Environment Act Section 82 Compliance Monitoring Solutions
Section 82 of the UK Environment Act 2021 mandates that water companies must monitor water quality up- and down-stream of all wastewater treatment works and combined sewer overflows (CSOs). With over 50,000 monitoring points required nationwide, legacy sensing equipment is operationally unsustainable due to rapid biofouling, regular drift, and intense manual calibration demands.
Section 82 requires - Continuous
monitoring at 50,000+ sites in UK.
- Accurate,
drift-free ammonia (TAN) monitoring.
- All 5
mandated parameters covered.
- Deployment
across variable, remote geography.
- Resilience
against biofouling and clogging.
- Readiness
for future regulatory expansion.
| SWS DropletSens™
delivers - Autonomous, low-maintenance, continuous monitoring.
- Lab-standard Indophenol chemistry, ISO 23695.
- Turnkey solution with all 5 parameters in one platform.
- In-situ, pumped, or floating/bankside options.
- Biofoul protected, and pre-filtration to stop clogging.
- Expansion to Phosphate monitoring also offered.
|
Mandated Continuous Water Quality
Monitoring (CWQM) parameters are Dissolved Oxygen (DO), temperature, pH, turbidity
and ammonia, while additional parameters can be added by the Secretary of
State.
Ammonium (NH₄) is a key indicator
of wastewater pollution and can convert into toxic ammonia (NH₃) as pH and
temperature rise. Elevated levels can impact water quality and harm aquatic
ecosystems. To address these challenges, we measure Total Ammonia Nitrogen
(TAN) using proven Indophenol chemistry (ISO 23695), the established laboratory
standard for ammonia analysis.
SouthWestSensor's DropletSens™ platform solves the scale challenge of Section 82. By applying autonomous nanodroplet microfluidics, our in-situ probes and online analysers deliver high-frequency, lab-quality ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate data with an ultra-low maintenance schedule of just one visit every 3 months.
Overcoming the Scale & Maintenance Barriers of Section 82
Meeting the continuous monitoring mandate for Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN), temperature, and pH at scale requires instruments built for remote, unassisted endurance. SWS directly addresses the top three utility operational concerns:
- Providing
the ammonia sensor as a more accurate and lower maintenance option compared to Ion
Selective Electrodes (ISEs). Can be deployed either as an in-situ probe or
as part of a pumped kiosk solution.
- Providing
a turnkey EA S82 solution for all 5 parameters together with trusted
integration partners.
- Providing
future proofing through our market leading Phosphate sensor, a parameter that is
expected to be added to EA S82 legislation in the future.
Flexible Deployment Configurations for Catchment Networks
Because Section 82 demands deployments across highly variable geography—from concrete outfalls to remote riverbanks—the SWS platform supports diverse installation models:
- In-Situ Probes: Submersible, compact units tailored for deployment in flowing watercourses or fixed shoreline monitoring kiosks.
- Pumped Online Analysers: Combined with active pre-filtration arrays (including self-cleaning Rotorflush or ceramic Cembrane modules) to process highly turbid sample matrices without clogging.
- Hybrid Floatation & Moveable Systems: Fully compatible with turnkey third-party solutions, including WATR’s floatable Pro 2.0 platform and hybrid bankside installations for rapid, non-permanent deployment.
Streamline Your Network Compliance Strategy
Talk to our engineering team about custom integrations, pilot deployments, or to request the complete DropletSens™ technical specifications sheet.
Request Technical Consultation