EUROWATERNET Towards an Index of Quality of the National Data in Waterbase

1. EUROWATERNETTowards an Index of Quality of the National Data in Waterbase

2. EUROWATERNET Data Flow Process • Data Request : • EWN Priority Data Flow Guidance • Excel Templates • - Structure • - Guidance Notes • Data Supply: • xls (e.g. Rivers AT) • mdb (e.g. Rivers GB) • txt (e.g. Rivers DK)

3. EUROWATERNET Data Flow Process NRC / NFP CDR - National CIRCA - other Working Database Reference WATERBASE

4. EUROWATERNET Data Flow 2003 CDRNational CIRCAOther (email) AT BG CZ DE DK FR GR HU IE LI LV NO PL SE SI (15) IT SK (2) BA EE ES FI GB GB(NI) LT MK (7/8) No data supplied (14) AL BE CH CY GB(SCOT) HR IS LU MT NL PT RO TR YU

5. BASIS OF QUALITY • EUROWATERNET derives data from national sources • Usually aggregated to annual averages THEREFORE: • Prime responsibility for quality lies at the national level but guidance is given on essential quality control procedures

6. Sampling Effectiveness of cleaning sample bottles Field blanks and check samples Duplicate samples Control charts Analysis Accuracy targets Performance testing Control analyses Control rules Inter-laboratory quality control exercises Quality Control at Regional Level

7. Checks on individual data points Logical (e.g. is pH between 0 and 14?) Statistical (tests current dataset against previous ones) Generic checks Assess the fitness of purpose of data produced for environmental monitoring programmes Quality Control at National Level

8. VALIDATION CHECKS 1. Initial checks Have we got the right data? Tables of data on monitoring stations’/groundwater bodies’ characteristics, pressures on upstream catchments/groundwater bodies, EWN Basic and Impact chemical quality data Data aggregated at the right level? Aggregated to annual or seasonal values Data in the correct format? Data supplied using templates provided and according to guidance notes Quality Control at European Level

9. 2. Pre-upload checks (a) Reformat data Replace <,> with <.> in decimal fields Remove alpha characters from numeric fields Standardise determinand names and units Convert NO2, NO3, NH3, NH4 and PO4 to values expressed ‘as N’ and ‘as P’ using conversion factors Check outliers Check minimum and maximum values of each determinand and query any outliers Quality Control at European Level

10. 2. Pre-upload checks (b) Check for any ‘missing’ stations Data not included in update but exists in Waterbase in previous years - station still part of network? Check for ‘new’ stations Data included in update but station not previously supplied - ensure full time series of quality data, pressure and characteristic data provided Check station data in update with chemical data in update Check consistency of update Request any missing data and repeat validation process for any data re-supplied Quality Control at European Level

11. Quality Control at European Level Then…. • Upload to Working Waterbase Data used in compilation of indicator-based factsheets and EEA reports • Validated data delivered to EEA twice a year for inclusion in Reference WATERBASE and publication over the web

12. Quality Control at European Level Results of EWN 2003 update • 24 countries supplied data, 14 did not • Only 3 countries supplied data that had no validation issues! • 4 countries still have issues outstanding!

13. QUALITY INDEX • A series of questions for the NFP/NRCs which will allow an objective assessment about the comparative quality of the national data provided through EUROWATERNET • Done for each dataset at the national level

14. QUESTIONS • Is sampling (and any field measurements) carried out to a documented protocol by staff who have undergone specific training? SCORE 1 if YES • Are the analytical laboratories accredited by a national accreditation body to ISO or EN standards? SCORE 1 if YES

15. QUESTIONS • Are the laboratories subject to external audit? SCORE 1 if YES • Have numerical accuracy requirements been defined for all determinands? SCORE 2 if YES

16. QUESTIONS • Do laboratories have performance test data for their own analytical systems - indicating the precision of analysis, spiking recovery and limits of detection? SCORE 1 if YES • Do laboratories produce routine quality control charts for all relevant determinands? SCORE 3 if YES

17. QUESTIONS • Is the monitoring programme linked to a series of regular and routine inter-laboratory tests for all relevant determinands either on a national or international basis? SCORE 2 if YES

18. QUESTIONS • Is the monitoring data automatically (i.e. using specific software) screened for statistical outliers or checked for unusual results before being stored on a regional or national basis? SCORE 1 if YES

19. DATA QUALITY INDEX • Series of 8 questions with a possible total score of 12 if all answers are “Yes” • This allows the comparison of the quality control procedures at regional, national and European levels.

20. SCORE DK ES FR HU NO PL UK (E&W) QUESTION/WATERBODY TYPE ALL R,L,GW R,L,GW R,L,GW ALL R,L R 1 SAMPLING Is sampling (and any field measurements) carried out to a documented protocol by staff who have undergone specific training? 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 Data Quality Index

21. SCORE DK ES FR HU NO PL UK (E&W) QUESTION/WATERBODY TYPE ALL R,L,GW R,L,GW R,L,GW ALL R,L R 2 ANALYSIS Are the analytical laboratories accredited by a national accreditation body – to ISO 9000 or EN45000 series standards? 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 Are the laboratories subject to external audit? 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Data Quality Index

22. SCORE DK ES FR HU NO PL UK (E&W) QUESTION/WATERBODY TYPE ALL R,L,GW R,L,GW R,L,GW ALL R,L R 4 ANALYSIS Have numerical accuracy requirements been defined for all relevant determinands? 2 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 5 Do laboratories have performance test data for their own analytical systems – indicating the precision of analysis, spiking recovery and limits of detection? 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Data Quality Index

23. SCORE DK ES FR HU NO PL UK (E&W) QUESTION/WATERBODY TYPE ALL R,L,GW R,L,GW R,L,GW ALL R,L R 6 ANALYSIS Can the laboratories produce routine quality control charts for all relevant determinands? 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 7 Is the monitoring programme linked to a series of routine and regular interlaboratory tests – for all relevant determinands either on a national or international basis? 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 2 Data Quality Index

24. Data Quality Index

25. Data Quality Index – next steps • Extend to all EEA member countries • Extend to transitional coastal and marine data (water, biota and sediments) • Extend to biological and hydromorphological data • Extend to Quantity and Emissions data