Rapid First-Class Water Quality Data Removes Doubt For Swiss Water Utility, WWZ

A state-of-the-art analyser system that provides fast, fully automated monitoring of up to four sampling points has enabled a popular Swiss town to take swift action in the event of abnormal changes to water quality.

In the Canton of Zug (where since 1892, utility company WWZ has supplied water services), heavy rainfall, nearby construction and ageing assets could all trigger changes in water quality. Conventional monitoring, based only on periodic sampling, restricted the speed in which WWZ could take appropriate steps when the quality of the spring water was in question. Despite protected catchments and subsequent water treatment, the risk of spring water contamination remained.

Supplying water to 66,000 people in Zug, drawing from more than 80 springs that feed into four pipelines before treatment and storage, WWZ turned to leading water monitoring and analysis provider bNovate for a solution.

Simultaneously covering four spring sources through BactoSwitch connected to BactoSense, bNovate provided a single monitoring hub. This system combination flags up abnormal changes and provides secure remote access through BactoCloud to ensure continuous visibility and operational oversight. BactoSense is bNovate’s proven analyser that provides real-time bacterial monitoring with precise and actionable results in just 20 minutes. With BactoSwitch, four water lines can be covered, whilst BactoCloud is the secure cloud-based platform that synchs everything together for real-time monitoring of microbial water quality.

‘Immediately alerts us in case of abnormal changes’
Karl Zimmermann, Fountaineer at WWZ, said: "Thanks to BactoSwitch and BactoCloud, we gained full visibility of the microbiological quality of all our spring waters. The monitoring solution not only highlights differences among springs, but also immediately alerts us in case of abnormal changes. This is crucial to quickly define the right measures and understand how our springs react to influencing factors."

Early into its operation, the analysers showed an abnormal rise in cell count at the plant inlet from one of the four monitored spring sources. Turbidity, however, remained low, and well below the discharge threshold. Laboratory samples that were taken shortly after the alarm confirmed a serious contamination two days later: E. coli, enterococci and high HPC (Heterotrophic Plate Count) levels were found in the incoming spring water. Fortunately, lab results also confirmed that the UV treatment was effective and treated water met the applicable guidelines.

WWZ’s fountaineer, Karl Zimmermann, continued: “Thanks to BactoSense, we can detect contaminations that turbidity would have missed. The online cell counts guide our actions, and the microbial fingerprint refines our assessment of microbial risk."

bNovate’s CTO, Luigino Grasso, commented:
“Our new single monitoring hub replaces multiple instruments, greatly streamlining operations, to provide WWZ with a coherent overview of all sources in parallel for the very first time. This continuous, multi-source monitoring gives them important immediate visibility across all four spring sources, enabling the rapid interpretation of events and a clear distinction between routine variability and conditions that require intervention.”

‘Prioritise resources where operational risk is highest’
He added: “The flow-cytometric evidence from the combination of our BactoSense, BactoSwitch and BactoCloud acts to show which springs are most variable and rainfall-sensitive. This then allows WWZ to prioritise resources where operational risk is highest, which is a major benefit that for any concerned water provider makes our protective systems a must-have.

“The overall result is a resilient, more predictable supply, supported by data-driven operational decisions and vastly improved public safety.”

bNovate’s spring water monitoring solution has become a cornerstone of WWZ’s water quality assurance, delivering actionable microbiological results from the plant, 24/7.

About bNovate Technologies
bNovate Technologies SA, a multi-award-winning company, is a game-changing leader in water monitoring and analysis. It propels industrial microbiology into the digital age with rapid, automated solutions for the global water, F&B, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and semiconductor industries. Its solutions are powered by proprietary technology and deliver high-value microbial water quality data for efficient, sustainable water management. Trusted by water professionals across Europe, bNovate is rapidly expanding worldwide. For more information, visit www.bnovate.com.