Meteor Communications has deployed advanced water quality monitoring technology on the River Teme at Linney Riverside Park, Ludlow, in partnership with the Environment Agency (EA). Funded through the River Severn Partnership’s Advanced Wireless Innovation Region, the project is transforming how river conditions are tracked and shared with the public.
Launched in February 2025, the installation provides real-time, integrated monitoring of dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity, chlorophyll and ammonium via Meteor’s ESNET system. Live data is transferred automatically to the secure MeteorCloud® platform, offering immediate insights rather than delayed laboratory results.
Graph showing combined water quality parameters and bacteria measurements from the River Teme.
The River Teme, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and popular wild swimming site, has recently recorded bacteria levels above safe bathing thresholds. Traditional spot sampling can take days to process, but the new ESNET-based system delivers continuous measurements and integrates with a Fluidion Alert bacteria analyser, which can quantify E.coli and coliform bacteria within 2–12 hours. This event-driven monitoring captures microbial spikes often linked to rainfall, runoff and storm overflows, providing critical safety data for swimmers.
From Data to Decisions
Meteor has also introduced AI-driven tools to enhance interpretation of environmental data. The platform applies traffic light classification and smart alerts to highlight deviations in real time, enabling faster responses from regulators and improved public safety outcomes.
Rebecca Hartless of Meteor Communications commented: “ESNET based systems do not just collect, move and store data, they translate it into actionable intelligence. With custom graphs, API integration, and configurable alerts, users gain a complete contextual view of site conditions, so that they are able to derive actionable, data-driven insights.”
Group of stakeholders standing beside a Meteor water quality monitoring kiosk in Ludlow.
Community Access
The data is now being shared through a mobile app that allows swimmers and local communities to check live water quality before entering the river. With further installations planned at additional sites, the project is helping to improve transparency, strengthen environmental oversight, and enhance safety at popular bathing waters.
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