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Optimization of Sampling Resources
Author(s) -
SHELLENS M.,
EDWARDS ZARA
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-6593.1987.tb01229.x
Subject(s) - sampling (signal processing) , sample (material) , division (mathematics) , scale (ratio) , routing (electronic design automation) , water resources , operations research , computer science , environmental science , sample size determination , operations management , statistics , environmental resource management , engineering , geography , telecommunications , mathematics , ecology , cartography , biology , computer network , chemistry , arithmetic , chromatography , detector
SYNOPSIS T his paper reports on an investigation into the efficient routing of sample collection in the Lincoln Division of Anglian Water. Samples have to be collected from more than 600 sample points across three functions and at frequencies ranging from daily to once in two years. The organization of this activity is clearly complex. As a result of the review carried out using manual methods, the additional 15 000 water samples which are required annually are now being collected with no increase in staff resources. The scale of the effort required for this review prevents it from being repeated except at infrequent intervals; yet without frequent reviews the efficiency of routes is eroded as the required pattern of samples changes. A computer system is therefore being developed, offering the prospect of halting the drift away from efficiency and the speedy evaluation of alternative strategies.