Optical vs electrochemical
sensors. Two ways to read
the same water.
Optical sensors read water with light. Electrochemical sensors read it through chemical reactions at an electrode. A balanced comparison of how each works, what each measures best, and why most deployments use both.
Example readings for illustration purposes
What you can’t see
is already costing you.
Issues are flagged after damage is done, not before it starts. Every delayed alert is a cost you didn’t have to carry.
Manual records, missed checks, and audit gaps across sites. When an inspector asks for evidence, the scramble begins.
pH, chlorine, or turbidity can shift for days or weeks before anyone notices. Without real-time monitoring, you’re always reacting.
Continuous monitoring.
Instant alerts. Full audit trail.
Three connected layers that turn raw sensor data into actionable intelligence, automatically.
Connected sensors stream real-time data across all parameters, 24 hours a day. Cellular and LoRaWAN telemetry with encrypted payloads.
Threshold breaches trigger instant SMS, email, or app notifications. Escalation rules and role-based routing ensure the right person acts.
Cloud dashboards give your team the data, trendlines, and records they need, instantly. Every reading logged, every action auditable.
Every parameter.
One connected system.
From standard chemistry to full-spectrum UV-Vis sensing, AQUAIOT covers every dimension of water quality your operation demands.
Continuous acidity and alkalinity monitoring. Detect corrosion risk, Legionella-risk conditions, and treatment performance drift.
Detect particulate contamination, filter breakthrough, and process upsets in real time.
Continuous disinfection residual monitoring. Ensure treatment efficacy without manual sampling delays.
Monitor oxygen levels critical for biological process control, aeration efficiency, and environmental compliance.
Track dissolved mineral content and detect contamination events, cross-connections, or treatment changes in real time.
Specsens UV-Vis sensing at the edge. Detect organic load, humic substances, and complex contamination signatures beyond single-parameter sensors.
Detect apparent and true colour changes that may indicate natural organic matter, iron, manganese, or treatment by-products.
Oxidation-reduction potential monitoring for disinfection effectiveness, redox conditions, and process control in treatment and distribution.
Want the full technical specifications for every sensor?
Download DatasheetDifferent physics, different strengths, one combined picture.
Optical sensors measure water by shining light through it and reading how that light is scattered or absorbed. Turbidity, colour and full-spectrum UV-Vis sensing all work this way. Because nothing in the water is consumed and there is no chemical reaction to maintain, optical sensors tend to be reagentless and stable, which suits continuous deployment and parameters defined by particles, clarity and dissolved substances that absorb light.
Electrochemical sensors work through a chemical or electrical reaction at an electrode or membrane. pH, conductivity, ORP, dissolved oxygen and chlorine measurements commonly use electrochemical principles. They are well suited to parameters that are fundamentally chemical or ionic in nature, and they remain the established method for much of routine water chemistry, though some types involve membranes or electrodes that need periodic attention. Neither family is universally better. The right sensor depends on the parameter, and a typical multi-parameter deployment combines both, which is exactly what AQUAIOT does across its sensor range.
- Optical sensors read light scattering and absorbance, often reagentless
- Electrochemical sensors read reactions at an electrode or membrane
- Turbidity, colour and UV-Vis are optical; pH, EC, ORP are electrochemical
- Most real deployments combine both technologies
Optical vs electrochemical
Integrated monitoring systems,
not just sensors.
AQUAIOT combines connected sensors, cloud visibility, and engineering support into end-to-end deployments built around your infrastructure.
Integrated online monitoring system combining multiple sensing modalities, cloud telemetry, and dashboard connectivity in a single deployable unit.
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Versatile multi-parameter instrument supporting simultaneous measurement across key water quality indicators with flexible sensor configuration.
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Dedicated chlorine analysis with continuous free and total chlorine measurement, built for treatment, distribution, and compliance-relevant applications.
View productFrom sensor edge to
operations dashboard
Every AQUAIOT deployment is built for the operational realities of UK water and estates teams, retrofit-friendly, open to your existing systems, and supported by engineers who understand what you’re monitoring and why.
- Cellular + LoRaWAN telemetry with encrypted payloads
- Over-the-air configuration & firmware management
- RS485/Modbus · APIs for SCADA, AIMS/CAFM & analytics
- Role-based dashboards, trendlines, alarms & exports
- Exportable, audit-ready compliance records
Every reading. Every alert.
Every record. In one place.
Your monitoring data consolidated into a single cloud platform, built for operations, not just engineers.
Role-based cloud views with trendlines, threshold alarms, and multi-site visibility. Export data directly to your analytics stack.
Audit-ready trails generated automatically. Exportable logs and API integration with BMS, CAFM, and compliance platforms.
SMS, email, and app notifications with escalation rules and role-based routing. Your team is notified before issues escalate.
Over-the-air firmware updates and remote sensor configuration. Reduce site visits and keep systems current without disruption.
The engineering partner,
not just the hardware supplier.
AQUAIOT brings years of engineering experience alongside cutting-edge technology, so your deployment doesn’t end at the sensor.
Site survey, installation, commissioning, dashboard setup, training, and post-installation support. We see it through.
Clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters and non-invasive sensors. No pipework cutting, no service shutdown, no disruption to live systems.
RS485/Modbus, APIs, SCADA, AIMS/CAFM integration. Built to connect, not to lock you in to a closed ecosystem.
Hampshire-based team offering on-site and remote technical support. Real engineers, available when it matters.
Built for operational teams
who need to know.
Water quality monitoring isn’t one-size-fits-all. AQUAIOT deploys across the full range of UK water and estates operations.
Sensor technology questions
What is the difference between optical and electrochemical sensors?
Which sensor type is better?
Do optical sensors need less maintenance?
Does AQUAIOT use optical or electrochemical sensors?
Explore the sensor range
See how AQUAIOT combines both sensing technologies across the parameter range.
Match the sensor
to the parameter.
Speak to an AQUAIOT engineer about the right sensing approach for the parameters you need to monitor. No commitment required.
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Download DatasheetReady to talk water quality? Speak to the AQUAIOT engineering team.