Why do I need an MCERTS monitor?

Date: 01/03/19 | In: Industrial Wastewater, Water Meters


Have you recently received your trade effluent license and noticed that the license stipulates that, in order to meet all of the conditions and limits outlined, you must implement MCERTS equipment? If so, you may be wondering why that is the case and asking yourself: “why do I need an MCERTS flow meter?”

What is MCERTS?

In the first instance, you must understand MCERTS. MCERTS is the Monitoring Certification Scheme of the Environment Agencies of England and Wales. Providing the framework for businesses and water companies to meet quality requirements, compliance with MCERTS gives the Environment Agency confidence in the monitoring of emissions and/or discharges into the environment.

MCERTS covers the standards of performance that any monitoring equipment you purchase and install must meet, the level your staff must be qualified to and the accrediting laboratories and on-site inspections in line with European and international standards.

As an industrial business, if your daily flow exceeds 50m3 your consent license will specify that you will need to install flow monitoring equipment. That equipment must reach the MCERTS standard, but the Environment Agency will not stipulate which specific monitoring system you must implement, rather it refers to the overall ‘performance’ of the system.

If your permit states that you must monitor the flow of liquid waste, your arrangements to monitor flow will need to be independently assessed against the MCERTS minimum requirements standard. This assessment will always be carried out by an MCERTS inspector. For example, where the fundamental requirement for the flow monitoring is to measure the total daily volume of treated effluent discharged to the receiving water, then the flow monitoring system must be capable of measuring the total daily volume with an uncertainty of no more than 8%.

Benefits of MCERTS

By meeting MCERTS standards you can be confident that the information you provide is reliable and, in turn, that data can be utilised to give peace of mind that you are meeting the regulatory requirements stated in your consent licence. It also ensures that your peers are working towards the same standard and this raises the reputation of not only your staff and your business, but your particular industry as a whole.

What MCERTS accredited monitoring equipment do I need?

As outlined above, this depends on what parameters you are required to monitor as outlined in your consent license, a license that will always contain bespoke monitoring requirements for your company alone.

Flow measurement is often the most basic of these parameters. As such, we specifically developed our MSFM MCERTS multi-sensor flow meter to deliver guaranteed flow measurement accuracy for sites which require verification by MCERTS inspectors and enable companies to inform and achieve MCERTS compliance.

The MFSM MCERTS is a battery powered insertion monitor making it ideal for use in part-filled pipes and open-channels. Measuring velocity, depth and temperature to determine flowrate, it provides an exemplar monitoring system for any business, industry or water company that falls within the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR).

Extremely versatile since it is not reliant on a flume or weir to deliver accurate flow measurement, our MSFM MCERTS flow meter can be located almost anywhere in the existing sewer channel or pipe to be monitored and will deliver guaranteed levels of accuracy and data-quality.

A superior level of understanding

Implementing a robust and reliable MCERTS flow meter will facilitate a superior level of understanding within your company’s process. You will fully comprehend exactly what is happening with your agreed consented discharge at any given time. And, if you’re a water company, you will be able to precisely monitor Pump Station Emergency overflow and wastewater treatment works final discharge. Our MFSM MCERTS flow meter can also be employed in clean water reservoirs.

MCERTS accreditation is a rigorous process for ensuring the accuracy of the instrument so if you choose our MSFM MCERTS Flow Meter you can be confident that it will provide the most accurate information you require!