Managing water systems via remote monitoring

Digital water monitoring (DWM) refers to the use of connected sensors and software platforms to track various conditions within a water system in real time. These systems measure variables like temperature, flow, biofilm, and stagnation, flagging potential risks long before they develop into costly problems and unsafe situations. They do this in a variety of ways, but all start with the installation of a local device (usually a small black or grey box) with sensors plugged into it. Some of these sensors have to be plumbed into the existing water system, and others can be simply wrapped around the pipework. Most basic devices are capable of measuring hot and cold water temperatures from a single device, with some also able to identify if there has been flow.

Monitoring up to four temperatures and flow events simultaneously

The best and most up-to-date systems can now monitor up to four temperatures and flow events at once — including hot and cold water, mixed water (after a remote thermostat), and return hot water. In addition to monitoring temperatures and flow, there is one system on the market — the Angel Guard C-1 — that combines all of these, together with ground-breaking biofilm monitoring technology that can detect the early stages of biofilm growth from pathogens. In all cases the data collected by the sensors is then sent up to a ‘cloud’ system operated by the technology company supplying the devices. This is usually done using in-built wireless technology such as LoRaWAN (low frequency radio), that is excellent at penetrating through the built environment, and transferring the data from the local devices through to a router-type device that sits somewhere central in the building and has a SIM card installed, much like a mobile phone.

The results are then displayed on a piece of 
software often referred to as a portal. These portals display the results in a variety of different ways, with the most basic ones showing a simple line graph, which requires the person trying to understand the results needing to have a great deal of training and understanding of what they are looking at — as well as considerable time and patience. Other more advanced systems handle a lot of the analysis using clever software that includes unique algorithms, AI technology, and machine learning techniques, to analyse the data collected, and present to the user a more proactive, easier-to-understand risk level for each device installed. This saves users a lot of time, but also provides clear and instant results on the health of every water system you are monitoring. In addition, these more up-to-date systems are usually the only ones to comply with the latest HSE/Water Management Society guidelines — providing clear alerts while instructing users on what to do and what to look for if and when issues arise.

It’s a shift away from the traditional, manual measurement and hand-written logging that has long been the norm in the water management industry — where engineers physically check outlets on a monthly or weekly schedule, toward a modern, proactive, ‘always-on’ model that is much 
better suited to the demands of modern estates and 
the latest guidance issued by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Installation locations — where are DWM systems usually fitted?

As the risk of infection from waterborne pathogens such as Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa occurs mostly at point of use, it makes sense that the vast majority of DWM devices can currently be found in those locations. However, in addition to being installed at the point of use, they should ideally also be located at other points within the water system — including, but not limited to, locations close to water heaters, cold storage tanks, and cold-water chillers (if installed), water pipes within risers, and anywhere else within a system that is deemed to be a risk.

They can also be specified for cooling tower use, but specifiers considering utilising remote water monitoring systems in such locations need to ensure that both the system and the devices are designed and tested to work on them. Currently most devices on the market are not suitable, due to the fact that they cannot work on re-circulation systems — only static water. Also, they are not designed to work outside, and so cannot withstand the low temperatures of the winter and moisture coming from rain.

The Angel Guard C-1 outdoor device, however, does work very effectively with cooling towers, and has been tried and tested for a number of years. Built to work as well outside as it does inside, these devices can withstand temperatures at near freezing point. To help ensure safety and compliance, they monitor circulation temperatures every second to ensure that they are within the limits set out in the scheme of control. In addition, the system helps ensure that water recirculation is kept flowing — alerting responsible persons the second it stops.

The C-1 also includes the world’s first low-cost, in-line biofilm sensor, which can detect biofilm-generating pathogens at levels as low as 6 cfu per 100 ml of water. This critical data is then transmitted to Angel Guard’s cloud portal, where its advanced and patented risk assessment software analyses the information and assigns a risk level. This allows sites to stay informed, be proactive, and greatly increase safety and compliance levels.

Should I fit devices on every outlet in my building?

While fitting sensors to monitor every outlet in a building would be the optimal solution, giving Estates teams a full and complete picture, it is also not always practical to do so, and is certainly not what the current guidance suggests. Instead, a good place to start would be to fit devices to all current sentinel outlets — including the ones not just furthest away from the heat/cooling sources, but also ones in high-risk areas such as neonates, oncology wards, theatres, and burns units etc, and those that have had a recent positive test result for waterborne pathogens. In addition, the recent HTM 04-01 addendum proposes that all outlets in rooms where patients are at a higher risk of becoming infected with NTMs should be monitored using suitable digital water monitoring technology.

Until recently, digital monitoring was considered a helpful add-on — now, it’s being recognised as a valid, and in many cases preferred, route to compliance. Updated guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and NHS’s Health Technical Memorandum 04-01 (HTM 04-01) now acknowledges digital methods as effective alternatives to traditional manual checks. This is a significant development for Estates managers under pressure to demonstrate compliance, while balancing workload and cost management. In short: digital water monitoring is no longer just a smart upgrade — it’s an accepted standard.

Firstly, it’s important to understand that, like many things in life, not all digital monitoring systems are created equal. When investing in a DWM solution, Estates teams should ask the following questions:

• Is the system fully compliant with the latest regulations?
• Does it take readings frequently enough to be accurate?
• How does the system handle the large amounts of data?
• Is the system scalable across multiple buildings or campuses?
• Does it offer clear, cloud-based reporting and alerting tools?
• Can it integrate with existing infrastructure or BMS equipment?
• Is there a risk of alert fatigue, or is it intelligently configured?
• Does the provider offer training and technical support?

Fortunately, the recent guidance issued by the HSE and the Water Management Society covers all of this, and provides potential buyers of this technology with a clear checklist of what to look out for, and ensure is included within any DWM system being considered.

The guidance states that the following features should be present:

• RAG (Red, Amber, Green) alerts (dependent on risk levels), with the alerts automatically sent to appropriate people, with response times pre-set.
• Alerts identify the cause of the issue, and suggest the remedial action to be taken.
• All alerts can be escalated.
• Completed alerts must state when and by whom they were actioned.
• Alert thresholds must mirror the individual building scheme of control for each outlet/area of the water supply, and be different for every building.
• Alert thresholds must be different for various areas within the water system, such as tanks, calorifiers, and plate heat exchangers etc., and again should mirror what is in the scheme of control.
• The DWM system must be able to measure and identify non-movement of water in recirculation systems, and times when recirculation is scheduled to turn off.
• Risk levels must be capable of using combined temperature and flow data, and not just water temperatures.

Just as important as the hardware is the long-term partnership you’re buying into. A reliable supplier should offer not only the technology, but also the support to help you get the most from it.

The benefits of DWM are clear. Firstly, it gives Estates teams instant 24/7 visibility of system health across entire buildings or campuses. This means that issues such as temperature anomalies or under-used or indeed unused outlets can be dealt with before they become hazards — such as where there are outbreaks of Legionella or Pseudomonas.

In addition, there are also strong operational and environmental gains, including:

• Labour efficiencies: Fewer routine site visits, and faster identification of problem areas.
• ‘Blanket’ disinfection or flushing is replaced by more effective, and less costly, targeted countermeasures.
• Carbon savings are realised through such factors as reduced travel and lower chemical use, which aligns with many organisations’ Net Zero commitments.
• Data-driven compliance: Automatically logged results make reporting to Authorising Engineers and regulators far simpler, and often more robust.
• Cost savings through reduced staffing or contractor costs and targeted use of items such as filters.

Leasing options available

Of course, not every estate is ready to go digital overnight. Upfront investment in sensors, cloud platforms, and integration, can be a barrier, but many companies offering such solutions also offer leasing arrangements that help spread the burden of upfront capital costs, and transfer these into smaller monthly revenue costs that can easily be offset by the cost savings. The better companies also provide full support and training, which helps staff quickly get used to the new way of doing things.

Many people from within the water management sector are already comparing the introduction of digital water monitoring with what happened when smartphones were introduced. Those companies that have been using the technology for the last couple of years have proven that they wouldn’t go back to the old way of doing things, as they have become used to the many benefits of this remarkable technology. In addition, universities with ageing estates, NHS Trusts under tight regulatory scrutiny, and commercial offices adjusting to hybrid working patterns, are adopting digital monitoring not just for compliance, but for peace of mind. Looking ahead, it’s clear that DWM is more than a trend. It’s a practical response to real-world challenges: tightening regulations, environmental responsibilities, rising labour costs, and the need for operational resilience in uncertain times.