our beaches.

“Safeswim is a vital part of our investment of hundreds of millions of dollars to address water quality at our beaches and in our harbours that will clean-up Auckland’s beaches in ten years rather than the 30 years it was going to take.

As part of the partnership, Mott MacDonald will establish a third global digital hub in Auckland at Grid AKL with the aim of expanding its smart infrastructure and digital delivery business across Asia Pacific.

“I welcome Mott MacDonald establishing a technology hub at Grid AKL to expand its smart infrastructure business in Asia Pacific.

“It is their third hub after others in Washington DC and London, and testament to the technological innovation and creativity coming out of Auckland that is helping solve environmental and infrastructure issues in our city and around the world.

“This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to work with a global digital leader to improve services to Auckland residents and find solutions to pressing environmental and infrastructure issues. ATEED will also work with Mott MacDonald to explore opportunities for Auckland’s tech and start-up sector,” Phil Goff said.