M2M Connectivity uses IoT sensors to restore Merlynston Creek

Melbourne-headquartered M2M Connectivity has partnered with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and ecology experts from the University of Melbourne’s Bio2Lab to monitor pollutants in Merlynston Creek with sensors.

EPA has been trying to determine the sources of oils, nutrients, heavy metals and other pollutants entering the Merri Creek tributary for the last fifteen years.

However, the Victorian Government agency’s manual collection of water samples produced intermittent and spatially limited data, which was unable to accurately establish patterns to pinpoint how the pollutants were entering the waterway.

After EPA turned to Bio2Lab in 2020, the ecologists contracted M2M Connectivity to help select and install a suite of hardware that would survive being submerged while collecting and wirelessly transmitting rea-time data on pollutants back to EPA at regular intervals.

M2M Connectivity installed a network of Libelium’s ‘Smart Water Ions | Plug & Sense’ solutions across 10kms of the creek which runs through Coolaroo, Dallas, Broadmeadows, Glenroy, Hadfield, Fawkner, and Coburg North.

M2M Connectivity said that the data was transmitted at fifteen-minute intervals through 3G and 4G devices back to the EPA’s online dashboard.

Bio2Lab principal scientist Steve Marshall commenting on the solution said, “these are some of the harshest conditions that sensors could be put under – being subjected to everything that comes down the drain – and the hardware provided by M2M Connectivity has proven accurate, durable and reliable.”

The real-time data has allowed EPA to accurately identify numerous chemicals and pollutants present in the creek including copper, petroleum and ammonia.

The data has also been used to establish patterns associated with the presence, and absence, of pollutants. For example, spikes in volatile compounds have been detected on specific days of the week and certain chemical profiles have produced insights into the industries which are using the pollutants– before they enter the creek.

The solution has also increased the EPA’s ability to respond to spikes in pollutants and notify businesses and the community.

Marshall commented on the collaboration said, “working with M2M, we have been able to successfully help the EPA move from being reactive to proactive and given them the data they need to effectively manage the environmental impacts on the creek and plan for its recovery in the future.”