How to protect surface-water intakes with real-time data
Insights from the WaterSense system and a pilot delivered together with MPWiK Wrocław.
Surface-water intakes are exposed to events that cannot be predicted from periodic samples alone.
An industrial discharge, runoff after heavy rain, a catchment failure or rapid algal growth can change water quality between sampling rounds. Laboratory results remain essential, but they describe one moment in time. Operational protection also requires continuous information about the direction and pace of change.
The greatest value comes from combining field measurements, historical data and the local context of the intake. A system should not only show the current parameter value, but also identify anomalies, locate when and where they occurred and assess whether they may affect intake operations. Monitoring then becomes a practical tool for dispatchers, process engineers and field teams.
From samples to continuous oversight
Measurement around the clock
WaterSense delivers this model through autonomous monitoring stations and the WaterMap platform. Stations operate 24/7, can report every 10 minutes depending on configuration, and monitor more than 25 water-quality parameters.
These include pH, conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, UV254 absorbance, COD, TOC, salinity, chlorides, nitrates, chlorophyll-a, phycocyanin and signals associated with petroleum-based substances. The modular design allows the measurement scope to match the risks of each intake.
Data that supports decisions
From reading to operational response
In WaterMap, data from multiple locations is presented on one map together with historical trends, alarm thresholds and anomaly notifications. Operators see not only a single reading, but also the trend, relationships between parameters and how an event moves through a river or reservoir.
This makes it possible to commission a field inspection sooner, adjust sampling frequency, prepare the treatment process or temporarily limit abstraction. Intake-risk analysis combines measurements with defined thresholds, the location of potential hazards and water travel time.
An alert therefore has operational meaning: it answers not only whether a parameter is outside its normal range, but also whether the event can reach the intake and when a response may be needed.
Pilot with MPWiK Wrocław
Technology proven in the field
A WaterSense pilot delivered together with MPWiK Wrocław provided a practical test of this approach. Autonomous stations supplied regular measurements, while WaterMap organised the data in one view, making trends easier to analyse and situations faster to assess.
Combining continuous monitoring, alerts and local context gives operational teams more time to verify an event and prepare the right response. Moving from an isolated result to an up-to-date view of the whole system strengthens intake protection.
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