Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://read.utilityweek.co.uk/i/411335
NOVEMBER 2014 WET NEWS 17 Sondes and telemetry systems are monitoring water quality as dredging takes place in the Somerset Levels. A solution: Raising the alarm A special monitoring sys- tem is helping protect water quality on the Somerset Levels and Moors where the dredging operation is taking place. The system, supplied by OTT Hydrometry and installed by Wavelength Environmental, is designed to protect the river ecology by is- suing email alerts if water qual- ity deteriorates beyond pre-set conditions. Any such alerts is immediately relayed to the pro- ject team so an assessment of conditions can be undertaken, and working practices reviewed and continued. In recent years, an accumu- lation of sediment has nar- rowed the river channel and this is believed to be just one of the reasons for the severe flood- ing that took place. A network of mobile real- time water quality monitors have therefore been deployed to continuously monitor water quality upstream and down- stream of the dredgers. The monitors comprise Hydrolab water quality sondes and Adcon telemetry systems that transmit near-live data during the dredging operation that is due to run until Winter 2014. The monitors are anchored to the river bed and suspended in the river by two small buoys. Each sonde is fit- ted with sensors for the meas- urement of dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonium, temperature, pH, conductivity and turbidity. Project staff A short cable connects each sonde to an Adcon telemetry unit on the bank, which trans- mits data via GPRS every ten minutes. The sondes contain internal dataloggers, however the transmitted data is availa- ble to project staff in near real- time via a web-based data por- tal. If water quality meets the pre-set alert conditions (for temperature, dissolved oxygen or ammonium), email messages are issued via the telemetry units. It is important to note that poor water quality can be caused by a number of factors including low flow levels and high nutrient levels arising from many sources in the area. The project plan has allowed for up to eight dredging teams, and the monitors are being installed approximately 50m upstream and 100-150m down- stream of the dredgers to allow sufficient mixing. Simon Browning, from Wavelength Environmental, has been monitoring the data from the sondes and says: "The monitors are quick and easy to deploy, and have performed very well; however, portability is extremely important because the instruments have to be moved and redeployed as the dredging work proceeds. "We have also started fitting GPS units to the telemetry sys- tems so that we can keep track of the monitoring locations. This is important because each dredging team is constantly moving, so the monitors have to be moved regularly." Graham Quarrier, for the EA, adds: "Dredging is one of the one things the local community has really been pressing for and people are going to check the Environment Agency is doing the work properly. The water quality monitor- ing undertaken by the mobile monitors and by our own static monitors will help provide assurance that the environment is not compromised by this work." n IS YOUR MACHINE IN NEED OF A HOLIDAY?... ..WHY NOT ARRANGE NEW FLIGHTS? Maintenance services and technical support are offered by Euroby for Flottweg, Alfa Laval, Bird, Hiller, Humboldt KHD, Sharples, Pieralisi, Westfalia, Andritz/Guinard, Ashbrook Simon- Hartley and Centriquip decanter centrifuges. Here at Euroby, our skilled specialist engineers offer a professional approach coupled with a high degree of knowledge and experience. 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Attend to: • Learn how to stay ahead of the curve with innovative customer service • Prepare for the opening of the non-domestic market to retail competition • Brush up on SIM – how should we be preparing for the 2015 changes? • Hear experts talk on increasing consumer engagement • Find out how Smart meters and data can revolutionise customer experience Follow us @utilityweek using #watercustomer BOOK NOW AT www.uw-watercustomer.net WaterCustConf15-HPHad.indd 1 16/09/2014 14:18 The monitors, which are anchored to the river bed and suspended in the river by two small buoys, transmit data via GPS every ten minutes