Case Study: Cardiff University improves river water-quality monitoring with PDR’s Hydrobean

Cardiff University develops Hydrobean for real-time river monitoring with PDR in Welsh streams

Cardiff University required a durable casing for their Hydrobean water-quality monitoring device, a product designed to provide continuous, real-time data on UK rivers. The challenge, addressed with vendor PDR, was to create a robust housing that could withstand harsh riverbed conditions while remaining user-friendly for deployment by citizen scientists, as no similar product existed on the market.

PDR developed a low, wide dome-shaped casing with superior hydrodynamics, a steel base plate for stability, and integrated tether points. A key design feature was a separate sealed compartment for the electronics to protect them from water ingress during battery changes. The solution resulted in a functional prototype that was low-cost, portable, and robust. As of late 2023, the Hydrobean units developed by PDR were being tested in Welsh streams and throughout the Tamar catchment by volunteers, positioning the device to become a valuable tool for improving the understanding and treatment of UK rivers.

Cardiff University