Case Study - Aquatic Splash Centre

CASE STUDY: The Splash Centre (Whanganui)

Scaling Public Safety: How City Councils Use AI to Protect Communities and Capital.

The Challenge: The "Council Liability Gap"

Local Government entities manage vast portfolios of public assets—from aquatic centres to regional parks. The challenge is universal: Passive surveillance is a liability. Traditional CCTV only tells a Council what went wrong after the fact. For a City Council, an incident isn't just a safety failure; it’s a massive insurance, legal, and reputational risk that impacts the entire community.

The Council-Grade Solution: Agentic Public Safety

The Whanganui Splash Centre became a flagship for smart-city safety by adopting the ORTUS AI layer. Rather than asking ratepayers to fund a multimillion-dollar hardware "rip and replace," the Council chose to give their existing investment a "Better Brain."

• Drowning Detection & Zone Security: Our AquAlert module monitors high-risk water zones 24/7, identifying distressed swimmers or unauthorized after-hours access that human monitors might miss.

• The "Wrist-First" Guardian: Using the WatchOS App, lifeguards and floor managers receive haptic alerts the second a risk is identified, moving the Council from "Recorded Evidence" to "Immediate Intervention."

• Infrastructure Synergy: ORTUS AI integrated directly with the facility’s current sensors, preserving the Council’s long-term capital budget.

The Result: Strategic Value for Ratepayers

1. Fiscal Responsibility (CAPEX Savings)

By overlaying intelligence on existing cameras, the Council avoided the massive capital expenditure of a full hardware upgrade. Same Hardware, Best Software—this is a masterclass in asset lifecycle extension.

2. Significant Compliance & Insurance Reductions

ORTUS AI is a proactive safety tool that directly addresses the requirements for ACC Levy reductions. For a Council managing dozens of sites, the cumulative savings on insurance premiums and compliance overhead are significant and measurable.

3. Data-Driven Space Utilisation

The "Brain" provides the Council with precise data on how the community actually uses the facility. These insights allow for evidence-based staffing and smarter maintenance scheduling, ensuring ratepayer funds are allocated where they are needed most.

The "Smart City" Executive Summary

"For City Councils, public safety is a non-negotiable mandate. ORTUS AI allows us to fulfill that mandate while being responsible stewards of public funds. We haven't just bought a software package; we've upgraded the safety of our entire community."

Strategic Layout Suggestions for the Council Page:

• The "Council Benefits" Box: Highlight Risk Mitigation, Ratepayer ROI, and ACC Compliance.

• The "Smart City" Angle: Mention that this same "Brain" can be deployed across Council Parks, Public Squares, and Transport Hubs for a unified safety network.

• Call to Action: Instead of "Buy Now," use "Request a Council Briefing" or "Download the Public Safety Whitepaper."