Frequently asked questions
Short, honest answers about what Riparia measures, where the data comes from, and where the limits are.
What does Riparia actually tell me?
For any address in Europe or the UK, Riparia returns a single water-risk reading: a 0–100 composite score and the risk tier it falls into. The score blends long-term water stress, drought signals and flood exposure into one number a non-specialist can read in seconds.
Where does the data come from?
The score is built from public, well-documented European datasets — primarily Copernicus European Drought Observatory (EDO) indicators and WRI Aqueduct 4.0 baseline basin scores, combined with flood signals derived from elevation, proximity to water and basin discharge. Sources are cited inline on every report.
How is the 0–100 score calculated?
The underlying signals are normalised and combined into one 0–100 composite, then mapped onto five fixed tiers: Low (0–25), Moderate (25–45), Elevated (45–65), High (65–82) and Extreme (82–100). The same thresholds power the map, the report and the PDF, so nothing drifts between views.
What do the five risk tiers mean?
They are a plain-language band on the same 0–100 scale: Low and Moderate indicate limited present-day water risk, Elevated flags signals worth noting, and High and Extreme mark addresses where water stress, drought or flood exposure is materially elevated relative to the rest of the continent.
Which areas are covered?
Any address across Europe and the United Kingdom. Coverage follows the footprint of the underlying continental datasets, so results are most reliable for populated areas with good basin and elevation data.
How accurate is it — can I rely on it alone?
Riparia is a screening indicator built from continental-scale public data. It is excellent for comparing locations and spotting elevated risk early, but it is not a site survey. For a purchase, a planning decision or an insurance question, treat it as a first pass and follow up with a professional, address-level assessment.
What does it cost?
There is a free daily preview, plus one-time paid reports (Basic and Full) — no subscription. See the Plans page for the full feature-by-feature comparison.
Do you track me or store my searches?
No behavioural tracking. The site runs on strictly-necessary cookies only; risk numbers are computed per searched address and not used to profile you.