Wednesday 17 April 2019
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.
ENDS