United Utilities has installed new water quality sensors around Windermere.
The water firm has joined forces with the Graythwaite Estate – which owns the shore of Esthwaite Water and Cunsey Beck – where the sensors are being trialled.
The two bodies of water flow into Windermere and it it hoped the new technology in the devices, known as ‘sondes’, will provide further information on the quality of the water.
Ed Sandys, from the Graythwaite Estate, said: “We are delighted to host United Utilities on Esthwaite Water and the Cunsey Beck for the purposes of monitoring and recording data.
“We all have a responsibility to clean up our rivers and lakes and this is a positive step in the right direction.”
United Utilities said the new sensors will monitor water quality in real time and will measure the water for different factors that can impact water quality.
Installed by RS Hydro, they will measure organic material, bacteria, ammonia, nutrients such as phosphorus, water temperature and levels of oxygen.
The firm added these parameters are able to provide a good indication of the health of a lake or river at a given time.
Sion Platts-Kilburn, catchment manager at United Utilities, said: “There are a range of factors that can affect water quality, including wastewater and land run-off, and these new devices will give us a level of insight that we’ve never had before.
“Only by working together can we build up a picture of what’s going on along the entire lake and river, so we are really pleased to be working with the Graythwaite Estate team. We are looking forward to sharing the data more broadly.”
The trial has seen four of the devices installed – one at each end of Esthwaite and two along Cunsey Beck.
