"There's a misconception that groundwater is always available and will remain so"

“With better measurement tools and a deeper understanding of groundwater flux, we can face drought challenges with greater resilience and foresight”, says Christian Montag, Managing Director iFLUX.  Read how.

Groundwater is the invisible engine of our agriculture, industry, and drinking water supply. But according to Christian Montag of iFLUX, we're not paying enough attention to what's happening beneath our feet. With innovative sensors and dashboards, iFLUX makes the hidden dynamics of groundwater flows visible.

Why is groundwater such an important topic today?

Christian: "There's a misconception that groundwater is simply there and will remain so. Everyone thinks that water is infinitely available, but that's not true. The system is under pressure from pollution, excessive extraction for agriculture or industry, and climate change.

Extremely wet and dry periods are following each other more rapidly. Add to that sea level rise and saltwater intrusion, and you get an increasingly complex underground dynamic that we don't understand sufficiently."

What exactly does iFLUX do to address this problem?

Christian: "We want to eliminate that blind spot. We've developed technologies that measure how groundwater and contamination move over time. So not simply: 'What's in the soil at a particular moment?' but: 'How does it move, where is it going, and how fast?' That provides a much more complete picture."

How did it all begin?

"Our first innovation was the iFLUX Sampler. That patented technology is the foundation of our spin-off that launched in 2017 from the University of Antwerp and VITO. It measures how much contamination moves through groundwater over a certain period.

But... -there was a need for an even more complete picture of what happens underground, and this in real time. Enter the iFLUX Sensing Solutions, for which we also received a prestigious EIC (European Innovation Council) grant. 

In essence, we are digitalizing the aquifer, the water-bearing layer underground.
The core of iFLUX Sensing Solutions is our proprietary flux sensor, which measures the orientation and velocity at which groundwater flows. We combine that data with other sensors and customer information. Everything comes together on one platform, in one dashboard."

Does your technology replace the traditional models?

"No, it complements them. Models always start from assumptions. Our data shows the reality, in real time. Especially during extreme weather conditions or with complex underground structures, you must feed your model with current data. Together they form a powerful whole."

"Models always start from assumptions. Our data shows the reality, in real time. Especially during extreme weather conditions or with complex underground structures, you must feed your model with current data."

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Christian Montag - Managing Director iFLUX

What happens with that data?

"All data comes in through telemetry into our platform. There, we combine it with client data and public data such as weather information... We automatically and manually check for errors or anomalies. In our office, the data quality dashboards are screened in real-time next to the coffee machine. Everyone is engaged with it."

How deep can you measure?

"Our deepest sensor so far is at 50 meters. Technically we can go deeper, but everything above that has already been extensively tested. It's important to note that our technology works in loose soils, such as sand, loam, peat... Not in rocky structures or limestone. The solution is not designed for that."

Who are your clients?

"For the iFLUX Sensing Solutions, we've defined two clear focus markets. The first is the drinking water sector: they want to protect their groundwater sources. An example is Pidpa. They extract groundwater near the Grote Nete, but they're situated between a river of questionable quality and a vulnerable nature reserve. We measure in real time whether their screen wells to keep pollution out are working effectively, and whether they're not harming nature."

"The second market consists of industrial sites with pollution risks. They want to prevent historical contamination from moving outside their grounds. We measure what's happening at the boundary of their site."

"It becomes interesting when clients can do something with all that data. When they can adjust, optimize, and manage risks. In situations where action is needed - think of pumps, weirs, barriers - those real-time insights are invaluable."

Do you work with consultants or are they your competitors?

"We are not competitors but prefer to profile ourselves as a powerful sidekick. Our platform is designed to integrate sensors from any manufacturer. We also offer tools and clean data that consultants can work with directly. They know the local situation; we provide the data quality and infrastructure. Depending on the needs, we can also provide a total service where our hydrogeologists work with the data."

Can you combine your two technologies - iFLUX Sensing Solutions and iFLUX Samplers?

"Absolutely. Our Sensing Solutions indicate in real time that 'something' is happening. In case of contamination, you can deploy a sampler to analyze exactly how much pollution there is and in which direction it's flowing or where it's coming from. The sampler is not real-time - it stays in the ground for about six weeks followed by a laboratory analysis - but it is very accurate. Together they provide an even more complete picture."

How do you convince clients of the reliability of your data?

"Within our EIC project, we tested our sensor in lab conditions and in the field. We also compared it with conventional techniques, such as tracer tests or triangulations."

Quality is crucial for us. It starts with the accurate drilling of the monitoring well and installation of the sensor, which we calibrate carefully to ensure the correct starting values. This is followed by a combination of automatic and manual verifications.

We have systems that automatically detect anomalies, but we also look at the context. Has there been a rain event? Has a pump been activated? If something doesn't add up, we interpret it and correct or filter the data where necessary. Sometimes it can be as simple as a cow pushing against a logger. That's also something you need to be able to assess."

Why should clients invest in your technology?

"Because they want or need to do something with that data. Just measuring for the sake of measuring, there's little enthusiasm for that. But if you need to manage risks, or have controls you need to adjust (pumps, locks, drainage...), then you want to know its effect."

Are your solutions scalable?

"The iFLUX Sampler is designed so that anyone can use it. You install it in existing monitoring wells and the installation takes no more than ten minutes on average. That makes it very scalable and easy to internationalize. From Antwerp to Tokyo, so to speak.

"Our iFLUX Sensing Solutions require a specific installation. Internally, we do a lot ourselves, but for international expansion, we're looking for partners. Local experts know their hydrogeology better, can do the fieldwork, and help with interpretation. That's how we're building an ecosystem — with our platform as the central hub."

What do you hope ‘groundwater managers’ will do now?

"I hope they start seeing their aquifer as an asset — just like their machines or vehicles. We’re digitalizing everything, except for our most vital resource: our water reserves. That needs to change. Because without reliable data, we’re just guessing. And there’s a real risk that, ten years from now, we’ll look back and say: ‘If only we had…