Geospatial Research Seminar Series (GRISS) – 20 July 2023
Using nationwide geospatial data to build a comprehensive understanding of public water supply, quality and inequity in New Zealand
Speakers:
Tim Chamber, Senior Research Fellow at University of Otago
Matt Hobbs, Senior lecturer (above the bar) at the University of Canterbury
Reliable supply of safe drinking water is vital for human health. Despite this, there is no consistent nationwide spatial dataset of water distribution zones (WDZ) for Aotearoa New Zealand (A-NZ). In this talk, we will outline the development of a nationwide geospatial dataset of WDZ using data compiled from the 67 district and city councils in A-NZ. We will also outline several early use cases for the WDZ dataset. These use cases include 1) a retrospective cohort study investigating the association between maternal exposure to nitrate in drinking water and preterm birth; 2) a retrospective cohort study investigating the association between maternal and child exposure to fluoride in drinking water and oral health and neurodevelopmental outcomes; and 3) an overview of inequities in access to and performance of community water fluoridation schemes. This WDZ geospatial dataset unlocks a huge number of potential research opportunities to investigate the public health and equity implications of drinking water quality in Aotearoa-NZ.
Thursday 20 July 2023
Ernest Rutherford 263 | University of Canterbury or Online via Zoom
- Refreshments & Networking: 12:30-13:00
- Seminar: 13:00-14:00
All are welcome!