Rural water utility closes the distances

Most water/wastewater utilities serve relatively well-defined municipalities, so it usually isn’t too difficult for their operators to collectively monitor, manage and automate their processes and assets. However, many of their counterparts are scattered over much larger, rural areas, with few residents and correspondingly smaller budgets and staffs. Though many deploy radios and uncrewed processes where possible and affordable, they also rely heavily on in-person inspections and manual data gathering—so some simpler data processing could be a big help.

For instance, LangeTech Inc. is helping upgrade a rural water utility in the Midwest U.S. that supplies wholesale water to residences and farms in 16 small communities. With seven wells, two potable water treatment plants, and approximately 200 field devices spread across lift stations, boosters, tanks and treatment facilities, its few staff members face daily operational challenges due to distance and scale.

The utility previously relied on proprietary controls that were difficult to maintain and required specialized knowledge. As equipment aged and staffing remained lean, its leadership recognized the need for a more sustainable approach that would simplify training, improve visibility, and reduce dependence on proprietary platforms. To accomplish this upgrade, the utility sought LangeTech’s help.

Located in Chesterfield, Mo., near St. Louis, LangeTech is part of SJE Inc.’s engineered controls division, which provides consulting, programming, engineering and system integration services. Both are members of the Control System Integrators Association.

The utility’s new network and control system includes 20 remote terminal units (RTUs) with PLCs installed at wells, booster stations, elevated tanks and pressure-reducing stations throughout its coverage area. Endress+Hauser’s flow, pressure, and temperature instrumentation provides real-time process data; Rockwell Automation’s CompactLogix and ControlLogix PLCs manage control functions; and Stratus’ ztC Edge server runs Rockwell’s FactoryTalk Optix serves as the central SCADA platform.

Communications across the geographically dispersed system are handled through a combination of Endress+Hauser’s wireless gateways, secure cellular networks, and fiber-optic connections, providing flexibility and redundancy for rural infrastructure. LangeTech is also implementing Endress+Hauser’s Netilion software platform to collect detailed instrumentation diagnostics and asset data from remote sites. That information will be securely delivered to the utility’s servers and integrated with Rockwell Automation’s Fiix asset-performance management software.

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“When an anomaly shows up in Netilion, Fiix can automatically report on it,” says Mike Morris, sales, marketing, and business development director at LangeTech. “Operators can see what’s happening, understand the issue, and respond with the right corrective action.”

Netilion also centralizes device diagnostics, stores configuration files, and simplifies regulatory reporting, including EPA documentation. Using Netilion Connect’s API, data is shared seamlessly with Fiix, allowing maintenance issues to be identified before they turn into failures. “Operators can now see a problem developing at a site 30 miles away and know what tools or replacement parts to bring before they leave,” Morris adds. “We expect this to reduce travel and troubleshooting time by 25-30%.”

By moving to an open, modernized, scalable SCADA architecture, the utility is making day-to-day operations simpler, more reliable and easier to support, and has positioned itself for long-term success. Its new network and controls improve operational visibility, reduce reliance on proprietary platforms, and gives its small staff the tools needed to efficiently manage water production and provide it to their widely dispersed communities.

The utility’s upgrade also includes issuing tablet PCs to field technicians, giving them mobile access to system data while traveling between sites. While PLCs provide primary control, the system includes fallback logic to maintain operations if communications are lost. “If fiber-optic communications are disrupted, such as from a lightning strike, the system can continue operating using known pressure values and backup control routines,” explains Morris. “That resilience is critical for rural utilities, where staffing is limited and response times can be long.”