Final Effluent Water Quality Monitoring Contract

Thames Water extends water quality monitoring contract

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Meteor Communications, the industry leading provider of remote environmental monitoring technology, is delighted to announce that Thames Water Utilities Ltd has extended the term of its Framework Agreement for the supply of water quality monitoring equipment and services for Final Effluent Monitoring.

The Framework extension will run until September 2027, and covers the provision of ESNET monitoring systems with associated calibration, maintenance and data services via the MeteorCloud® platform.

Commenting on the contract extension, Meteor’s MD Matt Dibbs said: “These systems are primarily used to monitor final effluent water quality at wastewater treatment plants. ESNET provides instant, real time, high resolution Final Effluent Water Quality data to enable Thames Water to gain enhanced visibility of their works’ operations, and effectively manage treatment processes.”

ESNET systems can be deployed in minutes and are carbon neutral in operation, with the majority solar powered. As such they represent an extremely cost-effective approach to providing high quality, real time water quality data from any location.

In response to demand from the water industry, regulators and environmental consultants, Meteor Communications is investing heavily in the resources that deliver remote water quality data. Matt says: “These commitments from Thames Water and others, reflect the confidence that customers have in our ability to deliver real-time data to enhance process efficiency and environmental protection.”

Thierry Bouzac

New Non-Executive Director at Meteor Communications targets continued expansion

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Following successive years of vigorous growth, Meteor Communications, the specialist developer of remote environmental monitoring equipment and services, has appointed Thierry Bouzac as Non-Executive Director.

“This is an important step in the strategic development of our company,” explains Matt Dibbs, Managing Director of Meteor Communications. “Over the past few years, we have seen consistent, sustainable growth. We have been keenly focused on fulfilling demand for our remote cameras, water quality monitoring systems and AI driven data analysis. However, our future plans are equally ambitious, so Thierry will use his experience and expertise to help us organise and structure our business accordingly.”

Thierry Bouzac has Board level experience across a wide range of sectors including UK Water Utilities, encompassing both mature and early-stage, rapid-growth businesses. “I am thrilled to be joining Meteor at this critical moment in their development,” Thierry says. “The markets for Meteor’s monitoring solutions are driven by hugely important and topical issues such as climate change, severe weather and water pollution. Importantly, Meteor Communications is already acknowledged as a UK market leader and innovator in its target sectors, but the company has huge potential for future growth – in existing markets, adjacent markets in the infrastructure sector such as railways, and internationally.”

This appointment reflects Meteor’s commitment to enhance the business, ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead. Thierry says: “My role is to facilitate the journey, defining where we want to be in, say, five years’ time, and then progressively configure the business to achieve that goal.”

Winner - ‘Pollution Mitigation Initiative of the Year’ category at the Water Industry Awards 2024

Water quality monitoring project wins Water Industry Award

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APEM Group has been announced as the winner of the ‘Pollution Mitigation Initiative of the Year’ category at the Water Industry Awards, in recognition of the company’s continuous water quality monitoring project for United Utilities.

Working in partnership with Meteor Communications, APEM Group managed a water quality monitoring project on the River Kent near Kendal in the Lake District. The project was implemented to help ensure the protection of water quality while treated water was discharged into the river through a temporary outfall pipe at a new location, following the damage of the original outfall by storm Desmond in 2015.

Hannah Austin, Divisional Director – Water Science, APEM Group, said: “I am immensely proud of the team that brought this amazing project to life. It’s great to see the tangible benefits to our rivers that monitoring data and evidence-led decision making bring. For APEM Group and our partners at Meteor Communications to be nationally recognised for this innovative work is a remarkable achievement.”

Water Industry AwardThe WIA judges felt that APEM Group’s entry “stood out as both very relevant and innovative, while also presenting a positive message about pollution mitigation.” They described it as “a scalable solution to enhance pollution control and meet future demands, presenting significant benefits.”

A key element of the project was the deployment of Meteor ESNET water quality monitoring stations, installed and maintained by Meteor Communications to provide real-time water quality data both upstream and downstream of the temporary outfall. Meteor’s Managing Director Matt Dibbs, who attended the awards ceremony, said: “We were delighted that the scalability of our water monitoring quality monitoring solutions has been recognised as these systems meet the river monitoring requirements of the Environment Act’s Section 82. This project therefore represents a blueprint for the large number of monitoring systems that water companies will establish in the upcoming AMP period.”

Monitoring a storm overflow and EDM with a remote camera

Growing demand for storm overflow cameras

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Water and sewerage companies are installing Meteor MRC remote cameras at an increasing number of wastewater discharge and storm overflow locations; primarily to check the veracity of event duration monitors (EDMs), but also to avoid unnecessary site visits, save costs, lower the carbon footprint of operations, and help identify the sources of pollution.

The UK government has instructed all water and sewerage companies (WaSCs) operating in England, to install monitors on every storm overflow by the end of 2023. These EDMs must provide information on the frequency and duration of storm overflow spills.

The Environment Agency’s EDM data for 2022 (1) showed that the ten WaSCs in England have 14,580 storm overflows, and that 91% of these were fitted with EDMs. On average, each overflow spilled 23 times for an average of 5.8 hours. “However, it is common knowledge that EDM’s can occasionally falsely indicate that a spill has taken place,” explains Matt Dibbs, MD at Meteor Communications. “EDM’s generally employ water level sensors that are either sited within the water or above it, and technically are capable of taking accurate measurements. The problem in the field, however, is that these measurements can be hampered by a wide variety of factors including blockages, overgrown vegetation, cobwebs and insects.

“Where frequent spills are being reported, or when a WaSC suspects that an EDM is reporting falsely, a site visit may be required, so we are experiencing a heavy demand for rugged, low-cost cameras that are able to deliver reliable high-quality images of discharges to verify the EDM data without, necessarily, having to make a site visit.”

Meteor’s MRC cameras have been designed to operate unattended in remote locations where normal power and communications may not be available. The MRC cameras require just a small battery and a solar panel for year-round operation, and there are currently around 2,500 MRC cameras in use around the UK.

Matt says: “One of the most popular features of the MRC cameras for discharge points, is the facility to attach a robust, reliable water level sensor so that the cameras can be automatically prompted to collect images when water levels rise.

“With the benefit of MRC remote cameras, WaSCs have ‘eyes in the field’ to improve the reliability of EDM data and avoid the over-reporting of spills, whilst reducing the number of site visits – saving time, and lowering both costs and carbon footprint.”

ENDS Words: 398

  

Reference:

  1. Environment Agency EDM data 2022 – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-agency-publishes-event-duration-monitoring-data-for-2022
Kendal WwTW temporary outfall to River Kent

River Kent project near Kendal – a blueprint for Environment Act water quality monitoring?

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A continuous water quality monitoring project has recently been completed on the River Kent near Kendal, in the UK’s Lake District. The monitoring was implemented for United Utilities by the environmental consultancy APEM, with Meteor Communications responsible for instrumentation installation and calibration, as well as real-time web-based data provision, event visualisation and reporting.

“Monitoring was required to help protect water quality during the operation of a temporary outfall pipe,” explains Joe Allaby, APEM’s Principal Aquatic Scientist. “The monitoring programme was a complete success, and I believe that water companies will be interested in this project because it represents a blueprint for the requirements of Section 82 of the Environment Act 2021.

“Multiparameter water quality monitors were installed upstream and downstream of a temporary discharge from United Utilities’ wastewater treatment works in Kendal to ensure that it did not negatively impact the water quality of the River Kent.

“Each monitor measured the key water quality parameters including dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity and ammonium. In this project, we were also required to measure un-ionised ammonia, because of its potential effects on sensitive migratory fish species such as Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and sea trout (Salmo trutta).”

Passing through the Lake District National Park, the River Kent flows for around 20 miles into Morecambe Bay. The River Kent is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). In the section of the river addressed by this project, two protected species were monitored: bullhead (Cottus gobio) and white clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes).

 

Kendal WwTW outfall

As the main treatment facility for the Kendal area, the WwTW services a large residential and tourist population equivalent of around 90,000, discharging to the River Kent. Prior to December 2015, the effluent outfall pipe from the plant passed under the river adjacent to the WwTW and discharged approximately 1.3 km downstream, but this pipe was destroyed by the flooding that followed Storm Desmond in 2015. United Utilities therefore constructed a temporary outfall structure to maintain the ongoing operation of the works.

The temporary outfall was located much closer to the works, in an impounded reach upstream of a weir, where flow rates were lower. Consequently, the Environment Agency required as a condition of the permit for the temporary outfall, that United Utilities carry out upstream and downstream continuous water quality monitoring.

The environmental consultancy APEM was tasked with the monitoring and protection of the River Kent at Kendal whilst the temporary discharge was in operation. “At first, this mainly involved ecological investigations to check the health of the river,” explains APEM Principal Aquatic Scientist Joe Allaby. “However, in 2022, continuous multiparameter water quality monitoring systems were installed to provide access to continuous data 24/7. This included an upstream monitor, and two downstream monitors; one in slack water and the other in turbulent water, to give us a complete picture of any potential water quality effects from the temporary discharge.”

 

‘Water quality as a service’

APEM’s expertise was employed in the identification of suitable monitoring sites, and Meteor Communications was contracted to install and maintain the monitoring stations under a ‘water quality as a service’ (WQaaS) contract. Joe says: “It would have been possible to purchase the monitoring equipment, but WQaaS is ideal for temporary contracts, because Meteor is then responsible for maintaining the equipment.”

Under a WQaaS contract, Meteor Communications installs the monitors and then visits the site every 4 to 6 weeks to swap in pre-calibrated sondes. Meteor’s monitoring stations, known as ESNETs (environmental sensor networks), are fully equipped with solar panels and remote communications technology, so that collected data can be automatically transferred to the MeteorCloud® platform, which provides secure data visualisation, analysis and alarms.

ESNET systems are available in kiosk or portable formats, and sondes can be located in-river or within flow-through chambers measuring water which is pumped from the river. The Kendal sondes were located in the river, fixed securely to local infrastructure. Continuous water quality monitoring data are stored in the sondes and transferred every 30 minutes to the MeteorCloud web portal, providing APEM, United Utilities and the Environment Agency with real-time access to water quality data.

Continuous water quality monitoring enables the detection of water quality incidents as well as the detection of trends. “In the past, our consultants have used portable instruments, but we are increasingly being asked for continuous data,” explains APEM’s Jack Hambridge. “So, our partnership with Meteor Communications has worked very well, delivering accurate, reliable data for us and our clients.

“In addition to the quality of the instruments, what really sets Meteor apart is their calibration service. They have invested in a bespoke calibration laboratory and a team of field engineers, capable of servicing large numbers of sondes so that data are accurate and the ESNET systems are maintained in optimal condition.”

 

Proactive maintenance

meteor van for water quality testing

Operating from a dedicated calibration laboratory, a team of Meteor’s engineers maintain water quality monitors all over the UK.

Meteor Communications was responsible for maintaining the condition of the monitoring equipment, and checking the validity of the data to ensure a continuous dataset was provided for almost 2 years. In addition, APEM checked the readings three times per day, every day, as part of its proactive maintenance service, which, if measurements exceed pre-set values, could also include mitigation measures such as aeration and fish rescue.

With the benefit of Meteor’s monitoring systems, APEM also provided United Utilities with weekly water quality reports, and incident notices with visual checks when any of the pre-set measurement values were breached. “This was important for all stakeholders,” explains Joe Allaby. “Continuous monitoring with real-time access to data meant that the water utility, the regulator and local residents could all rest assured that river water quality was being maintained, and that a rapid response would be available if an alert was issued.”

Meteor Communications MD Matt Dibbs says: “This project exemplifies everything that a water utility would need to comply with Section 82 of the Environment Act, and with over 700 ESNET systems already installed across the UK, we have the scale of operations to help utilities comply with their obligations.

“In applications such as this, it is great to see consultants using their expertise to leverage the value of continuous water quality data. I should mention however, that our water quality monitors are being used in many different water quality monitoring applications beyond storm overflows. For example, ESNETs are also used for final effluent monitoring and catchment surveys, as well as short-term investigations and research projects.”

 

Results

With almost two years of continuous monitoring upstream and downstream of the temporary discharge at Kendal, the data demonstrated that there were no significant detrimental effects on water quality. “We did detect occasional breaches of the values that we set as early warning levels for response,” explains Joe Allaby. “However, these were usually found to be due to sediment, or due to a dissolved oxygen dip during warm periods in the summer.

“For us, the continuous dataset was essential because it gave us peace of mind when things were going well, and provided an early alert when conditions changed, and a rapid response was necessary.”

Testing Water Quality - to improve pollution levels

Water Pollution Sensors

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Water Pollution as a problem

The result of water pollution can be catastrophic, depending on the concentrations, the nature of chemicals and the location of the pollution. Water companies in Britain have struggled with raw sewage releases that have led to the poor quality of rivers and beaches. A large number of UK rivers pose a serious risk to human health and only 14% of rivers in England meet good ecological status.

With many of the UK’s waterways being polluted, continuous monitoring and measuring of water quality is more important than ever. Meteor Communications is a specialist provider of low power remote cameras and complete water quality monitoring services.

What are water pollution sensors?

Water pollution sensors are devices that measure the quality of water and detect the presence of pollutants. They are an essential tool for understanding and protecting our water resources and ensuring that our waters are safe. Water pollution sensors can be used to measure a variety of parameters, including the pH of the water, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, total suspended solids and more. 

They are valuable tools for understanding and protecting water resources and ensuring that our waters are healthy and safe environments.

Water Quality as a Service (WQaaS)

WQaaS is a service established by Meteor Communications that refers to the delivery of water quality data and insights on a subscription-based model. WQaaS providers collect, analyse, and interpret water quality data from a variety of sources, such as sensors, satellites, and historical records. They then provide this data to customers in a user-friendly format, along with actionable insights that can be used to improve water quality.

WQaaS can help to lower water pollution levels and improve water quality in a number of ways:

  • Real-time monitoring of water quality parameters, such as temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients. This real-time data can be used to identify and respond to pollution events quickly.
  • Predictive modelling to forecast water quality trends. This information can be used to develop proactive strategies to prevent pollution.
  • Data-driven decision making about water management. For example, WQaaS data can be used to optimise wastewater treatment processes and reduce pollution from agricultural run-off.

What is a Sonde?

A sonde, also known as a water quality sonde or water quality probe, is an instrument that is used to continuously measure and monitor various parameters relating to water quality. These parameters can include pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity, turbidity, salinity, temperature, and the concentration of various pollutants such as heavy metals, nutrients, and organic matter.

Multi-parameter sondes provide a packaged unit of Point sensors and measure multiple parameters, such as pH and DO simultaneously. Multi parameter sondes provide a cost effective packaged unit  of sensors and offer the advantage of providing a more comprehensive assessment of water quality.

Sonde systems are an essential tool for protecting water quality and ensuring that our water resources are safe for human use and for the environment. They provide valuable data that can be used to identify sources of pollution, track trends in water quality, and monitor the effectiveness of pollution control measures

Water Pollution Sensor Maintenance 

It’s important to note that all sondes will require regular maintenance as the environments they are put in are often open water and the sensors are subject to water borne dirt and matter and biofouling. 

Here are some tips for maintaining your multi-parameter sonde:

Storage and Handling

  • Store sondes in a clean, dry, and dust-free environment when not in use. This will help to protect the sensors from damage and corrosion.
  • Avoid storing sondes in extreme temperatures or humid conditions. This can damage the electronics and cause the sensors to malfunction.
  • Handle sondes with care. Avoid over tightening or twisting the cable, as this can damage the connectors.

 

Cleaning and Calibration

  • Strip-down and clean the Sonde unit and sensors, dry thoroughly before reassembly and re-calibration.
  • Calibrate the sonde sensors regularly to maintain accuracy. The frequency of calibration will depend on the sonde and the application.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for calibrating the sonde. Improper calibration can lead to inaccurate readings.

How can Meteor Communications help?

Meteor’s fully inclusive Water Quality as a Service (WQaaS) product is future-proof as proven technologies can be incorporated as they emerge. We can provide WQaaS for a fixed monthly fee, no large up-front capital expenditure on sondes and laboratory facilities for calibration.

 

Contact us today for more water quality monitoring solutions. 

Remote camera installation monitoring screen outfall

Integrating AI with remote cameras to optimise flood network efficiency

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The management of flood defence networks is being revolutionised through a combination of MRC remote cameras and AI (Artificial Intelligence) systems developed by Meteor Communications. This new advanced technology is already providing Water Utilities, UK Government Agencies and Local Authorities with early warning of issues within their networks, enabling targeted, appropriate responses to events as they emerge.

With 1000’s of cameras in service monitoring a wide variety of network assets such as trash screens, CSO’s, overspill channels and EDM monitors, Meteor already has operational networks of cameras providing robust, reliable, real-time image feeds from remote assets. Stakeholders such as control rooms, operators and flood defence teams utilise the MeteorCloud® secure web portal to view images, remotely request new images and receive alerts for potential issues.

Over the past 3 years Meteor has been leveraging the MRC camera and Meteor Data Cloud capabilities to develop Deep Learning Neural Network technologies to identify network issues, caused by issues such as blockages, high water levels or other unforeseen factors. Taking the example of trash screens, Meteor AI has been site tested in all seasons, and found to be over 94% effective at identifying potential screen blockages and issuing automated alerts. This enhanced capability will allow users such as the Environment Agency to target resources to sites with potential issues at an early stage, and thereby enable operational efficiencies. The severity of flood events will also be reduced because users will be able to proactively respond to issues more quickly, rather than to flood events caused by blockages in drain networks.

During storm Ciarán in November 2023, the Meteor Data Centre (MDC) processed over 500,000 real-time images over a 3-day period with peak MeteorCloud user sessions of nearly 5x usual levels. This presented an excellent real life test of the type of events for which the MDC was designed, and proved the robust, scalable nature of the platform.

With the effects of climate change and more adverse weather conditions Meteor Communications is developing the technologies required to effectively monitor and react to situations as they arise. This enables efficient use of resources and saves carbon through a reduction of unnecessary site visits.

Meteor Remote Camera

New £4m camera contract helps manage flood and coastal risk

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Following a competitive tendering process, Meteor Communications has been awarded a four-year contract by the Environment Agency to significantly expand their estate of low-power remote image collection cameras. Installed at strategic locations, the cameras will provide critically important information on the status of water management assets involved in reducing flood and coastal risk.

Under the contract, Meteor will provide the Agency with hourly images of remote assets such as grilles, screens, storm overflows, channels, culverts, pumps, gates and automated structures. The images will be captured by Meteor’s remote cameras (MRC) and delivered to Agency staff via the company’s web-based MeteorCloud service.

This award builds on previous contracts under which Meteor has installed around 1,500 remote cameras for the Environment Agency. Images from the MRC cameras provide Agency staff with an early warning of potentially harmful or dangerous conditions. For example, the immediate visual confirmation of rising water levels in storm drains or blocked trash screens allows a rapid and timely response. Equally, for asset management regular real-time images from site reduces the number of site visits, saving time and money. It has been estimated that by avoiding unnecessary journeys, each MRC camera saves around 0.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, and each camera’s financial payback is just 9 to 10 months.

Explaining the particular advantages of the MRC cameras, Meteor’s Managing Director Matt Dibbs says: “Our main focus in the development of these cameras was the ability to operate unattended in remote locations where normal power and communications may not be available. The MRC cameras therefore operate on ultra-low power, requiring just a small battery and a solar panel for year-round operation, anywhere in the UK. This dramatically reduces installation time and cost.

“Transmitting single high-resolution images, the cameras are able to operate via any mobile network connection. This means that high-quality, real-time images can be provided even in areas with poor mobile coverage, and with an extremely robust design, they are suitable for long term, unattended operation with minimal maintenance.”

In addition to the scheduled images, users are able to request additional pictures via the MeteorCloud® web portal, directly by SMS or email. This includes requests for an enhanced (faster) polling mode for a set period of time, which can also be prompted automatically – by a connected water level sensor for example. This means that rising water levels can cause the camera to raise an alarm with an accompanying image to provide visual confirmation of conditions.

To ensure that the system is resilient and futureproof, Meteor also provides full integration of the MRC camera system (via the Meteor Data Centre) into the Environment Agency’s current SCADA platforms and future visualisation systems.

Andrew Pearce, the Environment Agency’s deputy director for asset management systems, said: “Our new flood defences have already better protected 314,000 homes since 2015 and we’re going further, delivering a record £5.2bn investment to protect hundreds of thousands more properties.

“Working with Meteor Communications and these new remote cameras will help us to maintain defences to ensure communities remain protected, as well as save money, improve efficiencies and lower the carbon footprint of our operations.”

Meteor Communications currently has around 2,500 MRC cameras operational in the UK. MRC camera systems are in use across the Water Utilities sector, Local Authorities and Network Rail for remote operational and asset management purposes.

Meteor's alerts will help protect swimmers and surfers

Meteor wins EA bathing water messaging contract

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The Environment Agency has awarded Meteor Communications a 3-year contract to issue bathing water alerts via text and email during the May to September bathing season.

Under the Bathing Water Regulations 2013, the Environment Agency monitors and reports bathing water quality around English coasts and at designated inland bathing waters. This data is utilised by the Agency’s Bathing Water Pollution Risk Forecasting system which models factors such as weather and tides to predict bathing water quality. This pollution risk information is disseminated to the public via the Swimfo website, and Meteor Communications will be responsible for sending daily and intra-day Pollution Risk Forecast notification messages to Environment Agency Bathing Water Area Leads and those Local Authorities that are responsible for managing beach access and signage to inform bathers on water quality status. The notifications will also be sent to digital public information signs that are located at some beach locations.

Meteor Director Andrew Scott says: “Water quality and communications are two of our key specialisms, so we are delighted to have been awarded this contract, and bathing water quality is a highly topical issue, so it is gratifying to be able to help.”

River Itchen

Meteor’s continuous water quality monitors help protect world-famous rivers

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Renowned for crystal clear water and trout fishing, the rivers Test and Itchen are two of the world’s most famous chalk streams. The ecology of these rivers is therefore extremely important, and a network of twenty-one continuous water monitoring stations has recently been established for Southern Water, in compliance with its abstraction licence for the Testwood water supply works near Southampton. The Test and Itchen catchments supply much of Hampshire’s public water needs, as well as a significant proportion of the Isle of Wight’s requirements. Both rivers drain into Southampton Water, and in turn, into the Solent.

Meteor Communications was contracted to install and maintain a network of its ESNET (Environmental Sensor network) systems in early 2021. “We have been delighted with the performance of the ESNET systems,” says Tim Taylor, Water Resources Compliance Advisor at Southern Water. “They were installed and became operational extremely quickly, measuring the key parameters, with data from 30-minute readings immediately available via the MeteorCloud® web portal. We have experienced virtually no down-time with this network, so we are generating excellent continuous datasets.”

Under the terms of the water monitoring contract, Meteor Communications have complete responsibility to deliver accurate, real time data to key stakeholders within Southern Water and externally. This includes site selection, installation and ongoing maintenance. Scheduled site visits and laboratory calibrations ensure that data is robust and reliable, with proactive and reactive site visits. “The Meteor Water Quality as a Service (WQaaS) model is the differentiator to other systems,” explains Meteor’s MD, Matt Dibbs. “By establishing a dedicated Water Quality Services Hub, we can calibrate sondes in laboratory conditions which ensures the accuracy and reliability of the data, and minimises time spent on site.”

Each of the 21 ESNET systems measures temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, ammonium, and pH using EXO multiparameter sondes. Pressure transducers are employed for the measurement of water level. The equipment is frequently located in visually sensitive and publicly accessible spaces, so a variety of discrete mounting options have been developed to ensure robust data delivery with appropriate equipment protection.

Southern Water’s network of monitors is comprised of both portable and kiosk-based ESNETs, with version selection dictated by site conditions and access. No pre-existing power or communications capability is necessary for either version, with solar panels providing sufficient charge for the units’ internal batteries.

The MeteorCloud® platform provides secure data visualisation, analysis and alarms to Southern Water, and also provides the Environment Agency with real-time access to the data, with agreed alarms for both water quality and water level limits. For example, whilst operating under a drought permit, the system will issue an alert when five consecutive water quality measurements on any sonde breach the alarm condition. Once an alarm has been triggered, Southern Water is able to implement remedial measures such as river aeration. However, where the alarm is a result of low water, abstraction would be stopped.

As part of its agreement with Southern Water, Meteor Communications’ staff check the network remotely every day. “This is a major benefit,” explains Tim Taylor. “By constantly checking the performance of the network, Meteor is able to implement corrective measures very quickly. Consequently, we are able to take timely action to protect river water quality and remain in compliance with our abstraction licence.”

Summarising, Matt Dibbs says: “There are a number of key factors underpinning the successful implementation of a water monitoring network such as this. First, the equipment has to be robust, reliable and able to operate in remote locations on solar power. Second, communications and data management have to be seamless and easy to use. Third, the support infrastructure needs to be in place to check the system daily; to service and calibrate spare sondes; and to visit all sites regularly for sonde swaps.

“All of these factors mean that we have had to make significant investment in staff and facilities. However, we now have over 700 ESNET systems operating all over the UK, so we have the experience and resources to ensure that they deliver valuable insights into the health of our rivers.”

Following the Environmental Act that came into law in November 2021, Meteor’s monitoring methods continue to develop as we build on our expertise working with the Environment Agency.

Meteor Communications Ltd.
Orion House,
Alban Park,
St Albans,
Herts,
AL4 0JJ
Tel: 01727 899 990