Most water treatment facilities do not measure for small particles in the water and thereby ignore a very simple way to measure for any possible bacterial contamination. Microorganism particles range in size from 0.5 microns to over 2 microns. Turbidity measurements are not sensitive enough to detect low levels of harmful bacteria in the water.
Bacteria being highlighted onto the detector by Laser MIE scattering. The System frame rate is 6,000 frames per second while this depiction shows only 3 frames per second
AWQS Model 2020a -Specifications (preliminary - subject to change)
Enclosure(s) Lockable enclosure 17" x 15" x 9" (HxWxD)
Power 100-120 VAC 50-60 Hz or 200-230 VAC 50 Hz 50 Watts LOWER POWER Requirements
Weight Less than 30 lbs
Water Flow Adjustable from 20 to 100 mL/min main flow and 5 to 10 mL/min through flowcell
Measurement Continuous and recorded every minute
Channels 4 channels , 500-700 nm, 700 nm -1000 nm (1 micron), 1 to 2.5 microns, and greater than 2.5 microns
Display 11.6" touchscreen monitor showing real-time data for last hour and last 24 hrs, updated every minute
Autoclean System automatically cleans itself using Peracidic/Hydrogen peroxide solution
Alerts/Warnings System generates alerts and warnings when reading exceed programmable thresholds
E-Mail and can also send alert/warning emails
Reports System generates an automatic daily report and emails it daily
The Model 2020a unit is available to ship. The fully automated, on-line, real-time, and hands-off system provides an early-warning for water system users and operators by charting and monitoring the “Normal” level of bacteria and other small particles in the water. Shown above, the unit is under test in our Lab.
The unit is housed in single enclosure and the whole system includes the de-bubbler shown on the right of the unit and the smaller box below the right side of the unit that houses a 500 ml bottle containing a 1.5% solution of peracetic acid used for automatic cleaning of the flowcell.
The system operates continuously on a slipstream of water 24 hrs per day. i.e. Every day it provides approximately 1400 data records. The only consumable the system uses is the diluted cleaning solution. We have used only 1 gallon of the concentrated cleaning solution (15% strength ) in over a year of continuous operation at a cost of less than $40 USD.
Individual organic and inorganic particles ranging in size from 0.5 microns to over 3+ microns are easily detected. Each event is recorded into one of four size channels and the data is placed in a simple daily ascii file.
The user graphic display is updated every minute. The system generates an alert when the concentration recorded in any of the size channels drift relative to user-set alert levels.
The BaXcatter lab system is expected to ship in the last quarter 2023 and it can measure in a minute and easily tell if the water contains culturable organisms in a few hours. High turbidity samples can also be handled by dilution before measurement.
The water monitored can be source water, fully treated finished water, or water at any step in the treatment process.
If there are any upsets in the treatment process that result in an increase above the “Normal” levels or a dramatic decrease in the levels, the machine will immediately alert the water plant control engineers that something is wrong with the treatment process.
Contact us for ordering information - see contact information and form later below
.Current AVAILABILITY
The Model 2020a system is available through an approximate 160 day lead. Units are built to order in the USA. 'We are currently focusing on Central Eastern region of the European Union and the USA but will sell to other areas should conditions warrant. Development of a Laboratory model underway, expected release late 2023. We are not taking orders for the lab system yet, but if you are interested, please let us know.
A properly designed water treatment plant provides quality safe water 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Quality control measurements are taken based upon government requirements and the industry needs. Some of these measurements are taken yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily depending on the probability of treatment failure. Microbiological contamination measurements may not be routinely taken, or if they are, the results are not known for 48 to 72 hours after the sample has been taken.
AWQS International™ Moved to Kerrville, TX June 2021
Automated Water Quality Systems
Monitoring for possible waterborne Pathogens since 2016
Look for new Laboratory Model BaXcatter currently under development
Why us ?
What We Do.
AWQS International provides a real-time on-line continuous measurement system that will detect both harmful and non-harmful bacteria, bacterial spores, microbiological cysts, amoeba, algae, and other organisms that range in size from 0.5 microns to over 2 microns. In addition to the current flow through system, we will soon introduce the AWQS BaXcatter, a small lab system that does the analysis of the water sample contained in a standard 4-sided cuvette. Experience has shown that most of these very small particles are micro-organisms or parts of micro-orgasms. The AWQS water monitor registers each particle/organism individually and records their signal amplitude into 4 size ranges to provide a better understanding of their distribution in the water. The screen below shows the last 24 hours of data plus a quality control measurement on the 5 graphs on the left side of the screen. The right side of the screen show the results for the last hour.
Your water system manages to routinely treat and remove almost all of waterborne contaminants on a regular basis. Many systems also leave a residual sterilization chemical in the water to help keep any organism under control as the water is being distributed to end users. However, if there is a single point failure in the treatment process, millions of liters of contaminated water may be delivered, bottled, or used in manufacturing processes.
The AWQS International system measures for changes in water quality at 6,000 times each second, gathering 360,000 measurements per minute and reporting every minute the quality of the water for possible leakage or contamination of micro-biological particles or other micro-particles. If a sudden change is detected in the normal levels of these particles, it means that the process has changed, and the effectiveness of the treatment process had been compromised. With this information, the plant operator can take immediate action and prevent the possible escape of contamination from happening. In the BaXcatter lab system samples are analyzed in 1 minute and results stored. If later on after the lab technician cultures the water sample, the lab system can re-analyze the water and report whether any growth in count occurred, indicating that the original sample contained culturable organisms. Traditional additional test methods could then be performed by the Lab Technician to identify the organism. Instead of waiting 48 to 72 hours to see if anything culturable is present, the answer can be had in just several hours.
Many times, the failures in the treatment process are not sudden, but the change trend can be observed by the AWQS International system over hours and days before becoming critical. Maybe a membrane is beginning to leak, maybe the source water has changed, maybe internal bacterial growth films have started shedding bacteria ? In any case, the early warning system can provide plant operators one more important tool to use to ensure their product water meets all of the quality needs of its customers. To understand what your system is doing, call us. With an AWQS Model 2020a flow through system or the new lab system in your plant, you will know, anytime anyplace, any where. Contact us and find out how we can help. We are currently focusing on Eastern Europe and the USA. We are continuing to expand further in 2023.
Bottled Water Study Report.... See REPORTS section right above LINKS section towards end of this page.
ABOUT AWQS International™ and AQUAMIND Kft.
AWQS International was established in 2015 to bring to market a new low cost, high performance on-line and real-time system to monitor water for possible contamination from microorganisms. The Model 2020a is manufactured, sold, and serviced by AWQS International. Call or email for Details or Questions.
AWQS International
Kerrville, Texas, USA
1.760.518.8049 Mobile
awqsmonitor@gmail.com
AQUAMIND Kft. was founded in 2005 by Gampel Tamás in Budapest Hungary, to supply critical equipment for the water industry. The AWQS Model 2020a on-line real-time microbiological contamination monitor for water is sold, and serviced by Aquamind Kft. They provide sales and service to Hungary and to the Central Eastern region of the European Union. Call or email for Details or Questions.
AQUAMIND Kft.
Ügyvezető: Gampel Tamás
Cím: 1113 Budapest, Elek u. 6.
e-mail: gampel@aquamind.hu
Telefon: +36 (30) 6766604
www.aquamind.hu
Technology
The AWQS™ Water Monitor system utilizes laser-produced, MIE Light scattering technology to monitor for the presence of microorganisms, organic, and inorganic particles in water. The system records and analyzes the light scattering signal for each particle transiting through the laser beam within the measurement cell.
The amplitude or light intensity of the MIE scattered return signal from each particle is captured using a very sensitive high-speed light detector at 6,000 measurements per second. The intensity signal is used to estimate the size of the particle. Organisms and particles ranging in size from 0.5 microns to over 3 microns are measured. The results are available in either Counts Per Minute (CPM) or in concentration per milliliter. The results are grouped into 4 size-bins. The results are available every minute. The measurements are compared to upper and lower alert limits. In typical water, most small particles are from rod-shaped gram negative or gram positive bacteria, endospores, cocci or other bacteria. The larger organic particles may be from cysts, spores, algae, amoeba, or other microorganisms. The screen below shows the last hour and last 24 hrs displayed in 2 graphs. The 4 channels are plotted as percent (%) of the ALERT LEVELS for their respective channels. For example, the smallest sized organism (500-700 nanometers) is shown exceeding the alert level for the last hour in the top graph and alerting since about 11 am as shown in the bottom 24 hour plot. The ALERT notice is also shown as RED next to the actual data The distribution of organism or particle size is also shown in the screen.
LINKS
Special Note:
The following Links are background information publications and reports on the performance of various on-line water monitors.
The current AWQS system uses MIE light scattering technology and is closest in technology to the MALS (Multi-Angle Light Scattering) systems that are described in the links. One of the MALS systems described in some of the links has not been available on the market since early 2013.
The AWQS Model 2020a uses MIE scattering at a single scattering angle with a single ultra-sensitive high-speed detector, unlike MALS which uses Multi-Angle Light Scattering, and a 2-Dimensional multi-element detector. We believe that for all of the applications discussed in the various papers, the new AWQS Model 2020a performs as well as or better than any MALS system.
Should you have any questions relating to this comparison, please contact us via our email. Should you be an owner or operator of an older MALS system, please feel free to contact us about possible trade-in credit for the AWQS Model 2020a.
The advanced technology used in the AWQS Model 2020a allows us to bring it to market at a substantially reduced price compared to previous systems, while delivering a more-reliable system to the end user.
Please observe all copy and property rights that the authors in the following links claim.
Water Quality, Safety, and Security
The World Health Organization has recently stated that over one billion people lack access to clean drinking water. In both the developed world and third world, the issue is monitoring and maintaining the fresh water supplies that already exist. This goal is a major target of the Automated Water Quality System (AWQS™) platform.
“Despite consistently growing public awareness and recognition, water continues to be under-appreciated and under-valued. And while the global water marketplace is characterized by both improving public and technological understanding of key water issues, the risks and challenges which we face as a planet will continue to grow if we cannot learn how to think and act differently with regard to water. By the middle of this century, the earth will be home to an additional two billion people - bringing our total population to around nine billion. Finite food, energy and water resources will come under increasing pressure by this expanding, aging and more affluent population - leading inevitably towards the "stress nexus" that many experts are now forecasting. Water is the critical link in this series of connections.” Quote from 2013 Water Market Review-A Concise Review of Challenges and Opportunities in the World Water Market - Growing Awareness, and Growing Risks by Steve Maxwell
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