ii UK Focus WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROJECT - A BLUEPRINT FOR ENVIRONMENT ACT, SECTION 82
Remote water quality monitoring stations were deployed upstream and downstream of the wastewater treatment works (WwTW) at Kendal, during the operation of a temporary outfall pipe. Matt Dibbs, MD of Meteor Communications, believes that this project represents a blueprint for the requirements of Section 82 of the Environment Act 2021.
“We have already installed over 700 of our ESNET remote water quality monitoring stations in the UK,” Matt explains. “However, the Kendal project on the River Kent demonstrated how upstream and downstream data can help determine whether a discharge is having any effect on water quality. This is precisely the aim of the Section 82 requirements, so we hope that water companies will be encouraged to learn that proven technology is available to meet their needs, and that the support infrastructure to operate monitoring networks, is already in place.”
The monitoring on the River Kent 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.
The project was recently recognised by the Water Industry Awards, with APEM Group being announced as winner of the ‘Pollution Mitigation Initiative of the Year’ category.
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 benefi ts 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.”
Describing the water quality monitoring aspects of the project, Joe Allaby, APEM’s Principal Aquatic Scientist, said: “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 fi sh species such as Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and sea trout (Salmo trutta).”
Passing through the Lake District National Park, the River Kent fl ows for around 20 miles into Morecambe Bay. The River Kent is designated as a Site of Special Scientifi c Interest (SSSI) and a
River Kent in the UK’s Lake District
Special Area of Conservation (SAC). In the monitored section of the river, there are two protected species: bullhead (Cottus gobio) and white clawed crayfi sh (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 effl uent 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 fl ooding 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 fl ow 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 fi rst, this mainly involved ecological investigations to check the health of the river,” explains 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 identifi cation 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 Kendal WwTW temporary outfall Kiosk version of Meteor’s ESNET water quality monitoring system
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®
analysis and alarms.
ESNET systems are available in kiosk or portable formats, and sondes can be located in-river or within fl ow-through chambers measuring water which is pumped from the river. The Kendal sondes were located in the river, fi xed 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 fi eld engineers, capable
platform, which provides secure data visualisation,
IET SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2024
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
