New national water quality instrumentation service unveiled 04 October 2011

The Environment Agency has instigated a new National Water Quality Instrumentation Service (NWQIS) that it believes will improve both the quality and the efficiency of water quality monitoring in England and Wales.

Part of the National Laboratory Service, it will fulfil the field monitoring requirements of the EA, but will also be available to other public and private sector organisations.

"The new service will centralise the agency's water quality instrumentation activities to deliver several important benefits," states Chris Hunter, who has been appointed to manage the NWQIS.

"For example, there will be greater commonality among both the instruments and the procedures we use for set up, calibration, operation and service. This will lower costs and improve data accuracy and repeatability," he explains.

Under the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) the EA is responsible for monitoring the quality of groundwater and surface waters, such as rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters.

In recent years the YSI 556 multi-parameter water quality monitor, from YSI Hydrodata, has been the workhorse of the EA's water monitoring teams. However, the agency is now moving to the newer MCERTS approved YSI Pro Plus multi-parameter water quality monitors and a full capital asset replacement programme is under way.

"EA and NLS staff possess a considerable level of water quality monitoring and data communications experience and expertise, so it makes sense to pull this together in order to share best practice," comments Hunter.

"We believe that this will benefit the EA and other clients, while also helping to protect the environment in England and Wales," he adds.

Brian Tinham

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