Verifying Sanitation Investments in Panama Bay with Earth Observation Data

After significant investments in sanitation infrastructure, the Inter-American Development Bank needed a reliable way to independently verify whether water quality in Panama Bay was improving. Traditional monitoring stations only provide limited coverage, so through ESA’s GDA Water Resources activity, Earth Observation data was introduced to give a full spatial view of pollution and sediment patterns across the bay.

Using satellite-derived indicators such as Total Suspended Matter, the analysis shows how sediments and pollution spread through the coastal system and helps separate human-driven pollution from natural processes like tides and wind. This makes it possible to identify which river catchments are still contributing high pollution loads and where further action may be needed.

By analysing conditions over time and under different tidal states, the system also establishes a more reliable environmental baseline. This supports clearer reporting on the impact of sanitation investments and helps flag unusual changes in water quality that may require further investigation on the ground.

You can find out more about this Case Study on the GDA Impact Sphere: Verifying sanitation infrastructure performance in Panama Bay with EO

Related Use Case

• Water Pollution and Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring