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Water quality monitoring in the UK: full-spectrum insight, real-time action
If you manage rivers, treatment works or distribution networks, “good enough” sampling is no longer good enough. AMP8 demands auditable, continuous water quality monitoring with actionable context—data that helps you prevent incidents, prove outcomes and prioritise investment. That’s precisely what AQUAIOT delivers: Specsens full-spectrum UV-Vis sensors at the edge, secure telemetry, and an operations-grade cloud for alarms, analytics and reporting.
Regulators are moving the industry to continuous evidence: under s.82 of the Environment Act, water companies must monitor receiving waters upstream and downstream of discharges; PR24 then ties performance to outcomes that must be evidenced in delivery plans. GOV.UK Ofwat
Why full-spectrum (UV-Vis) beats periodic sampling
Grab samples miss short-lived spikes, first-flush events and diurnal swings. Spectral sensors see the complete picture: the Specsens platform analyses 200–800 nm UV-Vis absorption and uses pattern recognition to estimate multiple parameters (e.g., COD, TOC, DOC, BOD, turbidity, TSS, nitrate, colour) in real time—reagent-free and in-situ. specsens.com
What that means operationally:
Earlier warning: pre-threshold shifts surface before a permit breach or bathing-water risk.
Fewer truck rolls: self-cleaning optics extend maintenance cycles; alerts are routed to the right duty rota. specsens.com
Better reporting: continuous, timestamped records that satisfy both internal governance and PR24/AMP8 evidence.
The hardware we deploy (and why)
Specsens SPS-F Full Spectrum Water Quality Sensor (our go-to UV-Vis probe)
Optics: 200–800 nm full spectrum with water-pattern (fingerprint) recognition.
Interfaces: RS485/Modbus, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for field setup.
Ruggedness: IP68, AISI 316L, self-cleaning brush, 10–65535 s cycle, < 8 W power.
Typical outputs: COD, TOC, DOC, BOD*, turbidity/TSS, nitrate, colour; configurable ranges.
Form factor: approx. Ø66 × 505 mm; 6 bar; in-situ or flow-through. specsens.com
*modelled/derived values depend on calibration to your water matrix.
→ Product on your site: SPS-F Full Spectrum Water Quality Sensor
https://aquaiot.co.uk/product/sps-f-full-spectrum-water-quality-sensor/
Specsens SPS-F-C Full Spectrum (short optical path, drinking-water friendly)
Configurable optical path (40–150 mm) for low-range drinking-water applications; supports automatic window cleaning; IP68; Modbus/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth. specsens.com
Specsens SPS-M-Lxx Multi-wavelength (ultra-low power, compact)
Slim probe (Ø29 × 245 mm, < 2 W) with UV-Vis + turbidity compensation; Bluetooth + RS485; ideal for remote river/borehole/wild sites. specsens.com
Integrated panels for works and kiosks: iSPA-T
Multi-parameter cabinet with 7″ HMI; measures turbidity, free/total chlorine (several methods), pH, COD/TOC, conductivity, temperature; 4G/Wi-Fi backhaul; RS485; 10 s minimum cycle; wall-mount; 200–500 mL/min sample. specsens.com
River & catchment deployments: River Basin Water Quality Monitoring Station
Designed for remote catchments: miniaturised (< 500 cm³), ultra-low power (< 2 W) sensors; anti-fouling optical windows and automatic mechanical wiper extend maintenance to 3–6 months; with 48 V/100 Ah + solar, continuous operation up to 180 days. specsens.com
Where this delivers value (by use case)
1) Rivers & bathing waters
Continuous UV-Vis plus DO, pH, EC, temp, turbidity lets you infer risk and contextualise EDM. Real-time predictors are now being piloted for bathers; continuous sensing underpins those AI models. The Guardian
Map hotspots, quantify pre/post-scheme benefits, and support RBMP/WINEP objectives with auditable datasets.
→ Pair with our [Sewer Monitoring] for overflow context: https://aquaiot.co.uk/solutions-sewer-monitoring/
2) Wastewater treatment (influent/process/effluent)
Use SPS-F to track organic load (COD/TOC) and nitrate in aeration/denitrification; trigger process control and chemical optimisation. Specsens optics are reagent-free, fast, and designed for harsh environments. specsens.com
For compact footprints or low-power panels, snap in SPS-M-Lxx or an iSPA-T cabinet (COD/TOC/turbidity/chlorine/pH/EC). specsens.com
3) Drinking water works & networks
SPS-F-C’s short optical path makes it ideal for low-range COD/TOC/turbidity at works outlets and strategic DMAs; add free/total chlorine and turbidity on iSPA-T for a complete panel with 4G cloud backhaul. specsens.com
Continuous network sensing supports event detection and faster root-cause analysis than periodic sampling.
4) Upstream/downstream compliance (s.82 Environment Act)
AQUAIOT architectures are aligned to the EA’s continuous water quality monitoring (CWQM) intent around assets—build a defensible, upstream/downstream dataset with calibration records, comms logs and audit trails. GOV.UK
How AQUAIOT ties it together
Telemetry: secure cellular/LoRaWAN; encrypted payloads; over-the-air config and firmware.
Cloud & alarms: role-based dashboards, trendlines, rate-of-rise and persistence logic to cut false positives, and easy exports for regulators.
Open data: RS485/Modbus on site; APIs for SCADA, AIMS/CAFM and analytics.
Deployment: standard RAMS/CDM packs; UK data hosting; SLAs for service, calibration and spares.
Explore: Water Quality Monitoring (solution) → https://aquaiot.co.uk/solutions-water-quality-monitoring/
Technical snapshot (what buyers ask us)
Measurement: UV-Vis 200–800 nm absorption; 10 s minimum cycle (model-specific); reagent-free; self-cleaning brush. specsens.com
Connectivity: RS485/Modbus RTU, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; iSPA-T adds 4G. specsens.com
Ruggedness: IP68, AISI 316L housings; designed for harsh environments. specsens.com
Power: < 8 W (SPS-F), < 2 W (SPS-M-Lxx); station-level solar & battery options for long autonomy.
Mapping to UK obligations (plain english)
PR24/AMP8: Outcomes and PCDs rely on defensible data. AQUAIOT’s stack provides continuous, auditable streams you can drop into delivery plans and evidence packs. Ofwat
Environment Act s.82: Upstream/downstream monitoring near assets is a statutory direction—our river stations + UV-Vis probes operationalise it. GOV.UK
Government push for continuous monitoring & EDM: Policy direction is set; companies are expected to enhance monitoring coverage and usefulness, not just tick boxes. GOV.UK
Example architectures
Catchment node: SPS-M-Lxx + DO/pH/EC/temp + solar pack → LoRaWAN/cellular → AQUAIOT cloud with rainfall, level and EDM overlays. specsens.com
Works outlet panel: iSPA-T cabinet with turbidity, COD/TOC, free/total chlorine, pH, EC, temperature → 4G cloud + RS485 to site SCADA. specsens.com
Network sentinel: SPS-F-C at service reservoir outlet + chlorine + turbidity → event detection with smart thresholds and duty alerts. specsens.com
Proof points from the wider sector
The EA is actively modernising public-facing water data and trialling seasonal/bathing-water improvements; water companies and authorities are piloting real-time monitors for wild swimming—continuous sensing is now part of the public conversation. Engage Environment Agency
Get started (pilot-to-scale)
Scope objectives & sites – rivers, works outlets, bathing waters or networks.
Pick sensors & station – SPS-F vs SPS-F-C vs SPS-M-Lxx; add turbidity, DO, pH, EC as needed. specsens.com
Choose comms – cellular or LoRaWAN with solar/battery autonomy.
Commission & alerting – configure thresholds, rate-of-rise logic, and escalation paths.
Report & iterate – export trends for PR24/AMP8, share dashboards with stakeholders.
→ Talk to us: https://aquaiot.co.uk/contact/
→ See the SPS-F on our site: https://aquaiot.co.uk/product/sps-f-full-spectrum-water-quality-sensor/
FAQs: water quality monitoring with UV-Vis sensors
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