aquaTest and the keys to reducing maintenance and OPEX in continuous water quality monitoring

2026-02-19

aquaTest and the keys to reducing maintenance and OPEX in continuous water quality monitoring

 

Raúl Alonso, Water Sensors Sales Manager at Adasa, revealed the keys to reducing maintenance and OPEX in continuous water quality monitoring in a webinar organised in collaboration with aguasresiduales.info.

Raúl Alonso emphasised the idea that real-time water quality monitoring is no longer just an operational improvement: it is a key component in detecting episodes of contamination, strengthening early warning systems, speeding up incident response and preventing regulatory limits from being exceeded in applications such as rivers, discharge control, sanitation networks, WWTP inlet/outlet and industry.

The historical challenge has been to do this without increasing maintenance and operating costs. In this context, he explained that aquaTest, Adasa's complete multi-parameter system for continuous monitoring of physical-chemical parameters, has been specifically designed as a technological response to reduce maintenance and OPEX while ensuring 24/7 data availability.

aquaTest enables the deployment of more sustainable continuous water quality monitoring: more useful information, less intervention and lower OPEX, without compromising data reliability or operational integration.

From occasional laboratory sampling to continuous, actionable monitoring
The laboratory provides a static view through regular sampling, while aquaTest's continuous measurement offers a dynamic view that allows you to track trends, take immediate action and maintain 24/7/365 coverage.

These approaches are not competing; they are complementary. Alonso has demonstrated that the key to OPEX lies in transforming continuous data into operational decisions (alarms, diagnostics, process adjustments) and, in doing so, reducing costs, maintenance, travel and corrective actions.

In this regard, aquaTest performs everything from measurements to the display of profiles/graphs, with automatic and remote operation, high autonomy and robustness, and easy integration into control and operation networks.

The equipment integrates probes for critical physical-chemical water quality parameters, including:

  • pH, redox, temperature and conductivity.
  • Turbidity and organic matter using SAC indicator.
  • Optional parameters such as dissolved oxygen, nitrates, chlorophyll or phycocyanin.

Five direct levers for reducing maintenance and OPEX

  1. Single-point multiparametric measurement: Consolidating the acquisition of several physical-chemical parameters (depending on the configuration of the installation) into a single device reduces complexity. Less scattered instrumentation, less cabling and fewer elements to monitor. This reduces recurring tasks such as maintenance, checks, adjustments and replacements, and simplifies spare parts logistics.
  2. No reagents: low economic and environmental cost as no reagents are required, which in practice reduces consumables and risks associated with oxidants/digestion typical of laboratory techniques.
  3. High autonomy with self-cleaning: aquaTest incorporates a disinfection system and a compressed air cleaning system for the hydraulic circuit. Less dirt means less drift, fewer stoppages and fewer unplanned visits.
  4. Faster diagnosis through parameter correlation: by combining turbidity and organic matter in the same equipment, the interrelation of parameters helps to determine the origin/characterisation of discharges and to diagnose incidents, improving the effectiveness of water quality control in the event of incidents.
  5. Optical module for MO with rapid response: UV monitoring is a low-cost, rapid data acquisition alternative to slow and costly routines (BOD5, COD, TOC), which may also require reagents. aquaTest UV-MO correlations are site-specific and may vary depending on water type, seasonality, and between raw and treated water.

In addition, the communications architecture includes options commonly used in industrial automation and remote management, facilitating connection to SCADA and control centres.