Recommended Beach E. coli Monitoring System
Buoys provide a robust platform for flexible placement of E. coli detection systems in nearly any bathing area. Plug-and-play performance with near real-time data acquisition presents a significant improvement over sporadic lab sampling that takes days to complete.
Buoy
The XB-200 buoy is a compact but powerful platform suitable for nearly any environment affected by bacterial outbreaks. Weighing in at just under 70 lb (30 kg), it is lightweight, simple to set up, and easy to deploy.
Data Logger
The X3 data logger conveniently mounts to the XB-200 buoy solar tower and provides pluggable, waterproof sensor ports to simplify sensor connections. Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, or Iridium satellite telemetry options facilitate data acquisition even from remote locations.
Water Quality Measurements
The Proteus Multi-Parameter Water Quality Sensor is a first-of-its-kind for real-time detection of E. coli and coliforms via fluorescence measurements and site-specific calibrations, while simultaneously recording many other common water quality parameters.
Power
The three 15W solar panels and 56 A-hr battery capacity of the XB-200 data buoy allow for high-resolution data to be gathered. The Solar panels are arranged to capture sunlight from any direction and support continuous operation in many geographic locations.
Accessories
For near-surface monitoring, the XB-200 is fitted with a perforated deployment pipe that protects the Proteus instrument while allowing topside access without removing the buoy from the water. Measurements at deeper depths are supported with suspended sensor strings.
Need More?
From small freshwater lakes to coastal beaches, NexSens monitoring systems offer a solution for any at-risk site. Turnkey systems may include sensor types for measuring background conditions like precipitation, nutrients and turbidity in addition to E. coli.
Alternate Buoy Sizes
In locations with primarily warm-season beach activity or ample sunlight year-round, a smaller buoy platform is often sufficient. For such applications, the lightweight CB-75 is available for E. coli surveillance at a relatively low price point.
Continuous monitoring with more demanding sensor payloads can be supported by larger buoy platforms like the CB-650 and CB-950. Larger buoys also improve visibility for lakes and coastal areas with substantial boat traffic.
Specialty Sensors
E. coli detection systems may benefit from additional sensor types for more comprehensive data sets. Buoy tower-mounted meteorological instruments add weather parameters like precipitation and solar radiation that may be indicators of likely bacterial outbreaks.
Other influencing or indicating factors, such as nutrient concentrations, can be tracked with the integration of spectral sensors like the TriOS NICO UV nitrate sensor. In sewer systems and rivers, flow rates can also be monitored to detect potential overflows.
Deployment
E. coli detection buoys can be deployed using single-point or two-point mooring configurations. Single-point setups are suitable for calm, shallow waters, while two-point moorings offer added stability for deeper sites or when using suspended sensor arrays.
For shoreline installations—such as near river mouths, stormwater outlets, or docks—land-based setups are also effective. The X3 can be mounted to a pole or wall with the PM2 Mounting Kit and powered by an SP-series solar power pack.
Real-Time E. coli Data
Wireless telemetry delivers near real-time E. coli data directly to the WQData LIVE web datacenter for early warning and long-term monitoring.
The free, basic tier service option includes secure data access, analysis, data sharing and downloading tools, simple high/low Quick Alert notifications, and remote data logger configuration.
Subscription-based WQData LIVE tiers include advanced features for detailed reporting, alarming, and data sharing via automated export, API, or Public Portal.
Purchase in the USA
Visit our US distributor, Fondriest Environmental, to purchase online.
Purchase Internationally
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Contact a NexSens Applications Scientist
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Case Studies
Tackling Beach Safety with UK's First Bacterial Monitoring Buoy
Beaches full of swimmers are a common sight during the warm summer months. Perhaps never more so than during the 2022 heat wave that swept across Europe and brought record-high temperatures to many areas. With warmer temperatures and more beachgoers looking to cool off with a swim in the sea, water quality at popular beach locations is more important than ever before. In the UK, Proteus Instruments and RS Hydro are working to ensure that swimmers can safely enjoy a bath at their favorite beach with the aid of groundbreaking real-time sensor technology. Buoys equipped with Proteus water quality multi probes are helping to instantly deliver critical information on bacterial loads--data previously only available through lengthy laboratory analysis. This real-time data better informs beach managers and ultimately helps ensure the safety of swimmers. Challenge: Stormwater Overflows and Swim Safety Much like record-breaking summer heat that draws people out to swim, large storm events are also becoming more frequent and powerful. Many areas suffer from undersized and outdated stormwater runoff systems that struggle to handle these events, particularly in areas where a lot of new development is taking place. The result can be direct sewage discharges into surface waters, in some cases near popular recreational sites that can introduce potent bacteria and endanger swimmers.
Freshwater Beach Monitoring in Chicago
Chicago’s beachgoers travel from near and far to enjoy Lake Michigan’s cool waters during the summer months. Like ocean beach fronts, resource managers work throughout the year to monitor water quality and environmental conditions on freshwater beaches to ensure that people are able to access the resource safely. Maggie Warren, the water quality project manager for the Chicago Park District, monitors the Lake with support from a local university during the beach season and works to publish the data for beachgoers on a daily basis. Water quality, weather conditions, and environmental hazards are monitored and then communicated to the public via a web portal, social media channels, and physical flags at each of the managed beaches. Challenge: Making Data Available Chicago is a massive urban center with millions of residents and tourists each year, and reaching everyone with valuable information before they head to the beach is essential. Second, Chicago is a large area with 26 miles of beachfront to monitor, which presents a unique opportunity to analyze the water quality along this stretch of water, and turn the information around in a timely manner.
Great Lakes E. Coli Forecasts
Following survey responses indicating that 10 percent of beachgoers felt sick after swimming in the Great Lakes region, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey decided to increase monitoring efforts for fecal bacteria, or E. Coli. Instead of continuing to rely on the slow, sometimes delayed, laboratory analysis of discrete water samples, they opted for a real-time solution. In fall 2010, researchers with the agency launched data buoys equipped with wave monitoring sensors to help aid the accuracy of E. Coli predictions. The goal was to make data on fecal bacteria in the water available more quickly so that beach closures and advisories could be issued at times more consistent with current bacteria levels. Recreation and tourism are incredibly valuable to the economies of the Great Lakes states and key to maintaining that economic value is keeping beaches safe. The data buoys helped to protect those interests by making real-time E. Coli forecasts possible, as well as setting an example for other similar beach monitoring projects in the future.