Challenges associated with manual water quality monitoring methods

Manual water quality measurement methods are time-consuming and costly, and present the following challenges:

• Mistakes and mistakes are part of human nature. As a result, manual water quality readings are prone to error.

• If the readings are inaccurate or flawed, data quality will definitely suffer. Also, deriving useful insights from this data takes a lot of time.

• Taking water quality readings manually is very inefficient and cost-effective as it consumes a lot of time and effort.

• Staff need to be provided with training and appropriate education to prepare them for on-site reading.

•Manual inspection of probes and sensors also wastes significant production time that could have been spent on efficient reading procedures.

Application of automatic water quality monitoring system

IoT technology has enabled the creation of smart water quality monitoring solutions that are changing the way different industries operate. Listed below are some sectors that can benefit from the implementation of these systems:

1) Water:
Water providers and utilities need to ensure the supply of nutrient-rich water for drinking and other uses by consumers. By implementing IoT-based water quality measurement solutions, utilities can monitor the quality of distribution water in overhead tanks or even in pipes.

2) Agriculture:
Optimum water quality is a prerequisite for high crop yields. Depending on the crop being grown, sensors and probes can be used to identify impurities that may hinder its growth. This will help farmers enhance irrigation practices and ensure high yields of healthy crops.

3) Aquaculture:
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish in controlled environments. Water quality plays a vital role in promoting healthy populations of fish and crustaceans so they can be used as livestock.

4) Research facilities and laboratories:
Laboratories and research facilities require nearly 100% pure or distilled water for conclusive experiments. Therefore, water with low pH and suspended particles is required to determine accurate and reliable results. Thanks to the wireless measurement of water quality parameters, laboratories and test sites can conduct experiments without worrying about errors due to the presence of impurities.

5) Wastewater treatment:
The resulting wastewater is treated and managed before being discharged into freshwater bodies. Parameters such as temperature, turbidity, and TDS are therefore monitored to ensure that the water is properly treated prior to secretion. A smart water quality monitoring system using IoT optimizes the inspection process, thereby reducing the need for human intervention.

6) Manufacturing unit:
Production and manufacturing based companies often discharge chemicals and other hazardous liquids into rivers. Therefore, strict regulations are enforced on them to ensure that no harm is done to aquatic life. Therefore, factories can use real-time water quality monitoring to ensure compliance with mandatory regulations.

Key points:

By using IoT technology, the method of measuring water quality can be done automatically from far away places through advanced telematics technology. The applications of water quality systems in different fields are limitless and thus will change the way these sectors operate.