This summer, the team of the Municipality of Nijmegen tested an innovative way to measure the water quality of the Spiegelwaal area. They used the Udetect-method of Orvion, which is based on the qPCR-technique many will remember from the Covid-tests.
What's special about it? Just two hours after taking a water sample, a reliable result is available. That is a huge step forward from traditional testing methods, which often take several days to deliver results.
The goal of this experiment is to increase swimmer safety in the Spiegelwaal by testing the water quality more frequently and with faster results, while also enabling better decisions on culvert use in the Spiegelwaal. The measurements were carried out with the help of student rowing association N.R.S.V. Phocas, who train around the corner. Together with partners such as Rijkswaterstaat they are now evaluating the results.
This approach provides valuable insights and makes us one of the front runners in measuring water quality in swimming areas in or near rivers. And they might take it even further! During a visit to Copenhagen, Tess Voskuil saw a system that not only measures, but also immediately issues a warning when the water quality is insufficient. Perhaps coming to the Spiegelwaal soon?
Source: Municipality of Nijmegen