Real-time Water Quality Monitoring: the Key to Water Security

Water security affects us all, since access to clean, safe water is essential to our daily lives. The discussion about water security and who bears responsibility for it has become increasingly topical, at a global as well as local level. Water security is not just a technical or operational requirement, but is a vital part of many companies' operations, affecting both business continuity and customer safety. So what factors threaten water security, and why should it be taken seriously right now?

Water security in a changing world

Water security has become one of the central societal and business issues across the globe. Our most important resource faces an unprecedented plethora of threats. Climate change, extreme weather events, aging infrastructure, industrial discharges, negligence, and even willful contamination, present risks to which we must be ready to react promptly.

Clean and, above all, safe water is vital for households, healthcare, food production, and the tourism and other water intensive industries sectors. Water safety cannot be based on mere assumptions, nor on sporadic data collection, but requires continuous monitoring and the availability of real-time, actionable information.

Real-time monitoring is the only way to ensure water security

The only way to ensure water security is to implement real-time monitoring. When any deterioration in water quality is detected the moment it occurs, prompt action can be taken to prevent health risks, production interruptions or financial loss.

Real-time water quality monitoring enables:

• Water quality change alerts (Early Warning)
• Rapid response to quality changes
• Risk management and prevention
• Data-based decision-making and process optimization

Water utilities are responsible for vast numbers of consumers

Water utilities take extensive water quality samples only a few times a year. This means there is no truly comprehensive and up-to-date information on water quality for up to 361 days a year. Consequently, changes in water quality can go undetected for long periods, sometimes even weeks, and only become apparent when problems start affecting consumers.

Water utilities play an important role in critical infrastructure and as such face threats from extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall, floods, and temperature fluctuations, as well as from intentional or accidental interference and aging water supply networks. All of these factors constitute water quality risks which can escalate rapidly. Since water utilities supply all households, hospitals, restaurants, businesses, and public facilities, even a small disruption in water quality can have widespread and rapid impacts on a large numbers of consumers.

Without real-time monitoring, water utilities cannot be completely certain of the safety of the water they supply, and problems are often detected only when it is already too late. Real-time monitoring provides the ability to detect changes immediately, respond in time, and meet authorities’ growing requirements for rapid anomaly detection and proactive risk management.

In the food and beverage industry, quality and safety go hand in hand

In the food and beverage industry, water is one of the most essential raw materials. Water is typically sourced from private wells or supplied via water utilities and is assumed to be safe for use. However, what can happen to the water on its journey from the water source to the production facility is often overlooked. Simply assuming that water quality is up to standard is not sufficient, as its properties directly affect the taste, quality, shelf life, and most importantly, the safety of the final product. Scheduled or hit-and-miss sampling is far from ideal, as there is always a delay between the sample being taken and the results from laboratory testing being available. In some cases, the data from sample-testing does not become available until months after the sample is taken, meaning that water treatment processes are managed based on outdated information, and food and beverage product quality and safety are jeopardized.

Real-time water quality monitoring enables effective management of production risks in the food and beverage industry, as it allows any deviations in water quality to be detected and corrected immediately. It also helps provide assurance that end product quality remains consistent. Continuous water quality monitoring promotes food safety, which is a key factor in protecting consumer health. In addition, real-time monitoring facilitates compliance with regulations and quality requirements by providing up-to-date and documentable information on water quality throughout the production process.

Spas and hotels are responsible for the safety of their guests

In spas and hotels, the quality of the water directly affects the safety and experience of customers. The drinking water offered in hotels’ bars and restaurants and used in food preparation needs to be of a high standard, whilst resorts’ swimming pools, showers and water systems are environments where water quality can change rapidly and pose health risks, such as legionella bacteria. Real-time water quality monitoring helps ensure that water is up to standard continuously, not just at the time of an inspection, not just at the moment when a sample is taken.

The future of water security is continuous real-time monitoring

Real-time water quality monitoring is no longer just a desirable add-on, but a necessity. It improves water security, protects people’s health, safeguards businesses, and enables proactive risk management. Water security starts with knowledge, and knowledge is created by continuous water quality monitoring.