It is necessary to take into account scientific and technical progress in the area of monitoring of the status of water bodies in accordance with the monitoring requirements set out in Annex V to Directive 2000/60/EC. Therefore, Member States should be allowed to use data and services from remote sensing technologies, earth observation, such as Copernicus services, in situ sensors and devices, online water-quality monitoring systems, or citizen science data, leveraging the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence, advanced data analysis and processing. In accordance with the EU Digital Strategy, including its objectives for increased digitalisation of public services and businesses, Member States are encouraged to tap the potential of digitalisation for water management and in particular for water quality monitoring. It is important to assess the technical and economic feasibility of using online systems for the continuous, precise and real-time monitoring of water quality, and develop, if appropriate, guidance on their application. This could be done in the context of the Common Implementation Strategy for Directive 2000/60/EC, with the aim of assisting Member States to digitalise, where possible and appropriate, their water quality monitoring techniques. Member States that have taken measures to digitalise monitoring techniques are encouraged to include a summary of those measures in their river basin management plans.
Text as published in the Official Journal, reproduced verbatim (including any typographical quirks of the source). For the authentic version, see EUR-Lex.
