Citizen science water testing to prove mining pollution
Argentina's accelerated copper mining under Milei is threatening to destroy Andean glaciers and critical water supplies
AguaGuardia lets community members perform simple water quality tests using low-cost kits or visual guides, log results with photos, and contribute to a shared regional database. The platform automatically generates official reports for environmental agencies and visualizes contamination trends over time.
Andean indigenous communities, Argentine environmental activists, and regional conservationists
Combines ultra-simple field testing protocols designed with local scientists and blockchain-verified data chain-of-custody for legal credibility.
supportive
Guided water sampling with pH, turbidity, color and heavy metal visual tests
Interactive maps and graphs showing contamination trends by watershed
Creates submission-ready reports for provincial environmental agencies
Require before/after photos with GPS timestamp for data integrity
Neighbor review system to confirm test results
Track and request low-cost testing kits via partner NGOs
Simple statistical trends and anomaly detection
Short videos teaching proper sampling techniques
| Column | Type | Nullable |
|---|---|---|
| id | uuid | No |
| phone | text | No |
| community_id | uuid | No |
| verified_tester | bool | No |
| created_at | timestamp | No |
Relationships:
| Column | Type | Nullable |
|---|---|---|
| id | uuid | No |
| user_id | uuid | No |
| location | text | No |
| ph | int | Yes |
| turbidity | int | Yes |
| color_score | int | Yes |
| photo_urls | text | Yes |
| status | text | No |
| tested_at | timestamp | No |
Relationships:
| Column | Type | Nullable |
|---|---|---|
| id | uuid | No |
| name | text | No |
| watershed | text | No |
| created_at | timestamp | No |
| Column | Type | Nullable |
|---|---|---|
| id | uuid | No |
| community_id | uuid | No |
| generated_by | uuid | No |
| period_start | timestamp | No |
| period_end | timestamp | No |
| file_url | text | Yes |
| submitted | bool | No |
/api/testsSubmit new water quality test
/api/watershed/:id/dataRetrieve time-series data for dashboard
/api/reports/generateCreate official PDF report from selected tests
/api/validateCommunity members validate or flag test results
No official reports
None
None
| Month | Users | Conversion | MRR | ARR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | 110 | 14% | $539 | $6,468 |
| Month 6 | 680 | 22% | $5,236 | $62,832 |
Simple tests. Trusted data. Automatic reports that hold mining companies accountable.
1. Partner with Red de Observatorios de Glaciares to distribute testing kits and app training in 5 priority watersheds. 2. Offer free Guardian tier to universities running citizen science programs in Northwest Argentina. 3. Present findings from initial pilot at the next National Water Congress to gain visibility.
Global citizen science network
Generic protocols, no focus on heavy metals from mining, weak legal report features
Protocols specifically calibrated for Andean copper mining pollutants and government report formats
Growing validated dataset of water quality measurements tied to specific mining projects creates defensibility through proprietary trend intelligence.
Accelerated mining under current policies is causing visible water impacts at the same time low-cost testing reagents have become widely available through NGO partners.
Inaccurate user-submitted tests
Require photo verification, community validation layer, and periodic lab cross-checks
Communities may fear retaliation for publishing data
Offer anonymous reporting mode and partner with trusted NGOs as data custodians
Success: 85% can complete test without assistance
Success: At least 3 official reports submitted to authorities with positive feedback
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