Water quality can change after treatment as it travels through reservoirs, pipelines, and distribution networks. Traditional grab sampling only provides periodic snapshots, making it difficult to identify sudden changes in chlorine residual, turbidity or contamination events. The MetriNet Multiparameter Water Quality Monitor provides continuous, real-time monitoring at critical points throughout the network, helping utilities maintain water quality from plant to consumer.
What the MetriNet Water Quality Monitor Is
MetriNet is a modular multi-parameter monitoring system from ATi, deployed in India by Aaxis Nano. Instead of one large analyser, it uses a network of small digital sensors called M-Nodes that plug into a shared communication bus. The system scales from a single sensor at a reservoir outlet to a distributed mesh across a city network, all feeding a central platform.
Core Features
The controller supports up to 8 M-Node sensors holding over 300,000 values, roughly 30 days of readings for 8 sensors at a one-minute interval. That local buffer matters in Indian field conditions, since data stays preserved on an internal card even when the link drops.
Connectivity is flexible, with options for cellular, Wi-Fi, wired Modbus, Ethernet/IP, and Profibus DP, fitting both SCADA rooms and standalone remote sites. Built-in diagnostics, calibration reminders, and two alarm set points cut the manual attention each station needs.
Using click-connect flow cells, sampled water can be returned to the main for effectively zero wastage when there is a small pressure difference between inlet and outlet, a practical advantage for utilities already fighting losses.
Parameters It Measures
The M-Node range covers the parameters most relevant to drinking water and distribution network monitoring. Per the product specification, MetriNet measures pH, pressure, turbidity, conductivity (2E/4E), dissolved oxygen (DO), oxygen reduction potential (ORP), nitrite, fluoride, free chlorine (FCI), total chlorine (TCI), combined chlorine, chlorine dioxide, dissolved ozone, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid (PAA), and other application-specific water quality parameters, enabling comprehensive real-time monitoring across water treatment and distribution systems.
Free chlorine and turbidity are the priority pair for distribution monitoring, since a fall in residual chlorine or a turbidity spike often signals conditions where contamination follows. pH and conductivity add context, and the remaining parameters suit specific industrial or treatment applications.
How the System Works
At the centre of the system are the M-Nodes, complete digital sensors and transmitters in miniaturised bodies that connect in series. Each node is a Modbus smart transmitter that plugs directly into a MetriNet controller or any compatible data gathering system.
For portable use, the Q51 controller runs and calibrates individual M-Nodes over Modbus RTU. For fixed installations, the MetriNet User Interface connects up to 8 nodes, logs data locally, and pushes it onward through IP-67 rated connectors. Nodes can be added or removed without disturbing the rest of the system, and because zero and span data sit inside each node, a freshly calibrated sensor swaps in within minutes.
Applications
The modular build lets one platform serve very different needs:
- Drinking water distribution: nodes track chlorine, turbidity, and pH, flagging loss of disinfection or discolouration early.
- Leak and network management: Water quality data can be integrated with pressure and leak monitoring systems to support network management decisions
- Industrial and process water: in food and beverage and power generation, where quality affects the product.
- Healthcare and high-risk systems: renal dialysis water, HVAC circuits, and Legionella-sensitive applications needing continuous assurance.
Built for Continuous Water Quality Surveillance
MetriNet is engineered to provide continuous visibility into water quality across the distribution network. Its low-power digital M-Node sensors support long-term deployment at remote monitoring locations, while onboard data logging ensures measurement records remain available during temporary communication interruptions. The modular architecture enables utilities to expand monitoring coverage as operational requirements grow.
Deployment, Integration and Operational Support
Aaxis Nano supports the implementation of MetriNet monitoring systems through application assessment, monitoring point identification, sensor configuration, communication setup, and data integration. The system can be incorporated into existing SCADA, PLC, and telemetry infrastructures, enabling real-time data acquisition, visualization, historical trending, and alarm management. Through structured commissioning, calibration services, and preventive maintenance programs, utilities can maintain measurement accuracy, system reliability, and long-term monitoring performance across the distribution network.
FAQs
How many parameters can it measure?
The M-Node range offers up to 16 parameters, and a single controller accepts up to 8 sensors at once. Operators choose only what a site needs, including pH, free chlorine, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and ORP.
What happens if the network connection drops?
Each controller stores over 300,000 values locally, about 30 days for 8 sensors at one minute intervals, and transmits once the link is restored.
Can sensors be replaced without shutting the system down?
Yes. M-Nodes plug into a shared bus and can be added or removed without affecting other measurements, and because calibration data sits in each node, a pre-calibrated sensor swaps in on site within minutes.
