Global climate change and the induced pressure on water resources requires better and more frequent water monitoring to robustly predict changes in water resources. For this, automated water monitoring devices are essential for a wide spatial and temporal data coverage. One of the major shortcomings in environmental water monitoring is the inexistence of adequate and reliable automated water sampling devices. In the AIRWAVES project we have succeeded in the development from a prototype into a tested, field validated and serial production ready automated rain water sampler. This device is robust to work under harsh environmental conditions, can take up to 165 samples every 5min , it is remotely accessible and provides samples of high analytical quality that are stored hermetically sealed and are free of contamination. We have built 5 new devices, tested and validated them over a wide range of environmental conditions. The device is now licensed by a German SME and is marketed world-wide. This device sets standards of next generation water sampling and will help public and private institutions to safeguard the quality of water.
