With 2009 data and new features

Jun 19, 2009 10:09 GMT  ·  By

An initiative put together by Microsoft and the European Environment Agency (EEA) designed to monitor the water quality at bathing spots across Europe and share the information with users has evolved. The Redmond company informed that Eye on Earth – Water Watch had been updated with 2009 information revealing the current conditions that beachgoers will come across when they go out for a swim. The data refresh to Eye on Earth comes just in time for the summer season, when people across Europe are planning their vacation.

Microsoft promised that the latest data introduced to Eye on Earth - Watter Watch was capable of reflecting water quality for the current bathing season. In this regard, the software giant indicated that some samples could have been taken and analyzed just days before the update was introduced to the service. Tourists planning their summer vacation will be able to easily access information on the water quality in no less than 21,000 monitoring locations across Europe.

However, the update is not limited just to new information. In fact, fresh features have also been added to Eye on Earth – Water Watch. Users can now upload their own pictures from various locations and share the images along with their feedback. At the same time, local authorities across Europe can take advantage of the option to add beach web cam services to Eye on Earth. The service was initially launched in 2008 and was accessing mapping content from Virtual Earth. As Bing replaced Live Search, Eye on Earth was transitioned to Bing Maps.

“Eye on Earth is a great example of how technology has the power to help governments, business and individuals understand what is happening to our environment. By combining environmental data with mapping technologies, it is possible for people to see where changes are happening. Eye on Earth provides people with information which has historically been difficult to find. With this new application, people will be more informed and be able to take appropriate actions to help ensure a cleaner environment,” revealed Rob Bernard, chief environmental strategist at Microsoft.