Connecting to the borehole...
Sonic borehole water level
measurement, calibrated.
Aquatara Echo is a handheld device that measures water level in a borehole using a sound pulse. In doing so, it also reflects the condition of the borehole to the water, identifying problems. It is paired with a mobile app that stores readings and the return signal for review in the field, and for sending to remote storage.
Problem
Repeated water level measurement is more difficult than it should be.
Traditional measurement devices often get damaged, entangled and break down
Mechanical dip tapes and probes wear out, corrode and fail in the field. Maintenance is constant and replacements interrupt operations.
The measuring device comes into contact with drinking water
Conventional probes are lowered into the water column, raising contamination and hygiene concerns in potable and sensitive sources.
Measurement records must be written down separately
Operators copy readings into notebooks or spreadsheets after the fact, creating a real risk of forgetting, mis-recording or losing data.
Solution
A handheld sonic meter, a mobile app, and borehole specific calibration.
Non-contact sonic measurement
The device emits a sound pulse into the borehole and analyses the return signal. Nothing is lowered into the water, eliminating contamination risk.
Borehole specific calibration
Speed of sound depends on temperature. The app stores a calibrated value per borehole, used automatically in every future reading.
No tape or cable to get entangled, twisted, trapped or damaged, easy to transport
Readings are tied to a borehole, operator and timestamp and saved on the spot — no transcription, no lost notebooks, exportable from the device.
Product
Two parts, designed to work together in the field.
Echo handheld device
A light, handheld unit pointed down the borehole. Powered by a rechargeable battery for the pulse. Designed to work in boreholes, even curved pipes, with a range of diameters.
- Sonic pulse and signal capture
- Shroud and cone adapters for varied borehole openings
- Connects to a standard Android phone (currently not on iPhone)
Echo mobile app
Android app for field operators. Organises measurements by borehole, captures the return signal, and supports per-borehole temperature calibration.
- Borehole context: name, location, operator, GPS
- Measurement with signal chart and saved reading
- Readings history and email export
- Offline-first capture in the field
Specification reflects the current product scope; features may evolve as development continues.
Comparison
How Echo compares to existing borehole water level meters.
| Aspect | Aquatara Echo | Standard dip tape | Sonic meter (typical) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Sound pulse into the borehole; per-borehole temperature calibration for speed of sound. | Marked tape with probe lowered until water contact triggers a signal. | Sound pulse into the pipe; distance from pulse return time and speed of sound. |
| Indication | Depth reading plus return signal plot and confidence indication. | Light and sound at the surface. | Depth reading on a control unit. |
| Accuracy reference | Range setting can improve accuracy (10cm over 100m). | Tape marked every centimetre (1 cm over 100 m). | Range setting can improve accuracy. |
| Contact with water | No — non-contact. | Yes — probe enters the water column. | No — non-contact. |
| Power | Rechargeable Li battery for the pulse; pairs with a standard Android phone. | Single 9 V battery (typical). | Replaceable alkaline cells (typical). |
| Form factor | Single handheld unit, with attachments, working with an Android smartphone. | Reel, probe and case. | Control unit and probe in a field bag. |
| Record keeping | Digital readings stored on the app, with signal trace and email export. | Manual transcription from the tape. | On-device display of depth. |
Comparison reflects general operating characteristics of the device categories, not benchmark results.
FAQ
Common questions.
Contact
Contact us.
Tell us a little about your organisation’s boreholes and monitoring needs. We respond to enquiries from public-sector, industrial and private groundwater operators.
- Product and pricing enquiries
- Full technical support
- Discuss your monitoring requirements
- Your data stays yours