Water Statistics User Group

WSUG Forum

Please note that the WSUG user forum is now up and running at: http://www.sufenews.org.uk/

(note you have to register to gain access, then click on "Forums")

Our aims

Our main aim is to improve the communication and understanding of the use and value of statistics within the Water Industry. As part of this we would like to have more influence within, and provide advice to, the water industry.

Background

The water industry is a data rich industry that historically has made insufficient use of this resource and employed very few statisticians. The main motivation behind forming the group is that there is a need to share statistical approaches across the industry and more importantly, ensure that any statistical methods stand up to formal scrutiny. There is also a growing awareness of the importance of robust statistics in providing management and investment advice under uncertainty.

The group has been formed under the umbrella of the Royal Statistical Society to keep abreast of latest statistical developments, applications, and best practice from other industries and academia.

Objectives

Key objectives are listed as:

• Share approaches across the water industry so that applications/methodologies are fit for purpose and stand up to scrutiny;
• Promote greater use of quality data analysis within the industry
• Keep abreast of latest statistical developments, applications, and best practice from other industries and academia - not the actual analysis of data itself;
• Discussion and increased visibility of subject areas which may impact on the water industry;
• Provision of support/advice to other established groups within the water industry - i.e. a sounding board with regards the stability, application and 'appropriateness' of methodologies.

Possible areas of interest

• Climate change
• Data quality
• Uncertainty
• Model robustness
• Lessons from other industries
• Sampling and survey design