Disease transmission occurs through multiple pathways, with waterborne transmission being a critical one. Certain pathogens can survive in water for extended periods and even proliferate, exacerbating disease spread. Thus, real-time online water quality monitoring of rivers is of paramount importance.

Grasping the dynamics of river water quality enables relevant personnel to implement targeted interventions promptly, thereby mitigating potential public health incidents. For instance, in 2021, widespread floods occurred across many regions of China, while sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks persisted. In such scenarios, preventing the mixing of river water with uncharacterized water sources (which may contain heavily contaminated water) is essential—this mixing introduces unknown components into rivers, including hazardous substances such as organic matter, inorganic pollutants, and heavy metals. Exceedance of safety thresholds for any of these substances poses significant risks. Specifically, elevated organic matter concentrations provide abundant nutrients for bacterial growth, triggering rapid reproduction. When combined with pathogens from other water bodies, contact with such river water by humans or animals can facilitate disease transmission and outbreaks.

Rivers often play a vital role in urban water supply and drainage systems: many municipal water treatment plants source raw water from rivers for purification. However, conventional purification processes may not fully eliminate harmful substances, particularly when rivers harbor specialized bacteria with thick capsules. These capsules protect the bacteria’s fragile internal structures from environmental stressors; if capsule disruption during treatment is ineffective, bacteria can enter households via water pipelines, driving disease spread.

It is worth emphasizing that river monitoring encompasses not only water quality assessment but also River Water Level Monitoring, which should not be overlooked.