AN innovative 15-minute real time water testing device is being showcased at a community event in Newquay.

Surf schools, cold-water swimmers, councillors, community groups, paddleboarders, and those in hospitality and tourism are invited to attend the Meet The Science of Bactiquick, which will be held at The Stable at Fistral Beach on Thursday, December 4 between 9.30am and 11.30am.

Founder of Bactiquick Simon Jackson said: “Traditional water quality tests take 24 to 48 hours or more before results are available. By then, conditions may have changed, and people may already be exposed, or seas and rivers could be deemed clear and safe. Bactiquick removes that delay.

“Everyone deserves to know the water quality before diving in. “With reliable readings in just 15 minutes, communities can act swiftly and keep water users safe. We are changing water testing across the world with a world first innovation based in Devon and Cornwall.

“Water pollution from untreated sewage, agricultural runoff, septic tanks and even wildlife means bacteria levels in rivers, lakes and seas can change quickly, sometimes within hours.

“Most existing tests measure only a small subset of bacteria, such as E. coli or enterococci, and rely on lab processing after the fact.

“Bactiquick detects a wider range of bacteria, including pathogens like Salmonella, Leptospirosis and Vibrio, which many standard tests miss.

“The device is portable and designed for on-site use enabling instant decisions about whether it’s safe to enter the water.

“Results can be logged via the Bactiquick App including GPS location, timestamp and water-body data building a living dataset of water-quality readings.”