UWWTD Compliance requires
  1. Discharge thresholds have been significantly lowered.
  2. Aeration must respond dynamically to ammonium levels.
  3. Tightly control carbon dosing to keep TN under limits. 
  4. Coagulant dosing must balance compliance against cost.
   SWS DropletSens™ delivers
  1. Continuous baseline data - process stages & final outfalls.
  2. Real-time process monitoring cuts blower energy use.
  3. Tracks nitrate/nitrite continuously to prevent over-dosing..
  4. Continuous orthophosphate data enables optimised dosing.

SouthWestSensor's DropletSens™ platform is engineered to meet these stricter standards. Our autonomous, wet-chemical online analysers deliver high-frequency, lab-quality data for key nutrients—including ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, and orthophosphate—allowing operators to continuously monitor final effluent and optimize biological processes 24/7.

Navigating Stricter Nutrient Discharges Under the UWWTD Recast


 

The updated UWWTD mandates stricter limits on nitrogen and phosphorus discharges to combat widespread eutrophication in European waterbodies. For larger municipal treatment works, meeting these standards requires a transition from retrospective grab-sampling to continuous, automated water quality mapping.

Failing to meet these updated limits risks heavy financial penalties, environmental infringement actions, and reputational damage. By installing SWS online analysers at key process stages and final outfalls, operators gain the continuous baseline data needed to verify compliance and provide audit-ready proof to environmental regulators.

Optimising Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) in Real-Time<


 

To cost-effectively achieve the required nutrient reductions under the new directive, treatment plants must optimize their biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes, including nitrification and denitrification zones:

  • Nitrification Control: Monitor influent and process-stage ammonium levels in real-time to dynamically adjust aeration basin blowers, dramatically cutting energy consumption.
  • Denitrification Verification: Track nitrate and nitrite levels autonomously to control carbon dosing accurately, preventing expensive chemical over-dosing while ensuring total nitrogen remains safely below legal limits.
  • Phosphorus Removal Dosing: Utilize continuous orthophosphate data to optimize chemical coagulant dosing (such as ferric or alum), protecting the receiving environment while keeping operational costs low.

Why DropletSens™ is the Definitive Solution for Strict N & P Limits


 

Operating chemical sensors in raw and final wastewater is notoriously difficult. Traditional optical and electrochemical probes suffer from rapid biofouling, sediment blockages, and signal drift.

Our proprietary DropletSens™ microfluidic technology eliminates these traditional points of failure:

  • No Sensor Drift: Onboard calibration standards run automatically at user-defined intervals, guaranteeing quantitative accuracy and defensible compliance records without manual intervention.
  • Protected Reaction Chamber: The chemical reaction is confined inside microfluidic channels, shielding the delicate detection optics from biofouling and organic matrix coatings.
  • 90-Day Unattended Operation: Due to nanodroplet chemical scaling, our sensors require routine reagent cartridge changes only once every 3 months, aligning perfectly with standard utility maintenance cycles.

Rugged Pre-Filtration and Remote SCADA Integration


 

Wastewater applications demand robust system integration. SWS provides fully packaged, pumped online analyser systems designed to handle highly turbid, high-solids flows:

  • Advanced Pre-Filtration: Choose between active mechanical Rotorflush modules or back-washable ceramic Cembrane Silicon Carbide (SiC) systems to ensure a continuous, block-free sample stream.
  • Seamless Telemetry Integration: Stream real-time data directly to your plant SCADA or centralized PLC systems via RS232, RS485, Modbus, or Bluetooth.