Storage tanks and building water systems
Add monitoring to a compatible tank where facilities teams need records of selected water conditions. Review the sensor mounting, access and reporting requirements for the building.
Envitus Water
Water quality monitoring for tanks and natural water bodies
Connect selected water measurements from storage tanks, lakes and other water bodies through Envitus. Review site readings, historical records and threshold alerts in a shared monitoring platform.
Choose the monitoring approach for your site
Storage tanks and natural water bodies have different installation and servicing requirements. The measurement objective determines the sensor and data configuration.
Lakes, rivers and other natural water bodies
Collect observations for a defined environmental monitoring objective. Select the measurement locations, probe arrangement and maintenance approach for the site.
Storage tank monitoring
Add monitoring to existing overhead tanks
Add compatible probes and monitoring equipment to an existing tank. Assess the measurement locations, mounting, power and communications before installation.
Plan access for cleaning, calibration and servicing. Configure reporting intervals and alerts around the readings your facilities team needs to investigate.
Natural water bodies
Monitor changes in aquatic environments
Collect selected measurements at defined locations in lakes, rivers and other water bodies. Review changes over time alongside the site context and observations from the operating team.
Assess probe placement, mounting or mooring, available power and network coverage. The installation must provide access for inspection and sensor servicing.
Measurement options
Select parameters for the monitoring objective
The selected sensors determine which parameters are measured and how they are reported. Confirm the measurement methods and operating limits for the configuration.
- pH
- How acidic or basic the water is. Define the required probe range, operating conditions and calibration procedure.
- Temperature
- Water temperature at the measurement point. Specify the range and reporting interval needed by the monitoring team.
- Turbidity
- An optical measure of water cloudiness. Specify the sensor method and units used for the readings.
- Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP)
- A reading of oxidation-reduction conditions in the water. Agree the probe type and interpretation required for the application.
- Dissolved oxygen (DO)
- Oxygen dissolved in water, relevant to aquatic environmental assessment. Measurement and servicing requirements depend on the selected sensor.
- Conductivity
- The ability of water to conduct an electrical current. Specify the measurement conditions and how the readings will be reported.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) reporting can also form part of a configuration. Confirm whether the value is measured or calculated, the method used and the reporting units. Additional parameters require their own measurement methods and compatible instruments.
Read USGS explanations of water quality parameters (opens in a new tab).
Connect field measurements with the operating team
Define the functions performed by the devices and the information shared through the platform. Communications, access and integration are selected for the deployment.
Sensor measurements
The selected probes collect the required parameters. Measurement methods, ranges and reporting intervals are specified for the application.
Local device functions
Project-specific configurations can add edge analytics, on-device AI and local autonomy. Define the local task, operating limits and behavior during communication interruptions.
Platform views and alerts
Bring readings into dashboards and historical records. Agree alert thresholds, recipients and the workflow for investigating a change.
Access and integration
Configure web or mobile access for the intended users. Application programming interfaces (APIs) support data exchange with compatible systems through agreed interfaces.
Interpret readings for the intended use
Monitoring provides records of the parameters measured by the selected instruments. The assessment plan defines how readings are evaluated, what further tests are needed and who is responsible for follow-up.
Drinking-water assessment
Selected sensor readings alone do not establish drinking-water safety. Assessment must address relevant hazards, appropriate testing and risk management for the supply and its intended use.
Read WHO drinking-water quality guidance (opens in a new tab)
Environmental assessment
Choose measurements and sampling around the environmental question. Review readings with site observations and sensor condition before drawing conclusions about a change in the water body.
Lake assessment with Carlson Trophic State Index (TSI)
Carlson Trophic State Index uses chlorophyll-a, total phosphorus or Secchi depth data to describe a lake's trophic state. A project requiring this index needs suitable measurement methods and an agreed reporting configuration.
- Chlorophyll-a
- Total phosphorus
- Secchi depth, a measure of water transparency
These inputs should not be assumed to come from the basic sensor set. Read Carlson's published lake index reference (opens in a new tab).
Specify the measurements and installation
Share the water environment and operating requirements so the sensor, platform and servicing arrangements can be assessed together.
Measurement objective
Describe the water environment, intended use and required parameters. Identify ranges, methods and any additional field or laboratory measurements needed for the assessment.
Installation and servicing
Review mounting, immersion, exposure and access. Agree cleaning, calibration, verification and maintenance records for the selected probes.
Power, networks and records
Define available power and communications, reporting intervals and data handling. Confirm measurement units, missing-data records and storage or reconnection behavior.
Alert and local operating logic
Identify thresholds, recipients and response responsibilities. Any project-specific edge processing or control interface needs a defined task and agreed operating limits.
Water quality monitoring questions
Which water quality parameters can be monitored?
Configurations can include pH, temperature, turbidity, oxidation-reduction potential, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and total dissolved solids. The selected sensors determine the parameters, measurement ranges and methods. Confirm how any calculated values are produced and reported.
Can Envitus be added to an existing water tank?
Compatible tanks can be assessed for retrofit monitoring. The review covers the required measurements, probe mounting, access, power and communications. Installation and servicing arrangements are defined for the tank and selected equipment.
How do tank and natural-water installations differ?
The installation should reflect the water environment and monitoring objective. Probe placement, immersion, mounting or mooring, exposure and access for servicing can differ between a storage tank and a lake or river. The equipment and data workflow are selected for the site.
How should measurement quality be checked?
Review the selected sensor methods, ranges and operating conditions. Agree calibration, verification, cleaning and servicing procedures, with records of checks and maintenance. Define how missing readings, sensor issues and measurement units will be handled in the dataset.
Can the readings confirm that water is safe to drink?
A selected sensor set measures only its configured parameters. Those readings alone do not establish drinking-water safety. The assessment must address relevant hazards, appropriate testing and risk management for the supply and its intended use.
Does a basic sensor set provide a lake trophic state index?
Carlson Trophic State Index uses chlorophyll-a, total phosphorus or Secchi depth data. Suitable measurement methods must provide the required inputs. They should not be assumed to come from a basic pH, temperature or turbidity sensor set.
Are edge analytics and local autonomy available?
Edge analytics, on-device AI and local autonomy are available through project-specific configurations. The local task, hardware, firmware, connected equipment and operating limits are agreed for the deployment.
How can water monitoring connect to existing systems?
Communications and integration are assessed against device compatibility and site infrastructure. Agree the supported interfaces, data fields, authentication and transfer frequency. The Envitus IoT Platform provides access and API-based data exchange for the configured workflow.
Plan your water quality monitoring deployment
Share the sites, required parameters, available power and networks, and how your team intends to use the data.