For Credit Generators
How to go from "I have a monitoring device" to "I'm generating tradeable water quality credits." The complete on-ramp.
What You Need
A BlueSignal WQM-1 (or compatible continuous monitoring device) deployed at your site with calibrated probes for pH, TDS, turbidity, and ORP.
A site with measurable water quality improvement — a rain garden, bioretention system, advanced septic, stormwater retrofit, or any installation that reduces nutrient runoff or improves water quality beyond your baseline.
A WaterQuality.Trading account linked to your BlueSignal Cloud account for data sharing and credit issuance.
Step by Step
Install & Commission Your Device
Deploy the WQM-1 at your discharge point. Commission it via the BlueSignal mobile app — scan, claim, assign to a site.
Enable Revenue Grade
In BlueSignal Cloud, navigate to your device settings and tap "Enable Revenue Grade." This starts the guided setup process.
Calibrate Probes
Document your probe calibration against known standards. The system tracks calibration dates and alerts you when recalibration is due (every 90 days).
Establish Baseline
Choose a baseline type: monitoring period (30-90 days of data collection), regulatory (your NPDES permit limits), or historical (pre-project data).
Link Accounts
Connect your BlueSignal Cloud account to WaterQuality.Trading. This authorizes verified sensor data sharing for credit verification.
Register Credit Project
Define your project: site, watershed, improvement method, eligible credit types. The system maps your GPS coordinates to a HUC-12 watershed automatically.
Credits Start Accruing
Once your baseline completes, credits accrue automatically based on measured improvement vs. baseline. Submit for verification when ready to trade.
Calibration Requirements
Revenue-grade data requires documented calibration against traceable standards. All probes must be recalibrated every 90 days. If calibration lapses, credit generation pauses until recalibration is completed.
pH Probe
Three-point calibration: pH 4.0, pH 7.0, and pH 10.0 buffer solutions. The system records the calibration offset and slope correction.
TDS Probe
Calibrate against a known conductivity standard (500 ppm or 1000 ppm solution). The scale factor is recorded and applied to all subsequent readings.
Turbidity Probe
Two-point calibration: 0 NTU (deionized water) and a formazin standard (typically 100 NTU). Establishes the sensor's response curve.
ORP Probe
Calibrate with quinhydrone solution at pH 4 (+220mV) or pH 7 (+86mV), or a commercial ORP standard solution. Records the voltage offset.
Baseline Options
Monitoring Baseline (30-90 days)
Your device collects data for a defined period before credit generation begins. The system computes statistical baselines (mean, standard deviation) from this period. Recommended for new installations where no prior data exists.
Regulatory Baseline
Use your facility's NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit limits as the baseline. Credits equal the improvement beyond your permitted discharge. Available immediately — no waiting period.
Historical Baseline
Upload pre-project measurement data (CSV) from before your improvement was installed. The system validates the data and computes statistical baselines. Credits begin accruing immediately after validation.
How Credits Are Calculated
Credits are calculated daily using this formula:
credit_amount (lbs) = (baseline_mg_L - measured_mg_L) × flow_m3 × 0.002205 Where: baseline_mg_L = established baseline concentration (e.g., 5.0 mg/L TN) measured_mg_L = average measured value from device (e.g., 2.0 mg/L TN) flow_m3 = discharge volume in cubic meters per day 0.002205 = conversion factor (mg/L × m³ → lbs)
Worked Example
A homeowner with a 5-acre property in a Chesapeake Bay watershed has a bioretention system. Regulatory baseline: 5.0 mg/L total phosphorus. Average measured discharge: 2.0 mg/L. Estimated flow: 10 m³/day.
Daily credit = (5.0 - 2.0) × 10 × 0.002205
= 3.0 × 10 × 0.002205
= 0.066 lbs/day
Annual credit = 0.066 × 365 = ~24 lbs phosphorus/yearVerification
When you submit credits for verification, the system runs automated checks:
Data continuity: Were readings received at ≥95% of expected intervals? Gaps reduce confidence in the measured improvement.
Calibration records: Were all probes within their 90-day calibration window during the accrual period?
Statistical significance: Is the improvement beyond the baseline statistically significant (p < 0.05), or within measurement noise?
Baseline integrity: Has the baseline remained unchanged since project registration? Baselines are locked after the first credit calculation.
Submissions that pass all automated checks are queued for manual review (target: 5 business days). Verified credits become tradeable on the marketplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I trade credits from multiple sites?
Yes. Register each site as a separate credit project. Credits accrue independently per site and can be listed individually or bundled.
What if my calibration lapses?
Credit generation pauses automatically. Data continues to be collected and stored, but readings during the lapsed period are flagged as "uncalibrated" and excluded from credit calculations. Recalibrate to resume.
How long until I see my first credits?
With a regulatory or historical baseline, credits can begin accruing immediately after setup. With a monitoring baseline, expect 30-90 days of data collection before credits start. First verification review adds approximately 5 business days.
What if I don't have a flow meter?
The first version supports manual flow estimates based on pump rates, engineering calculations, or site drainage area. Enter your estimate in the project settings. Future hardware revisions may add flow sensor support to the WQM-1's I2C expansion port.
What monitoring devices are compatible?
The BlueSignal WQM-1 is the primary supported device. It provides continuous, calibrated sensor data with GPS, LoRaWAN connectivity, and tamper-evident data integrity. Contact us about integrating other monitoring platforms.