| 9 RURAL PEOPLE » Callaghan Innovation Agritech includes digital technologies, smart tools and equipment, biotechnology and innovations that enable food systems. Hydrometrics - GW50 Groundwater Optical Nitrate Sensor You have to measure it, to know what you’re dealing with! ™ • Measures concentration of groundwater nitrates in real-time. • Cost efficient to run. • Remote data-logging capability, capable of delivering results directly to smartphones. • Continuous monitoring tool, only requires periodic cleaning. • Proven to work and supported by New Zealand Regional Councils. www.hydrometrics.co.nz | HydroMetrics Groundwater monitoring for the environment HydroMetrics nitrate sensors offer real-time groundwater monitoring that puts the tools into the hands of land owners and businesses so they can become the environmental guardians of their land and water. The technology came about when Lincoln Agritech scientists needed to install several groundwater nitrate sensors to monitor concentrations, says Andy Matheson, General Manager of HydroMetrics, a division of Lincoln Agritech Ltd. “Affordable nitrate sensors were non-existent, which is a signi cant barrier to dealing with the issue of nitrate in waterways. Existing nitrate sensors were incredibly expensive, didn’t necessarily t the 50mm wells typically found on farm, and tended to have a lot more in the way of speci cations than needed for this particular issue. How can farmers be expected to manage the issue if they can’t even afford to measure it?” Working alongside hydrogeologists, over a three-year period Lincoln Agritech’s engineers and scientists created a purpose-built optical nitrate sensor that was simple to use, at a fraction of the cost. The HydroMetrics sensor is speci cally designed to withstand rugged outdoor environments and can be installed and left in- eld, transmitting real-time data via telemetry. “Many farmers want to get an understanding of their on-farm nitrate level, which might vary across the farm,” says Andy. “By looking at the change across the sensors you can see the impact that the farming system is actually having. It provides a scienti c approach and a chance to build up a database and have fact-based discussions with regulators.” Accurate, affordable, and designed for everyday use, HydroMetrics’ robust groundwater nitrate sensors are speci cally built for a diverse range of environmental, agricultural and industrial uses, including farming, irrigation schemes, horticulture and research. “Our sensors have since been used in numerous central and regional government funded programmes throughout New Zealand, and internationally by private clients in water management, R&D, and primary and processing sectors.” Launched in 2016 and manufactured in New Zealand, HydroMetrics sensors have been very well received in New Zealand and are now being exported to international markets. “A speci c focus is Europe with the EU Nitrates Directive now driving investment into clean drinking water monitoring infrastructure, a trend we’re now seeing globally,” says Andy. “Late last year we decided to create HydroMetrics as a separate business unit to focus on the sensors as a commercial opportunity.”
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