Trelleborg is Sweden’s southernmost municipality. Like many other municipalities, it faces future challenges related to climate change, hundred-year rains, and, as a coastal municipality, rising sea levels. The need to secure the water and wastewater infrastructure against flooding, overflow, and inflow is increasing. To support these efforts, Trelleborg is using, among other things, Fenix Hub loggers with alarm functions to monitor overflows in the sewer network.

Tomas Wolf, investigation engineer at Trelleborg’s Kretslopp och Vatten (Water and Recycling Department), explains that they needed reliable equipment to measure overflow in the wastewater network, particularly in locations without access to power or communication. They had used sensors connected to PLC and SCADA systems, which worked well at pump stations with electricity, but their 4G logger was not fully developed for battery operation and varying signal strength.

– We tested various suppliers and brands but were not satisfied with any of them. In addition, many vendors tried to sell us complete systems and cloud solutions, while we were only interested in the hardware – reliable level sensors with simple handling, battery operation, and 4G connectivity. I had heard good things about Aqua Robur earlier, and then I met them at a conference where they showed me their solutions.

Tomas Wolf borrowed two Fenix Hub units to test during autumn 2023.

– Aqua Robur came to Trelleborg and installed them. The sensors proved to work well. They were also easy to mount, and the package included a mounting kit with screws and brackets. It was simple to measure the zero point and enter it as a “reference distance” in the platform. So I liked the concept—simplicity and clarity where the measurement worked immediately and delivered data.

From development to installation

In January 2024, more sensors were ordered and installed in various overflow outlets as well as a stormwater well in the harbor area. In the harbor, Aqua Robur’s solution is used to measure sea level – a crucial parameter for monitoring stormwater discharge. Not everything worked perfectly from the start, but Tomas Wolf’s suggestions for improvement were well received.

– Aqua Robur listens to its customers and doesn’t shift the blame. When we discovered moisture in the logger, they took it seriously. They quickly developed a new, improved model with encapsulated electronics and a separate battery unit. The new logger handles moisture and hydrogen sulfide much better and has been functioning flawlessly for several months. Aqua Robur offered us the opportunity to replace all older loggers at a very favorable price.

At Aqua Robur, close collaboration and constructive feedback from customers are highly valued.

– We almost always work with people like Tomas—who have great knowledge and experience and know exactly what they need. That’s why their thoughts and ideas are important to us. Since we handle the entire chain—from development and manufacturing to installation and support—we can also take full responsibility through to ongoing operation, says Johan Stigsson at Aqua Robur.

Trelleborg’s example shows how modern IoT can meet the future challenges of water infrastructure – with the right technology and close customer collaboration.