Wessex Water has installed AI-linked sensors at French Weir in Taunton to provide near real-time river water quality information.
The sensors are designed to infer bacteria levels in the River Tone. Results will be shown on a Water Quality Live webpage to help swimmers, paddleboarders and other river users make informed decisions.
French Weir became a designated bathing water site in 2024 and is monitored by the Environment Agency.
French Weir water quality data to support river users
The new sensors predict water quality every hour. Wessex Water said the system will use notifications to show whether conditions may be suitable for recreation.
Bacteria in rivers can come from several sources. These include agricultural activity, field run-off, wildlife, sewage treatment processes and licensed storm overflows.
Storm overflows can operate during or after intense rainfall to reduce flood risk. Wessex Water said the monitoring system will help it better assess their impact at French Weir.
AI used to predict bacteria levels
Traditional bathing water testing relies on manual samples being sent to a laboratory. Those results can take around three days, which limits their usefulness for people deciding whether to enter the water.
The Wessex Water system uses sensors that measure indicators including temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and river flow. This data is combined with laboratory samples to train machine-learning algorithms.
Those algorithms then predict bacteria levels at bathing locations throughout the year. Wessex Water said it can take between 12 and 24 months to train the models, depending on data needs and catchment complexity.
There will always be bacteria in rivers, whether it has come from natural or human activities, but that shouldn’t mean they are no-go areas for swimming or recreation.
Ruth Barden, environmental solutions director, Wessex Water
River Tone bathing water improvement work continues
Wessex Water is part of an Environment Agency-led Bathing Water Steering Group for newly designated bathing water locations.
The company said in-river sensors and machine-learning models will be rolled out at other popular spots across Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset and South Gloucestershire between now and 2030.
Water quality varies and is typically better during dry weather, when there is less run-off from the land and storm overflows are less likely to discharge rainwater or groundwater.
Ruth Barden, environmental solutions director, Wessex Water
Barden said decisions on whether specific sites are safe for swimming or recreation remain the responsibility of councils and other relevant bodies.
The safety of swimming and recreation at specific locations is for councils and others to determine, but we want to help people make an informed choice by delivering near real-time water quality information using AI at popular coastal and inland sites.
Ruth Barden, environmental solutions director, Wessex Water
Local MP welcomes monitoring system
Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, said the monitoring system was a step towards improving the River Tone.
The reason I worked on and submitted the application for Bathing Water Status for our River Tone in Taunton was to get real action on cleaning up the state of our rivers.
Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington
Having the right information is the vital first step in planning what investment is needed. Once up and running, you’ll be able to see the quality of the river water right at the very moment you want to go boating or even take a dip.
Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington
Wessex Water said it will invest in sewer sealing, nature-based sewage treatment, nutrient removal and rainwater storage over the next five years.
The company also publishes near real-time storm overflow information through its Coast and Rivers Watch service. Government Swim Healthy guidance advises people to consider health risks before swimming in rivers, lakes and estuaries.
More coverage of river monitoring and water quality technology is available in the H2O Global News Rivers section, including recent reporting on remote water quality monitoring in the UK.
FAQs
What is being installed at French Weir?
Wessex Water has installed AI-linked river sensors at French Weir in Taunton to infer bacteria levels and provide near real-time water quality information.
Why does river water quality change?
River water quality can change because of rainfall, field run-off, agriculture, wildlife, sewage treatment processes and licensed storm overflow activity.
Does near real-time data prove the river is safe to swim in?
No. Wessex Water said the information helps people make informed choices, but it does not provide a definitive safety assessment at a given time.
Who monitors designated bathing water quality?
Designated bathing water sites in England are monitored by the Environment Agency during the bathing season.
