Validating Real-Time Water Monitoring in a Live Environment

Lightwater Sensors ran a trial at our Waste Water Development Centre to validate their real-time chemical sensor technology in a realistic, continuous flow environment.

The goal was to test the device’s performance in untreated, flowing water over an extended period, assessing sensitivity, stability, and resilience to environmental factors such as biofouling.

About the Company

Lightwater Sensors is an early-stage spin-out from the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of St Andrews.  Founded by a senior research fellow, the company has developed a real-time, light-emitting chemical sensor that detects contaminants in water, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and explosives.

The sensor fits inside a compact, handheld device – about the size of a torch – and uses a replaceable optical strip to detect contaminants. In clean water, the strip emits light. When pollutants like pesticides or pharmaceuticals are present, that light dims, with the intensity dropping in proportion to how much contamination is detected.

The device includes everything it needs to operate: a built-in battery, optical system, data storage, and wireless communication. It streams real-time results directly to a phone or computer – no app or special software required. This makes it a truly portable, real-time water monitoring tool that’s fast, accurate, and ready to use anywhere.

The Challenge

Until recently, the Lightwater Sensor had only been tested in controlled laboratory environments or short Until recently, the Lightwater Sensor had only been tested in controlled laboratory environments or used briefly in outdoor spot checks. While these early trials showed promise, Lightwater Sensors need to answer the key questions that would determine commercial readiness:

• Could the sensor perform reliably when used continuously in untreated, flowing water?
• Would the sensitivity remain stable over time, despite exposure to variable conditions?
• How resilient would the system be to natural interference, such as biofouling?

These questions required long-term testing in a realistic and secure outdoor environment, with both raw and filtered water sources.

The Solution

Lightwater Sensors installed their sensor at our Water Development Centre, a dedicated testing facility for innovative water technologies.

This site was ideal: private, remote and designed for continuous flow trails.  It enabled the team to safely leave sensors in place for weeks at a time, undisturbed, while simulating deployment scenarios through two water streams – raw and filtered – offering dual validation.

The sensor was submerged within tanks fed by a constant low flow of water. Data was streamed remotely for live monitoring, while on-site visits ensured regular checks on the physical condition of the unit.

The Result

The three-month field trial produced highly encouraging results.

• The device maintained waterproofing integrity throughout the testing period.
• Biofouling was minimal, with no measurable impact on light emission or signal clarity.
• The real-time data transmission continued without interruption, even in challenging environmental conditions.

These results confirmed the sensor’s suitability for extended, unattended deployments in challenging environments, offering a powerful tool for continuous monitoring in both utility and environmental applications.

Following the successful validation, Lightwater Sensors has progressed to licensing the technology to industry partners.