River Watch: Spotting City and Farm Pollution

A new system has been set up to distinguish pollution that comes from a city and pollution that comes from farms or factories.
The goal is to help people clean the river faster by knowing exactly where bad water originates.

Project Scope

Location: Sile River, Treviso, Italy
Timeline: 2021–2023

Infrastructure

Type	Quantity	Features
Fixed monitoring stations	6	• 3 equipped with multi‑parameter sensors and refrigerated sample chambers • 3 measuring flow rate and depth via radar
Portable samplers	2	Enable spot sampling where fixed stations miss

Data Collection

Continuous monitoring plus daily snapshots
Captures river behavior during rainfall and dry periods, providing a comprehensive health profile

Analytical Approach

Statistical tools: correlation analysis, principal component analysis
Purpose: identify patterns linking pollutant levels to potential sources

Key Findings

Parameter	Source Association
Escherichia coli (E. coli)	City sewage
Total phosphorus	City sewage
Nitrate	Nearby farming activities

Implications

Urban planners can target specific locations for remediation.
Farmers gain insight to adjust practices and reduce runoff.

After two years, the system proved effective at distinguishing city‑from‑farm pollution and can be adapted to other rivers facing similar challenges.