Know Your Water
The SODAQ WATER EC Quality Monitor is a fully autonomous, solar-powered water quality sensor that measures water quality and temperature. This EC data is sent over NB-IoT, allowing to detect change in any water at an early stage. Continuous monitoring of EC data in combination with sample lab analyses provides accurate understanding of the interaction between any water and its surroundings. This water quality monitor is a trusted solution already used by water authorities, local governments and in the agricultural sector.
Autonomous Water Quality Sensing
WATER EC is designed to work autonomously, as many water sources are difficult to reach, and expensive to test regularly. Hence WATER EC is rated to IP 67, and monitors its location, electric circuits and battery health continuously. Anomalies are reported in the dashboard allowing for proactive maintenance or replacement planning. WATER EC
has already racked up many years of measurements in water tanks, ditches, rivers, estuaries.
Electrical conductivity can be used as an indication of water purity, and is one of the most useful and commonly measured water quality parameters. It indicates change in a water system at an early stage. The more pure the water is, the lower the electrical conductivity (think for example, about distilled water). On the other hand, the more “dirty” the water is, the higher the electrical conductivity (salt-water).
Moreover, it’s the basis of most salinity and total dissolved solids calculations. The temperature measurement can be used to track insight into sudden changes, rainfall for instance typically shows a decline in temperature. Higher temperatures can be monitored for various reasons, such as danger of Legionnaires infection, increased algae growth, or even used to indicate swimming water temperatures.
Most bodies of water maintain a fairly constant conductivity over time that can be used as a baseline of comparison to future measurements. Significant changes are made visible by placing WATER EC in any water and connecting to any dashboard.
SODAQ WATER in Use
SODAQ WATER is used on 15 commercial farms in the WaterSNIP project of RIVM. WaterSNIP is an innovation project within the Minerals Policy Monitoring Programme (LMM). The LMM monitors the water quality on 450 farms in the Netherlands in order to evaluate the effect of the minerals policy on the water quality.
WaterSNIP aims to innovate the way of water quality monitoring by incorporating sensor technology. Continuous online EC-monitoring from SODAQ in combination with lab analyses should give more accurate measurements and provides better understanding of the interaction between agricultural practice and ditch water quality.