Water scarcity is a pressing global predicament. A mere 2.5% of the world’s water is potable, with virtually all of it being stowed away as subterranean groundwater. Regrettably, excess nitrogen emanating from intensive agriculture infuses surface water, which leads to nitrate formation and subsequently obstructs human health and natural ecosystems.
The rising nitrate problem has fueled global regulations and a call for extensive measurement and monitoring. In 2015, a group of scientists successfully installed various groundwater nitrate sensors in a remote location in the South Island of New Zealand. Nonetheless, these scientists realized that finding robust and calibration-free nitrate sensors constituted a significant obstacle in resolving the nitrate-in-waterway issue.
Subsequently, with Lincoln Agritech and KiwiNet’s financial support, Professor Ian Woodhead, Dr. Blair Miller, and Dr. Dave Rankin invented a robust optical nitrate sensor that can remain in the field for months without requiring recalibration. These HydroMetrics sensors are cost-effective, precise, and built to thrive in challenging industrial, agricultural, and environmental landscapes. They are particularly designed to work well in farming, irrigation, potable water, horticulture, and research applications by people without technical backgrounds.
These sensors provide real-time groundwater monitoring that empowers resource users to become passionate environmental stewards of the land and water.
