A printer comprising: a printhead configured to eject aqueous ink; a rotating member having an intermediate imaging surface, the rotating member being positioned to rotate the intermediate imaging surface in front of the printhead to enable the printhead to eject ink onto the intermediate imaging surface to form an aqueous ink image for a print cycle; a dryer configured to at least partially dry the aqueous ink image ejected onto the intermediate imaging surface; a transfer roller configured to form a nip with the intermediate imaging surface to enable the at least partially dried aqueous ink image on the intermediate imaging surface to transfer to media as the media passes through the nip; a surface energy applicator configured to generate an electric field to produce and direct energized particles towards the intermediate imaging surface, the surface energy applicator being positioned to direct the energized particles towards the intermediate imaging surface after the aqueous ink has been transferred to the media and before the printhead ejects aqueous ink onto the intermediate imaging surface treated with the energized particles; characterized in that it further comprises an optical sensor positioned to generate image data of the intermediate imaging surface; and a controller operatively connected to the optical sensor and the surface energy applicator, the controller being configured to process the image data generated by the optical sensor to measure an ink drop spread for ink drops on the intermediate imaging surface and to adjust electrical power provided to the surface energy applicator in response to the measured ink drop spread being less than a predetermined threshold. a printhead configured to eject aqueous ink; a rotating member having an intermediate imaging surface, the rotating member being positioned to rotate the intermediate imaging surface in front of the printhead to enable the printhead to eject ink onto the intermediate imaging surface to form an aqueous ink image for a print cycle; a dryer configured to at least partially dry the aqueous ink image ejected onto the intermediate imaging surface; a transfer roller configured to form a nip with the intermediate imaging surface to enable the at least partially dried aqueous ink image on the intermediate imaging surface to transfer to media as the media passes through the nip; a surface energy applicator configured to generate an electric field to produce and direct energized particles towards the intermediate imaging surface, the surface energy applicator being positioned to direct the energized particles towards the intermediate imaging surface after the aqueous ink has been transferred to the media and before the printhead ejects aqueous ink onto the intermediate imaging surface treated with the energized particles; characterized in that it further comprises an optical sensor positioned to generate image data of the intermediate imaging surface; and a controller operatively connected to the optical sensor and the surface energy applicator, the controller being configured to process the image data generated by the optical sensor to measure an ink drop spread for ink drops on the intermediate imaging surface and to adjust electrical power provided to the surface energy applicator in response to the measured ink drop spread being less than a predetermined threshold.