Optimise drinking water treatment with BlueEdge® by Badger Meter

Continuous monitoring of source water quality helps compile data on the typical water conditions entering the treatment facility. Accurate data helps operators maintain control of chemical dosing in the treatment process, ultimately helping meet regulations and maintain compliance. Furthermore, continuous monitoring can be used to set up contamination or event detection alarms. Solutions that use spectral or pattern alarms will alert for any changes in standard parameters, empowering early reaction to events that may disrupt the treatment process.

Turbidity, organics (such as Total Organic Carbon - TOC; Dissolved Organic Carbon - DOC), pH, ammonia and conductivity are the main parameters utilities monitor for at this stage, but there can be other requirements on additional parameters, depending on the intake water quality. Some utilities monitor UV254 — the measurement of organic matter present in raw water.

Safeguarding water in Italy

For Italian water utility IRETI, nitrate contamination was a recurring issue for drinking water operations. The fertiliser used in the largely agricultural area caused nitrate levels in the groundwater to exceed the 50 mg/L limit set by Council Directive 91/676/EEC, which regulates pollution from agricultural sources. To meet this regulation, IRETI installed a long-term system that would track nitrate, chlorine dioxide and temperature levels.

Continuous monitoring of source water quality helps compile data on the typical water conditions entering the treatment facility

Several products from the BlueEdge suite of solutions, including the spectro::lyser V3 probe for nitrate measurement and the chlodi::lyser sensor for monitoring chlorine dioxide, connect to a con::cube V3 IoT control unit, which can monitor up to 64 parameters for comprehensive online water analysis.

The monitoring system provides continuous, 24-hour oversight of water quality, making it easy for operators to react when nitrate levels rise. High-frequency measurements deliver precise, real-time insights, while automatic brush cleaning minimises maintenance and reduces operating costs over the life of the units. IRETI used this accurate data to act quickly to prevent contamination of the water supply and keep drinking water safe for the communities it serves.

Minimise water waste by optimising filter performance

The goal of filtration in water treatment is to remove particles and larger solids from source water. Over time, solids buildup on filter media can decrease filtration efficiency. To ensure that the filtration process is working effectively, backwash monitoring allows operators to gauge and address filter performance for optimal process efficiency.

Flow rates, timing and environmental changes can affect filtration media performance. When the flow rate is too high, there’s a higher likelihood of washing out media. When the wash duration is longer than necessary, valuable treated water is wasted both during the wash and during the filter ripening time post-wash.

The FilterSmart Backwash Monitor measures media expansion and turbidity in real time. These two trends together present a clear picture of the backwash process, simplifying filter optimisation with 24/7 monitoring that takes the place of countless manual hours of data collection.

Installed at the top of a gravity filter just below the top of the wash trough, the FilterSmart’s in-filter turbidity measurement provides immediate feedback during a backwash on filter cleanliness. During a backwash, the ultrasonic sensor tracks the level of the media, and the turbidity sensor measures how clean or dirty the wash water is as it flows into the wash trough.

Cost savings in Florida

The Punta Gorda Water Treatment Plant is a 10 MGD surface drinking water facility. Floc tanks and four Solids Contact Units (SCUs) — which are a form of upflow clarifier — feed two Greenleaf Filters with four cells each. The filters are backwashed every 70 hours regardless of head loss. High backwash flow rate is 5,200 gpm. The total cost of treating 1,000 gallons of drinking water is $1.73.

During a field trial with FilterSmart monitors, it was noted that the loading in the filters was very light, with relatively low turbidity measured during the backwash. Since the backwash schedule was based on time and not head loss, operators decided to incrementally increase the Filter Run Times (FRTs) until the head loss value was reached. FRTs were increased to 120 hours, an adjustment that resulted in a 42% decrease in annual backwash water consumption and cost savings of approximately $65,000.

Following the trial, backwash data also indicated that the high-rate portion of the backwash was longer than necessary and was reduced by four minutes. This initial adjustment resulted in additional savings of approximately 22,100 gallons of wash water per wash, at a value of $21,000 annually.

“We love these instruments,” said Brian Fuller, Utilities Director, Punta Gorda Water Treatment Plant. “They’ve given us data that we can use to make decisions that have saved us a lot of money.”

Real-time disinfection monitoring enhances compliance and reduces operational costs

Disinfection is an essential component of drinking water treatment. The course of treatment chosen is based on the quality of the water source, coupled with regulatory concerns, and generally consists of chemical disinfection (using chlorine, chlorine dioxide or chloramine), and/or ultraviolet radiation. A disinfection process with efficient, reliable water quality measurements delivers more than just trending data; it provides a treatment facility with the ability to control its disinfection process, thus creating consumer trust and confidence.

After water has been treated, monitoring and maintaining water quality at points within the distribution network protects public health.

Network monitoring for the Iberian Peninsula, Spain

EMIVASA, responsible for providing safe water to Valencia, has installed around 50 in-network water quality stations from Badger Meter that allow operators to measure water quality accurately, including in pressurised pipes, throughout the distribution network. Parameters monitored in Valencia include TOC, colour, turbidity, UV254, temperature, pressure, free chlorine, conductivity and pH. This monitoring also supports the validation of hydraulic models within the distribution system, and it allows operators to measure if treatment is having the required response, as part of EMIVASA’s disinfection control programme. The data gathered provides insights into water quality stability across various network points, regardless of operational changes upstream.

Meeting water quality challenges in the Middle East

Maintaining consistent water quality is even more challenging in areas with ageing infrastructure, harsh climates, high salinity and geographically dispersed systems. In the Middle East, evolving operating models where private operators manage specific zones, desalination plants, or transmission networks make effective monitoring difficult to navigate. It creates multiple handover points where water quality must be carefully monitored to ensure compliance and the protection of consumers.

After water has been treated, monitoring and maintaining water quality at points within the distribution network protects public health

A key initiative in this part of the world has seen the rollout of District Metering Zones (DMZs) to reduce non-revenue water (NRW). Increasingly, these DMZs are paired with real-time quality monitoring to give utilities complete control — ensuring safe drinking water, safeguarding public health and supporting national security by detecting any contamination risks before they spread across wider networks.

Traditionally, utilities rely on manual sampling, laboratory testing and reporting — a process that can take up to two days before results are available. This lag leaves networks exposed to risks and increases operating costs. By providing continuous, distributed, real-time visibility across networks, utilities can now detect anomalies instantly, take corrective action within minutes and see that water quality remains consistent across all DMZs and interchange points.

Utilities that have deployed real-time monitoring solutions from Badger Meter report significant operational improvements. For example, laboratory teams have reduced operating expenses by at least 25%, as fewer manual samples are required, meaning operations and maintenance decisions can be based on live data.

“Utilities gain clarity, enabling rapid response to water quality issues, opti­misation of network performance, and enhanced confidence among consum­ers,” said Hatem Tantawy, Badger Meter General Manager for the Middle East and South Asia.

Operators can now respond to contamination risks within minutes instead of days. For households, this means greater confidence in water safety; for utilities, it translates into improved efficiency, optimised chemical dosing and fewer unnecessary flushing activities.

“Utilities gain clarity, enabling rapid response to water quality issues, optimisation of network performance, and enhanced confidence among consumers,” said Hatem Tantawy, Badger Meter General Manager for the Middle East and South Asia.

Drinking water safety is of paramount importance worldwide. When utility customers have access to real-time water quality, flow and pressure data, they can more easily protect treatment assets and provide opportunities for process optimisation. With more than a century of experience serving utility customers worldwide, Badger Meter supports utilities and municipalities so that they can confidently deliver safe drinking water to their consumers.

Visit BadgerMeter.com/dwt-25 to learn more.