How to run a successful sewer level monitoring trial

Everything you need to plan, install and validate a Sewer Level Monitoring trial

Start With the Operational Problem

Sounds obvious, but most sewer level monitoring trials fail because they start with the device, not the goal. Sewer trials work best when tied to a specific pain point or regulatory pressure.

Common drivers:

• High-risk choke points that regularly surcharge
• Areas with suspected infiltration or inflow during rainfall
• Known roots, sags or debris accumulation
• Sites that are known to overflow
• Sensitive environmental or community sites where overflows cannot occur
• Limited visibility of upstream behavior before a pump station

Select the right sewer trial sites

Start by selecting sites that demonstrate real network behavior, don’t just go for the easiest ones. A strong trial should reflect the hydraulic reality of your catchment.

Best practice:

• Choose pits with known patterns: surcharge risk, rainfall response, diurnal peaks
• Include contrasting sites: dry weather only, wet-weather influenced, upstream vs downstream
• Avoid pits with abnormal geometry unless they are the main issue
• Capture at least one site where you expect actionable insights, not just validation

Sewer level monitoring solution installed in City of Bellevue

Choose the Right Sewer Monitoring Model

Your trial should test the operating model you plan to run long term, not just the technology.

What to look for:

• One vendor for hardware and software reduces integration effort, support overhead and blurred accountability.
• Consider a DaaS option for predictable cost and lifecycle management handled for you.
• One party responsible for data quality, connectivity and alerts during the trial.
• Look for evidence of large deployments, long battery life and a platform built to grow.

Choose the Right Sewer Level Sensor

Use sensors matched to sewer conditions and consider early the long-term cost of ownership. The cheapest device upfront rarely performs best in real networks. Sewer monitoring is typically deployed for decades.

What to look for:

• Stable readings despite turbulence, debris and vapour
• Level accuracy across variable surfaces, including rags and foam
• Battery life that supports higher-frequency sampling during events
• Easy infield battery swap so you can extend your device life
• No need for lid modification or external mounts
• Automatic masking of obstructions to reduce false positives

A spectra sewer level monitoring device installed in a sewer riser at Barwon Water

How will you receive all this data?

Choose software that makes the data usable. Your software determines how quickly you can trust, interpret and act on the information coming from the field.

What to consider:

• How the data is ingested
• How the software fits your operations
• How you want to use the data

Good software turns level readings into operational insight. Without it, a trial becomes a data collection exercise instead of a decision-making tool.

Plan for Fast Sewer Monitor Installation

Your trial might be small, but your rollout won’t be. Install time is where costs blow out, so understand it early.

What to look for:

• Installs under 30 minutes
• Click-in, click-out brackets
• App-based setup
• Minimal pit work

If installs are quick and repeatable, scaling from a few sites to the full network becomes realistic.

Define Success for Your Sewer Monitoring Trial

Define success criteria that match your operational goals. Success should be measurable, relevant and agreed before sensors go in.

Typical metrics:

• Early detection: time between level rise and alert
• Accuracy: correlation between readings and observed conditions
• False alarm rate: especially during rainfall or debris events
• Reduction: in manual inspections or truck rolls
• Clarity: visibility of upstream behaviour before a choke point.

These benchmarks let you prove value without debate.

Validate Sewer Monitoring Results With Operators

Validate insights with operators and network engineers. Data only becomes useful when the people who run the network believe it.

During the first weeks:

• Compare level patterns with crew observations
• Review alert thresholds for local context
• Identify behaviours you could not previously see
• Adjust configuration before the next rainfall or inflow event

Operator validation turns raw readings into trusted intelligence.

Show off your data

Document and share early insights internally Trials gain momentum when stakeholders see value quickly.

Share:

• Pre overflow indicators you captured
• Blockage signatures: slow rise vs sudden spike
• Evidence of wet-weather infiltration
• Changes in upstream behaviour after cleaning
• Time savings from fewer site visits

Clear insights create support for the rollout.

Start Your Sewer Level Monitoring Trial

If you're looking for clarity on sites, hardware, software or rollout model, our team can walk you through what works best for councils across Australia.

Get in touch and we can:

• Review your trial goals
• Help select the right sites
• Advise on install and connectivity
• Show you what a scalable setup looks like

Download the full guide to successful sewer level monitoring trials.

Or check out how sewer level monitoring works in the field.

Discover how utilities across the globe have turned sewer trials into successful scalable programs.

If you're evaluating sewer monitoring more broadly - sensor types, network-scale deployment, or I&I detection strategy - our complete wastewater monitoring guide covers all of it in one place.