Measurement Needs Define the Technology – How to Choose the Right IoT Measurement Approach for Water Networks

When acquiring IoT measurement devices, it is essential to think carefully about what you actually want the measurement to reveal. Different parameters require very different temporal resolutions, and choosing the wrong measurement frequency can lead either to insufficient information or to unnecessarily large volumes of data.

Here are a few practical examples of why measurement frequency matters.

1. Detecting Pressure Surges – High Resolution Is Essential

If the goal is to detect possible pressure surges in a pressure sewer or drinking water network, the pressure must be measured at a very high frequency. A minimum of 60 measurements per second is required to reliably capture these events.

If you also want to pinpoint the exact location where the surge originated, frequent measurements alone are not enough — the timestamps of all measurement points must be precisely synchronized.

2. Depth and Flow Velocity Measurements – Minute‑Level Data Is Enough

In sewer network depth and flow velocity monitoring, the needs are quite different. For many applications, one measurement per minute is entirely sufficient.

Minute‑level data helps to:

• capture short‑term flow peaks during summer rain events,

• filter out erroneous values common in ultrasonic and radar‑based measurements,

• keep data volumes manageable without compromising accuracy.

  
  

3. Choosing the Right Data Transfer Method and Edge Processing Capability

Regardless of what is being measured, the data transfer method is just as important as the measurement itself. High‑frequency measurements generate large amounts of data quickly. Without sufficient edge processing capability in the field device (that is, local preprocessing of data), transmitting the data may become inefficient or even impossible.

In Summary

The right measurement resolution is not a coincidence — it is a critical part of an effective IoT solution. When the purpose of the measurement is clearly defined, it becomes possible to select the appropriate device, data frequency, and communication technology that together produce meaningful, actionable information without unnecessary overhead.