As the driest continent in the world, ample, clean and safe water supply has been the first priority of Australia. Introduction of purified recycled wastewater (PRW) into the water supply system can not only overcome water shortage problem to some degree but also relieve significant demands and burdens on natural environment. However, the potential risks associated with the PRW concept that has attracted extensive public concerns are needed to be addressed. An online event detection system integrated real-time water quality characteristics acquisition system and univariate event detection algorithm is developed to safeguard purified recycled wastewater system operation and maintain the barriers’ integrity by reducing the associated risks. The event detection system composed by four groups of robust and simple dual sensors, including temperature, conductivity, turbidity and pH sensors. In addition, special flow-cell design has been developed to achieve self-cleaning, abrasion free and antifouling functions. Till now, four systems have been installed in major water utilities such as wastewater pumping stations in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. The field trials proved that the selected sensors are very robust and reliable; and the design of flow cell can assure the sensor free from fouling. Significant events, such as base and acid dumping have been successfully detected by the field deployment in the past two years.

Smart event detection system for online water quality monitoring and wastewater source control

249th National Meeting (2015)

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