Polski
Global environmental challenges motivated T-Mobile to introduce an innovative solution: an analytical buoy that monitors water quality. Piotr White, Smart City & IoT Market Sales Director of T-Mobile Business Solutions, shares details of a project that can support crisis management.
Agnieszka Hobot: Peter, could you tell us – starting with the genesis of your project in the context of water management – what exactly do you do and what stage are you at now?
Peter White: Work on the project began in the first quarter of 2022, when a customer shared with us his problem with manual water sampling and testing. The person who performed this task had to go to the river several times a day and take samples. This was time-consuming and inefficient. We treated the topic as a challenge and designed a system together with our partner that automated the process. There are plenty of sensors on the market, but we wanted ours to be precise and of the highest quality.
We initially used the system to monitor several basic water parameters. We launched it, after a series of tests and laboratory calibrations, in July 2022. In the meantime, after the contamination of the Oder River, we expanded its functionality to include additional monitoring parameters, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of water conditions. At present, the project’s implementation is fully functional and provides real-time data, allowing rapid response to possible environmental threats. It should be added that it is the customer who determines what he wants to test, and our solution allows you to adapt to this and define parameters for individual needs.
A.H.: What does the system look like from the technical side? Can you tell more about its structure and functioning?
P.B.: Our solution is based on the use of an advanced analytical buoy, which is equipped with a number of sensors that measure a variety of water parameters. It can be said that the system consists of three layers: the sensory layer (communication module, sensors and automation), the system layer (IoT platform that retrieves and processes data in real time) and the communication layer (T-Mobile network). The data is sent in real time to the application , which allows its management and monitoring. Users can customize the system’s settings, including the frequency of measurements and the thresholds that, if exceeded, initiate the sending of alerts. The buoy’s advantage is that it is solar powered, making it an environmentally friendly solution, plus it does not require frequent servicing.
A.H.: What parameters can be monitored with this?
P.B.: Currently, the system can monitor a wide range of parameters, which is key to providing a comprehensive assessment of water quality. We can measure everything from temperature, pH, conductivity and suspended solids concentration to dissolved oxygen and other substances, including nitrates. In response to growing demand, we plan to further expand the list of indicators that can be analyzed. Our system is designed with scalability and flexibility in mind, allowing rapid adaptation to new environmental challenges.
It is used in a variety of aquatic environments, whether in lakes, seas or oceans, or for monitoring artificial reservoirs, such as conditions in farm ponds. Each of these areas has specific requirements for environmental parameters. For example, in fish farms, it is crucial to control dissolved oxygen levels and water temperature, which are critical to fish health and growth. Other parameters, less critical for this type of application, are monitored with less priority.
Companies and institutions investigating environmental contaminants often require detailed physicochemical data, which requires technology to be flexible and adaptable to specific requirements. As I mentioned, thanks to its modular design, it is easy to define and customize the monitoring parameters to suit your own needs and the specifics of the environment under study. Thus, the design approach and flexibility of our solution allow us to effectively manage water quality under a variety of conditions, meeting the precise requirements of users.
A.H.: You talked about the disaster on the Oder River. How was your solution used in responding to this event?
P.B.: Last May, in response to the effects of the ecological crisis affecting Wroclaw in 2022, local authorities decided to make the results of water quality measurements in the Oder River available to residents. Due to the strategic location of the river, which has a significant impact on the city’s tourist attraction and daily life, this information was crucial for public safety and health. The buoy was launched as part of the Oder Days organized by the City of Wroclaw as a response to the problem of pollution of the river and a warning system that enables countermeasures to be taken in a timely manner so that the damage to both the river’s ecosystem and its users is minimized.
This year, together with the Better Krakow Association, we launched our analytical buoy at the Dabie water level in Krakow, where research is focused on understanding the dynamic impact of various factors on aquatic ecosystems. The results are intended to provide the city and its residents with a basis for better understanding of water status and more effective resource management and conservation planning.
A.H.: How does this project fit into T-Mobile’s corporate responsibility strategy?
P.B.: Creating the technologies of the future for the sake of a better tomorrow is the cornerstone of our ESG strategy. This project is a testament to our commitment to environmental protection. At T-Mobile, we focus on innovation that not only addresses current business needs, but also contributes to sustainability and environmental protection. Through this project, as well as other Smart City and IoT initiatives, we are redefining the role of technology in protecting natural ecosystems and supporting local communities in their efforts to improve water safety.
Photo. main: T-Mobile
