WIPAC Monthly - August 2016

WIPAC MONTHLYThe Monthly Update from Water Industry Process Automation & Control
www.wipac.org.uk Issue 8/2016 - August 2016

In this Issue
From the Editor.................................................................................................................... 3
Industry News..................................................................................................................... 4 - 11
Highlights of the news of the month from the global water industry centred around the successes of a few of the
companies in the global market.
Do we value our instruments & know their true worth?.................................................... 12-14
In this month’s opinion article, Oliver Grievson, Group Manager of Water Industry Process Automation & Control looks
back at the discussions over the resistance to the effective use of instrumentation and reflects on whether we would
value our instrumentation more if we knew its true worth

A Smarter Approach to Instrumentation and asset management...................................... 15-17
In this month’s Feature Article Alan Hunt, Electromagnetic Flow Product Manager at ABB, examines how the development
of Smart Information can be used to introduce smarter ways of working in not just the Water Industry but in industry
as a whole including utilising WirelessHart and basic principles of asset management,
A Smart Solution to leakage................................................................................................ 18
In this update article we see the developments that Thames Water are making in their mandated programme to
deliver Smart Water Meters into the UK’s Capital by 2030
The need for Smart Wastewater Networks........................................................................... 19-20
Hannah Rosenstein of the Smart Water Network Forum explains the need for Smart Wastewater Networks and the
approach that the world renowned SWAN Forum is taking in the development of their new Smart Wastewater Networks
Tool
Industry News..................................................................................................................... 20 - 21

Workshops, Conferences & Seminars................................................................................... 22-23
The highlights of the conferences and workshops in the coming months

WIPAC Monthly is a publication of the Water Industry Process Automation & Control Group. It is produced by the group
manager and WIPAC Monthly Editor, Oliver Grievson. This is a free publication for the benefit of the Water Industry and please
feel free to distribute to any who you may feel benefit.
All enquires about WIPAC Monthly, including those who want to publish news or articles within these pages, should be directed
to the publications editor, Oliver Grievson

From the Editor

Its at this time of year that everyone is taking holidays...for me it is one of the busiest times of year preparing for
the autumn conference season and all of the interesting things that the season brings. Of course this year we
have a full and packed season starting with the SWIG workshop on Modelling in the Water Industry and the WETSUS
conference in October which includes elements of the “Smart” Water Industry that I’m popping over to Leeuwarden to
present on. Then comes one of the highlights of the global calendar, WEFTEC, which I know a number of members either
attend or also usually attend at. Every year I make a cry for WIPAC members to take a picture of themselves at WEFTEC.
I’m hoping that someone will do it this year! Of course the one thing that has been keeping me busy is both the IWA New
Developments in IT & Water Conference and the WIPAC Flow Forum which takes place at the Water, Wastewater &
Environmental Monitoring Conference every other year. Of course by now some readers maybe getting to sick of hearing
about it but it is a true highlight of the instrumentation calendar and WIPAC is heavily involved in shaping the whole event
this year.
In fact to give members a taster of what the whole thing is going to be about I’ve been speaking to the organisers and we
have, together agreed that next month’s edition of WIPAC Monthly (the 60th
for those of you are counting is going to be a
bumper edition featuring at least some of the papers and presentations that will feature at the IWA New Developments
in IT & Water conference that is co-locating at WWEM this year. If you can get there then please do as this year, in my thoughts at least, its going to be extra
special and I’m going to try and use it to kick off at least some of the concepts that this group has been discussing for many years.
This event is only one of the things that is going on in the “Smart” Water Industry at the moment and its a good day at the moment when I’m not on the phone
discussing some aspect of the industry with researchers who are putting a report together on this aspect or another of the future of the industry. Whether
all of this will kick start some action is another thing to think about but I sense that the industry with the environmental pressures of tightening standards,
climate change and the likes on top of the economic pressures of making things cheaper all the time as well as of course, technical developments is ready for
more intelligent ways of working.
That is to say of course over and above what has already been done of course. One of the questions at conferences that always makes me do a combination
of smile, grimace and tear my hair out is - “We’ve heard about this concept of a Smart Water Industry for years.....when is it going to happen?” It reminds me
of the Monty Python sketch from the Life of Brian where one character asks another “What have the Romans ever done for us” (click here). Of course the
answer is that in someways we already have a “Smart” Industry with various things such as “Smart Instruments” which features in Alan Hunt’s article later on
in this edition as well as Smart Water Networks such as the systems by EPAL , TaKaDu & I2O and Smart Wastewater Networks that exist across the world. On
the treatment side we have process control systems that work either on local control or alternatively on simple to complex models. We have systems that can
show us how much money we are losing based upon the ideal operational. Of course the examples of this “Smart” ways of working are few and far between
and represents the exception rather than the rule something that, as long as it is economical, is a situation that we must change.
The question is of course is how do we do it? This is the proverbial 64 million dollar question (probably quite literally) and to me is almost about putting
(a) identifying the wants and needs of the water & wastewater operators and (b) putting the solutions and case studies together in pseudo shopping list.
Something that WIPAC attempted to do a few years ago now and couldn’t really put together with the WIPAC directory (mainly centred around a lack of time
on my behalf. Perhaps with the developments going on with the industry at the current time it is something that needs to be re-started as I have a feeling that
the industry as it stands at the moment (at least in some parts) may struggle to see the future vision which is bound to provide at least part of the solution to
the problems that the industry currently faces.
Remember if you are going to come to the IWA New Developments in IT & Water then register before the 31st August to qualify for the Early Bird Discount
Have a good month
Oliver

WIPAC Flow Forum@
WWEM Programme
Announced
This year will see the return of the Flow Forum at the
Water, Wastewater & Environmental Monitoring (WWEM)
Conference & Exhibition and this time under the guises of
the Water Industry Process Automation (WIPAC) Group.
This month the WIPAC Group and the organisers of WWEM
have released the programme for this year’s Flow Forum
and opened up the registration.
This year’s forum is split into three parts and will take
place on the first day of the conference and exhibition,
Wednesday 2nd
November starting at 10am.
The first of the forum’s sessions this year will
concentrate on flow meter installation and will see the
return of Simon Richardson of Siris Environmental Flow
Services to talk about “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly”
of flow measurement installations. The second session
will continue with John Curtis of Morrison Utilities who
will discuss the challenges that construction partners face
when physically installing flow monitoring installations.
The third speaker, Tony Wood of the CSA Group will talk
about life after a flow meter is installed and how to
run a management system. An area of the MCERTS Flow
Monitoring Scheme that is perhaps asked about the most
and is an area of great concern for most
The second session will look at what can be done with flow
monitoring once its installed and this session will feature
presentations by Alan Hunt of ABB and Lorenzo Pompa of
Anglian Water discussing the benefits of Flow Monitoring
on the wastewater network.
The final session of the day will concentrate on a
particular flow measurement technology, namely, Area
Velocity units. Their use has been questioned as late
especially the methodology of verification. The last
session of the day will highlight where there practical use
provides a solution where other techniques are
impractical, the concerns over their use and presentations
examining the different types of area velocity flow
measurement with particular reference to contact and
non-contact methodologies.
The Flow Forum proved to incredibly popular at the last
WWEM Conference and Exhibition in 2014 and to date
is proving to be just as popular with almost 200 people
signed up to the free Forum already. Be sure to register for
the WWEM Conference and select the option to attend the
Flow Forum as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
The Instrumentation Apprentice
Competition returns to WWEM
The Instrumentation Apprentice Competition
which first featured at WWEM 2014 is return-
ing to WWEM this year. The competition, which
was last time organised by the Water Industry
Process Automation & Control Group and was
co-organised by the WRC and SEFS as well as the
three sponsors, ABB, Partech & Siemens will be
organised by Leo Carswell Chairman of the
Sensors for Water Interest Group and Head of
Technology at the WRC.
Teams are currently being invited to compete
in the friendly industry competition which is
designed to promote the importance of Instru-
mentation Apprentices within the Water Indus-
try and support these apprentices in their future
development in instrumentation an area of huge
importance for the modern water industry.
Those people who are interested in supporting
the Instrumentation Competition or for those
who wish to enquire about taking part should
contact Leo Carswell directly at the WRC or can
contact Oliver Grievson at WIPAC who will pass
the details on.
Registration for Water, Wastewater
& Environmetal Monitoring 2016 at
record levels
The number of people who have registered for the Water, Wastewater & Environmental
Monitoring Conference is currently at record levels as the world famous conference and
exhibition has a full calendar of different events going on in 2016 for guests to register and attend.
This year’s event will run alongside the IWA New Developments in IT & Water Conference for
which tickets are rapidly selling but attendees can also go to the free to attend the WIPAC Flow
Forum@WWEM, or purchase tickets for the events being held by CIWEM and SWIG on top
of 80 free walk in workshops and the WWEM Conference . There is also, of course, the
Exhibition that features over 140 stands of the world’s top instrumentation supply companies and
organisations.
Additionally to all of the events that are going on this year will see the return of the SWIG
sponsored Early Career Researcher Prize Poster Competition and the Instrumentation Apprentice
Competition both of which are designed to encourage different parts of the Water Industry into
the field of instrumentation, an area which is only going to get more and more important for the
future of the Water Industry.
For further details and to register for some or all of the events please go to
http://www.wwem.uk.com
Page 4
Industry News

Survey launched on the “Use of sensors and monitoring
equipment for detection of hazardous events
This month a survey into the use of sensors and monitoring equipment for the detection of hazardous events. The project running the survey is the European
Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection (ERNCIP) and is being run by the Institute for the Security and the Protection of the Citizen, part of
the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. ERNCIP’s mission is to foster the emergence of innovative, qualified, efficient and competitive security
solutions, through the networking of European experimental capabilities.
One of the ERNCIP Thematic Groups focuses on chemical and biological risks to the water sector. The purpose of this group is to identify the requirements for
harmonization/standardisation activities for real-time monitoring systems related to chemical and biological threats to drinking water. Primarily, our focus is
water security in terms of responding to deliberate chemical and/or biological acts of contamination of drinking water (as per definition of security), although
it would also protect against the effects of natural disasters or accidents.
The group is proposing to develop a guidance document enabling water utility operators to prepare a specific water security plan which would complement
an already existing Water Safety Plan. The guidance aims to focus, initially, on the application of sensors and online monitoring for the detection of chemical
and biological contaminants within the overall security framework. A chapter of the guidance document will be devoted to the availability and performance of
sensors and monitors which can be part of early warning systems to safeguard the chemical and biological water quality of distributed drinking water.
The project organisers are looking to survey two groups of people.
Firstly the group are looking to survey Water Utilities as to their use of sensors. Interested parties from the Drinking Water Utility should click here to take part
in the survey
Secondly the group is looking to canvass the sensor manufacturers and interested parties who manufacture equipment for the detection of hazardous events
should click here to take part in the survey
UK Govt funds innovative system to verify trustworthiness of
information from big data sets
Government funding is helping with the commercial development of a real-time, rapid response software system to autonomously and efficiently inform on
events (such as natural disasters, terrorism, riots) as they unfold.
The system can extract relevant, truthful information from social media, using the public as observers, to supplement existing information systems. Crucially the
emphasis is on determining information veracity, to enhance and accelerate tactical decision making. This autonomous filtering of massive open-source data will
help optimise the workload of analysts, prioritising data items for attention.
News breaks out on social media more quickly than on other media and in potentially large volumes. Capturing top relevant news items, tagging rumours and
identifying the element of the truth of these rumours automatically will deliver a huge value to end users in defence and security, as well as many other sectors.
The innovation could help to swiftly and automatically identify top events/rumours in a certain geographic area, online community, topic, theme or entity;
identify the confidence in these rumours; identify participants in these rumours and track the progress of the rumours over time. Gaining an early indication of
what is true or false could help provide a quick response for situations such as disaster-relief, terrorist incidents and riots.
The work has been helped by funding from the Centre for Defence Enterprise, part of the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
(Dstl). CDE funds novel, high-risk, high-potential-benefit research, working with the broadest possible range of science and technology providers, including
academia and small companies, to develop cost-effective capabilities for UK armed forces and national security.
Dr Colin Singleton, Technical Director, CountingLab Ltd said:
“The support from CDE has been fantastic and dramatically improved how we develop our software; in particular how we focus the application towards the
defence and security market. CDE have helped introduce us to and form relationships with other companies and individuals working in similar fields. The funding
has allowed us to employ more extremely high-calibre staff and develop software that we simply could not afford otherwise.”
Yorkshire Water awards £5m AMP6 actuator contract
Yorkshire Water has awarded an AMP6 contract for supply and support services for actuators worth an estimated £5 million.
The contract covers the supply of new actuators including associated components and equipment such as mounting kits for valves, including installation and
commissioning services. It also covers the provision of support services including repairs, maintenance and replacement of actuators and associated equipment.
Rotork UK Ltd and Auma Actuators Ltd have both won places on the framework, two of three companies who bid for the work.
Page 5

Anglian Water Selects InfoWorks ICM
Innovyze, a leading global innovator of business analytics software and technologies for smart wet infrastructure, today announced that Anglian Water, one of
the UK’s largest water and sewerage companies, has purchased multiple licenses of InfoWorks ICM (including Executive Suite edition), the industry’s leading
integrated catchment modelling solution. By taking advantage of InfoWorks ICM’s powerful 1D and 2D modelling capabilities, predictive analytics and powerful
simulation extensions, Anglian Water will be better positioned to effectively manage its large and complex sewer networks, develop reliable flood risk control
plans, increase operational efficiency, maintain regulatory compliance, and improve customer satisfaction.
With a 27,500 square km service area, Anglian is geographically the largest water company within England and Wales. The company supplies over one billion
litres of water every day to more than six million domestic and business customers through its network of 36,000 kilometers of water mains. About a billion litres
of used water are flushed and poured into its sewers each day, delivered to 1,077 sewage treatment works through 76,355 kilometers of pipes. Because large
parts of its region are flat and low-lying, the risk of flooding is high.
“The InfoWorks ICM sewer network modelling product continues to be the solution of choice for UK Water Companies,” said Andrew Walker, Client Service
Manager and Product Sector Leader for Innovyze EMEA Operations. “Anglian Water is one of a number of highly-regarded water and wastewater service
providers around the world to turn to our powerful, industry-leading system dynamics and business analytics solutions. They are keen to exploit the
extraordinary step change in modelling capabilities that InfoWorks ICM offers to help them achieve the challenging AMP6 goals set by OFWAT, the UK water and
wastewater regulator.”
A hallmark of InfoWorks ICM is its dynamic integration of one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation of flows in rivers, open channels, and pipe networks with
two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation of surface flooding in the urban environment and river floodplain. The industry-leading software provides a powerful
solution for simultaneously modelling below-ground and aboveground elements of catchments to accurately represent all flow paths and improve understand-
ing of processes occurring in the holistic environment. The software also takes into account interactions of natural and man-made environments and effectively
simulates the water quality impact of polluting runoff and effluent from urban areas. Such advanced capabilities greatly enhance wastewater utilities’ ability to
predict overflows; support cost-effective drainage design and management; develop online urban flooding forecasts; conceive and evaluate sound and reliable
urban catchment strategies such as storm sewer separation, active real-time control and provision of adequate additional storage; and improve the operation
of any drainage system.
InfoWorks ICM Executive Suite also serves as a base platform for advanced integrated catchment modelling extensions. Among these critical applications are
ICM RiskMaster (economic evaluation of flood risks), ICM TSDB (real-time data and event management), InfoWorks PDM (probability distributed moisture mod-
elling), and ICMExchange (full-featured programmer’s toolkit for customized solutions).
“The Innovyze family of smart network modelling and management solutions continues to be the standard for the world’s largest and most prominent water
and wastewater utilities,” said Paul F. Boulos, President, COO and Chief Technical Officer of Innovyze. “Anglian Water manages large and complex sewerage
network and treatment systems and is the caretaker of many kilometers of river health. We are proud that this leading UK utility continues to consider our
powerful tools the best choice for helping them meet their business challenges. In strengthening its comprehensive smart water network solutions portfolio
with InfoWorks ICM, Anglian Water has demonstrated its exemplary commitment to both its customers and the environment. We look forward to being a vital
part of this respected enterprise’s continued success.”
Ayyeka & SIGFOX: First U.S. Channel Partnership To Enable
Smart Cities Across The U.S.
Ayyeka, a technology company developing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions, recently announced a first-of-its-kind channel partnership in the United
States with SIGFOX, the world’s leading provider of dedicated communications service for the Internet of Things (IoT). Ayyeka’s remote monitoring systems are
SIGFOX-certified and will operate on the SIGFOX network. There are currently 7 million devices operating on the global SIGFOX network, with Ayyeka joining in
to deploy devices across the U.S. to create energy efficient smart cities.
The SIGFOX network is specifically designed for low-power IoT devices, enabling Ayyeka’s remote monitoring solutions, dubbed Wavelet Kits, to collect and
transmit data from remotely dispersed infrastructure and assets to SCADA systems and other business intelligence and analytic platforms. Together, Ayyeka
smart sensor networks operating with SIGFOX communication will enable simple, seamless data collection to allow for increased operational performance,
ensuring regulatory compliance, and protection of public health and safety.
“The Ayyeka-SIGFOX partnership is making water monitoring and control far more cost effective, reliable, and scalable, thus enabling municipalities to optimize
operations and deliver ‘smart city’ capabilities,” said Vice President of Sales and Partnerships for SIGFOX North America Michael Orr.
Ayyeka is working with utilities and other infrastructure operators to streamline and secure the process of bringing field data to decision makers and Industrial
Control Systems (ICS). In addition to solutions for the water and wastewater industry, Ayyeka offers a next generation data collection process for oil and gas,
power grid, environmental, agriculture, and smart city applications. This partnership includes co-marketing activities, including events such as the recent IoT
World Event in Santa Clara, CA.
“SIGFOX’s communication network fits perfectly with Ayyeka’s IIoT devices both in concept and in practice,” said Ayyeka’s Chief Technology Officer Dr. Yair Poleg.
“SIGFOX developed an ideal communication platform with a global reach, and Ayyeka fills the data gap with low-power modular IIoT devices.”
Page 6

Northumbrian Water uses gaming app to promote customer
service
Northumbrian Water is turning to the world of gaming to promote excellence in customer service throughout its workforce. The utility has appointed
Gateshead-based virtual reality developer Vector76 to develop a new mobile game as a way of sharing best practice among colleagues.
The game, which is being developed for phones on both iOS and Android systems, will feature quizzes and even be paired with regular ‘live’ events at which
employees will be selected to “walk the plank”, wearing virtual reality headsets. Teams comprising members from various departments across the business will
compete in the “Seven Seas Cup” game, working together towards the shared goal of delivering unrivalled customer service. The game will also be integrated
with existing internal communications platforms, so that it works alongside existing channels within Northumbrian Water.
Shaun Allan, managing director of Vector76, said:
“Gamification is increasingly popular in businesses to engage both customers and employees, and Northumbrian Water has embraced it wholeheartedly. The
potential to share experiences and messages that can shape attitudes and success is huge and we look forward to delivering not only the game, but also the
live activities involved in creating excellence in customer service.”
Vector 76 was selected following a competitive process, working with Design Network North to engage firms within the North East, who pitched their proposals
and concepts to a judging panel and a focus group.
Nichola Shields, customer manager at Northumbrian Water, said:
“We believe that to deliver the best customer service, it must come through the whole company, not just the people who work in the public eye or in
customer-facing teams.”
“By using gamification as a tool, colleagues will be able to share experiences from all areas of the business for the benefit of all of our customers.”
Piece By Piece — Ham Baker And Unitspark Complete Important
Jigsaw Penstock For Thames Water
Ham Baker and Unitspark have completed the intricate installation of a penstock at
a pumping station in South London in which a severely restricted access issue had to
be overcome with an innovative, cost-effective engineering solution.
Part of Thames Water’s ongoing programme to replace ageing assets before the
end of their forecast life, a 1.2m by 1.2m penstock was required at Wandle Pumping
Station but with this size too large for the 9m deep shaft and pipe, installation of a
standard penstock would have caused significant delays and costly disruption.
Thames Water called upon two companies with vast experience of penstocks and
specialist works to bring about the manufacture and installation of a new unit that
would overcome the sizeable access challenge.
Based on a highly detailed concept from bespoke engineering specialists Unitspark,
Ham Baker (who have been making penstocks since 1886), set about designing what
became known as the ‘jigsaw’ penstock, crafted in segments.
“We have penstocks installed all over the world, but this one required a very different way of thinking”, said Paul Higginson, Director at Ham Baker Group.
“Designing a two-leaf segmented penstock (to extremely fine tolerances) that would have to be lowered down and traverse up a pipe for a very precise
installation certainly called upon all our experience. Together with Unitspark, we very much wanted to provide a long term solution for Thames Water,
producing a high quality penstock made from stainless steel, including every single component part, with exacting attention to detail”.
Following manufacture by Ham Baker, Unitspark set about planning the quickest and most effective way to carry out the installation of the ‘jigsaw’ penstock
with only minimum disruption. The discovery of live assets and a 3m thick block of concrete (that hadn’t shown in the former sewage treatment works’ plans)
made the task even more challenging.
Rob Horne, Director at Unitspark, commented: “Working closely with Thames Water and Ham Baker, our highly skilled team went to great lengths to overcome
the access issues. We are used to wet and difficult environments and this was no exception – also having to deal with high levels of hydrogen sulphide. Lifting,
rotating and positioning the jigsaw penstock down the 9m shaft required the utmost skill and precision, before which, our engineers had to first build a
fabrication bench to later assemble the penstock and its 30 component parts”.
Brett Willis, Project Engineer from Thames Water added: “Ham Baker and Unitspark successfully made this a specialist mechanical job, rather than a very
costly and disruptive civil engineering project. The installation has been completed in just one week, with no need for major civils, new shafts or cofferdams.
The benefits in savings are substantial. Working close to a river and major strategic discharge mains drastically reduced the risk to the environment and the
catchment. It is a credit to all concerned that this exercise in serious asset management was completed in such a professional manner”.
Page 7

Inadequately monitored open valve lands Scottish Water with
£7,500 fine
Kilmarnock Sheriff Court has fined Scottish Water £7,500 for causing pollution in Caaf Water and the River Garnock in Dalry, Ayrshire.
Scottish Water pleaded guilty to causing or permitting other persons to draw down the level of water in the Caaf Reservoir through an inadequately monitored
open valve. This resulted in the discharge of sediment laden water, containing a high level of suspended solids from the reservoir, into the Caaf Water and the
River Garnock on May 24, 2015.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) attended the site to carry out an investigation after receiving complaints from members of the public about
the discolouration of the Caaf Water at its confluence with the River Garnock. SEPA contacted Scottish Water to close the valve draining the reservoir in order
to stop any further polluting discharge, and reported the matter to the Procurator Fiscal.
John McCabe, SEPA’s reporting officer, said: “The Caaf Water and River Garnock are very popular with countryside enthusiasts including anglers. As a result of
this incident water heavily contaminated with sediment from the Caaf reservoir was introduced into these downstream watercourses at a concentration well
beyond what would occur naturally, and this pollution remained visible for several days.
“If Scottish Water had been monitoring the reservoir out of hours when the incident occurred, then it is likely the pollution to these rivers could have been
prevented. Unfortunately, as Scottish Water had not taken this precaution, we were informed by the public and had to request the valve draining the reservoir
to be closed after these watercourses had already been polluted.”
In imposing the fine the court took into account the fact that this was a serious failure which resulted in detriment to the wildlife, which was striking, but the
long-term impact was unknown.
Wessex Water chooses Servelec for SCADA upgrade
Wessex Water is set to upgrade its telemetry and SCADA systems after selecting Servelec Technologies, the provider of data collection, control and optimisation
solutions, for the work.
The utility will replace its Scope5 SCADA system with the latest Prism5 User Interface. Wessex Water has been using Scope5 and its predecessor to monitor its
water and wastewater estate for over 20 years.
Servelec’s Prism5 system will cover all Wessex’s water and wastewater assets. Its data collection and controls are automated through Servelec’s range of Seprol
Remote Telemetry Units which are supplied under a recently extended framework agreement.
As part of the upgrade to Prism5, Wessex Water will receive a suite of user interfaces that are suitable for both control room and mobile use. Prism5 has a
flexible user interface providing compatibility and scalability across different technologies via HTML5, improving the user experience and delivering tangible
results.
Andy Sullivan, Managing Director of Servelec Technologies said: “Having worked with Wessex Water for over 20 years we understand what they demand in an
integrated system to enable them to deliver the key requirement of improved customer service as mandated by AMP6.
“As the leading provider of an end-to-end data collection, control and optimisation solution Servelec helps water companies to improve asset automation and
control, reduce leakage, delver cost savings and improve customer service.”
ISA Launches SCADA Systems Standards Committee
ISA’s Standards & Practices (S&P) Board has approved a new committee to be designated ISA112, SCADA Systems. This approval follows widespread support for
the idea from a survey conducted via ISA’s InTech magazine and online media.
ISA112 will develop standards and technical reports intended to improve the overall reliability of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system
design, installation, integration and operation of the infrastructure for pipelines, water and wastewater, power, oil and gas, and other industries. The standards
and technical reports will provide guidance for implementing effective and reliable SCADA systems by documenting best practices in a range of industries.
S&P Board member Greg Lehmann will serve as ISA112 managing director, overseeing the start-up of the new committee by drawing on his experience as
founding co-chair of ISA101, Human-Machine Interface. Lehmann is Process Automation Technical Manager, Engineering and O&M, Oil & Gas, at AECOM.
“Documenting best practices in a range of industries will likely end up being the lion’s share of the work in ISA112,” points out Lehmann. “However, the first
order will be to focus on the basics and the multi-industry and inter-industry aspects of SCADA systems—that is, definitions, terminology, normative/informative
references and common hardware.”
S&P Board Member Ian Verhappen, Senior Project Manager of Automation at CIMA, led the survey and analysis for the S&P Board. “With the increased
connectivity of the wide range of devices used to monitor and control our environment, SCADA systems are becoming a more important part of today’s control
infrastructure,” Verhappen notes. “For this reason, ISA has identified a requirement for a series of standards to capture best practices on how to build a system
from the many individual parts.”
Page 8

Skanska sets the standard for drones in construction
Skanska UK has become one of the first construction companies to introduce an insurance-approved supply chain framework that will facilitate the wider
deployment of drone technology on projects. Remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), better known as drones, offer an innovative way of capturing data that
can significantly reduce risk and create opportunities for more effective delivery.
The framework comprises three carefully selected and verified companies – Resource Group, Skycap and Cambridge UAV - to complete RPAS-based work on
behalf of Skanska. Each will work to strict guidelines and procedures, and possess an agreed level of insurance cover. Each company provides different areas of
specialist expertise, gained from extensive work in a range of different sectors.
Use of the technology is a further demonstration of Skanska’s commitment and continued investment in BIM and digital engineering.
Thomas Faulkner, executive vice president at Skanska UK, said: “We have invested consistently in digital engineering over many years in order to improve how
we work and the services we provide to our customers. Embracing the use of drone technology enables us to create new insights – facilitating more effective
ways of planning and delivering projects.”
The move comes on the back of Skanska’s achievement in being one of the first contractors to achieve company-wide Level 2 BIM verification from BSI in
December 2015.
Malcolm Stagg, director of BIM & Digital Engineering at Skanska UK, said: “RPAS can deliver data that is significantly more advanced and detailed than is
possible through traditional methods. It’s a key component in Skanska’s overall digital engineering strategy that can help us to undertake work and collect data
much more quickly and effectively.”
New Sensaphone Vibration Sensor Helps To Prevent Water
Treatment Equipment Failure
Vibration fluctuations in water and wastewater machinery are an early indicator of problems that cause equipment failure such as pump cavitation, unbalanced
fans and bad bearings. Sensaphone’s new Vibration Sensor can be permanently mounted on equipment like pumps, motors, generators and diesel engines to
continuously monitor vibration velocity and detect unusual conditions.
The sensor provides constant real-time data to an accompanying Sensaphone monitoring device, which sends an immediate alert to designated personnel
when vibration levels fall out of range.
The Sensaphone Vibration Sensor is compatible with all Sensaphone monitoring devices that accept a 4-20mA input. The sensor monitors the vibration velocity
on a non-rotating surface and conforms to ISO 10816 guidelines for mechanical vibration. Using the Sensaphone Vibration Sensor helps to safeguard critical
equipment through vibration analysis and prevent possible equipment failure.
“Continuous vibration monitoring at water treatment facilities has never been easier,” said Rob Fusco, technical support and service manager at Sensaphone.
“These sensors enable facility managers to be proactive with equipment repairs and maintenance to avoid expensive downtime.”
Page 9

Xylem Inc. To Acquire Sensus For $1.7B In Cash
Xylem Inc., a leading global water technology company dedicated to solving the world’s most challenging water issues, today announced that it has signed a
definitive agreement to acquire Sensus for approximately $1.7 billion in cash. The deal is set to
• Advance Xylem’s strategy to be a leading provider of systems intelligence solutions in the global water sector
• Bring a strong portfolio of smart water technologies in fast-growing segments and attractive, non-water adjacencies
• Bring Sensus’ leading-edge technology and R&D capabilities and accelerates Xylem’s innovation initiatives
• Bring Sensus’ FlexNet® network technology to provide a platform for Xylem’s products and solutions, and for future growth
Sensus, owned by investment funds affiliated with The Jordan Company and GS Capital Partners 2000, is a leading provider of smart meters, network
technologies, and advanced data analytics services for the water, electric and gas industries. It has more than 80 million metering devices installed globally, and
its distinctive FlexNet® communications network technology uses licensed spectrum in the U.S. and other geographies and provides secure connectivity solutions
that support multiple applications.
Sensus generated $837 million in adjusted revenue and $159 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) in fiscal
2016, which ended March 31, 2016. The $1.7 billion cash purchase price is 10.7x Sensus’ fiscal year 2016 adjusted EBITDA. Xylem expects to achieve at least
$50 million in annual cost synergies to be substantially realized within three years of closing as Xylem extends its proven global procurement and continuous
improvement initiatives into this business, with significant additional revenue synergy potential. The transaction is expected to be accretive to Xylem’s adjusted
earnings in 2017.
“With Sensus, we will acquire a strategically valuable asset that will accelerate our ability to bring systems intelligence solutions to customers across the water
and energy industries, establish a foundation for future growth and create significant shareholder value,” said Patrick Decker, Xylem President and Chief Executive
Officer. “This will be an important milestone in our strategy to move Xylem’s portfolio of solutions up the technology curve. The combination of Xylem’s world-
class brands and products with Sensus’ leading-edge smart technologies will create a differentiated offering that will better meet our customers’ evolving needs,
including greater energy efficiency, water conservation, and improved life-cycle costs.
“Sensus has a very broad product portfolio in metering and is well positioned in the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) segment,” continued Mr. Decker.
“The AMI segment is growing at nearly twice the rate of the total metering space, driven in part by regulations and customers’ growing need for real-time data
and reduced operational costs. Our expansive customer relationships will be able to extend the reach of Sensus’ products and technologies to new markets glob-
ally, particularly in emerging markets. As a combined company, we expect Xylem to grow faster and be more profitable.”
Mr. Decker added, “This move will also advance the innovation strategy we outlined at our Investor Day last year. Combining the advanced technology and
R&D expertise and capabilities of both companies, we anticipate accelerating our delivery of innovative solutions to our customers, particularly in the area of
advanced analytics across the water, wastewater and outdoor water sectors. Sensus’ network platform, FlexNet®, can support many of Xylem’s connected
product offerings and enable expansion into adjacent Internet of Things markets. We also see natural opportunities to extend the company’s advanced data
analytics platform, which provides actionable insights for customers, to Xylem products. Both platforms provide a powerful foundation for future organic and
inorganic growth opportunities.”
In addition to its strong presence in the smart water sector, Sensus generates approximately 24 percent of its revenues from sales to electric and gas utilities. The
projected growth rate of smart metering, particularly AMI, is even higher in these sectors than in water, and Sensus is well positioned to capture that growth with
its network-enabled solutions.
Mr. Decker concluded, “We are very pleased with the opportunity to add the world-class talent of Sensus to Xylem. As a unified company, we look forward to
providing customers with an even more compelling offering that will add measurable value to their operations, and create significant incremental value for our
shareholders.”
Randy Bays, President of Sensus, said, “Xylem is a highly respected company and we are confident that, together, we will have the resources and scale to continue
advancing differentiated technology and delivering innovative solutions to our customers around the world. We look forward to working with the Xylem team to
ensure a smooth transition and completing the combination as quickly as possible.”
Speaking on behalf of the Xylem Board of Directors, Xylem Chairman Markos I. Tambakeras said, “This is an excellent transaction and we are enthusiastic about
the future combination of these two companies. We have full confidence in the management team’s ability to execute a smooth integration and significantly
enhance shareholder value.”
Sensus has approximately 3,300 employees and major locations in the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, Slovakia, and China. Nearly 70 percent of 2016 revenues
were generated in the U.S.
Xylem will finance the all-cash transaction with the deployment of approximately $400 million of Xylem’s non-U.S. cash, new and existing credit facilities, and a
combination of short- and long-term debt. There is no change to Xylem’s full-year 2016 adjusted earnings outlook. Xylem expects to maintain quarterly dividend
payments to shareholders.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory review, including approval by the Federal Communications Commission of the transfer
of certain spectrum licenses. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Page 10

Smart Innovation Revolutionizes The Measurement Of Microbial
Contamination In Water
The Vienna-based company VWM GmbH – Vienna Water Monitoring Solutions (VWM) announced
recently that it won a highly-coveted award at the world’s foremost trade fair for water management,
the Singapore International Water Week.
The company was selected by the jury as the winner of the Innovation Competition for the
development of its pioneering technology, the ColiMinder, which allows bacterial contamination in water
to be measured fully automated and within 15 minutes. At the same time, the company also clinched the
Audience Award of the competition.
These awards confirm the innovation leadership of the company’s ColiMinder technology, which is
synonymous with the efficient and economical analysis of bacterial contamination in water. Earlier this
year, the team, headed by managing director and founder DI Wolfgang Vogl, won the Innovation
Competition of the 2016 International Water Summit in Abu Dhabi. Summing up the reasons for
this string of awards, DI Vogl explains: “Conventional laboratory methods take 24 hours to detect
the presence of E. coli bacteria, intestinal bacteria that serve as indicators of faecal contamination.
The ColiMinder accomplishes that fully automatically in just 15 minutes. The boost in safety and the significant economic benefit – with a saving potential of up
to 50 percent in processing costs – are globally unique. This was confirmed once again when the company won the Innovation Competition at one of the world’s
most important trade fairs for water management.”
In fact, this year’s Singapore International Water Week attracted more than 21,000 participants who have posted revenues totalling 10 billion Euros. Because
of its innovative underlying principle and economic benefits, VWM’s ColiMinder attracted a great deal of attention. Unlike conventional methods for
detecting bacterial contamination in water, the ColiMinder process is based on the measurement of specific metabolic activities that allow four key
microbiological parameters to be measured: contamination levels of the faecal indicator Escherichia coli, coliform bacteria and enterococci, as well as the total
bacteria, which is especially important in the case of process water and cooling water. Previously, samples had to be taken and placed on special culture media.
It then took up to three days for bacterial colonies to form, providing an indication of the microbial load. Thanks to the ColiMinder, water can now be analysed
directly and immediately. It takes just 15 minutes to determine the level of bacterial contamination.
This technology from VWM makes it possible for the first time to provide microbiological water quality as “online parameters” for automatically monitoring and
controlling processes. DI Vogl explains the economic benefits, taking disinfection as an example: “If it takes hours or days to detect microbial contamination, as
is the case with conventional methods, you always have to assume the worst possible contamination level and take appropriate disinfecting measures. The rapid
results of the ColiMinder now make it possible to match the disinfection process precisely to the actual contamination level. The real contamination is often
much lower and requires far less effort to achieve disinfection. Costs can be cut by up to 50 percent.”
Another advantage of the ColiMinder devices is that it ties in well with the Internet. VWM offers its customers online access to measured data, automated
reports and online services and support, where VWM monitors the equipment and ensures that it is working properly.
Leading European Water Utility Receives Accreditation to ISO/
IEC 17025:2005 Standard for Use of Online THM-100™ Analyzer
Aigües de Barcelona, the leading water utility in Spain, has received accreditation to the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Standard for the use of Aqua Metrology Systems’
online THM-100™ analyzer to continuously monitor trihalomethanes (THMs) in their drinking water supply network servicing 3,000,000 million inhabitants
across metropolitan Barcelona. In addition to providing the utility with contract compliance and process optimization data, THM readings can now be used to
submit regulatory compliance data.
The technical competence of Aigües de Barcelona’s laboratory and its staff for sampling and analysis has been certified to the ISO/IEC 17025 Standard from
Entidad Nacional de Acreditación (ENAC) since 2000. The THM-100 analyzers are an integral part of Aigües de Barcelona’s THM mitigation strategy, and as
such, the utility sought to have them recognized as part of their accreditation.
“The extension of our accreditation to include the THM-100 online analyzer is a testament to its ability to operate to the high quality standards governing
our laboratory,” said Miquel Paraira Faus, Water Quality Director & Laboratory Manager, Aigües de Barcelona. “The THM-100 is unique in its self-calibration,
remote monitoring diagnostic feedback, and online or offline analysis. These features are critical to its ability to provide us with accurate and repeatable
results required to meet the ISO accreditation. No other commercially available online THM analyzer operates or is validated to such rigorous standards.”
“This is the first ISO 17025 accreditation obtained with the THM-100, facilitating the use of the instrument in certified laboratories and representing a
significant breakthrough in the application of online field-based instruments for regulatory control of water quality. We forsee a far wider uptake of advanced
online monitoring technology as anticipated by the US EPA in its Next Generation Compliance strategic initiative for improving regulatory control, efficiency,
transparency and consumer access to compliance data, “ said Rick Bacon, CEO, Aqua Metrology Systems. “Certified laboratories now have the opportunity to
incorporate the online THM-100 methodology into their client service offering.”
Page 11

Five years ago as the Water Industry Process Automation & Control group began the group as it stood had a discussion. This discussion centred around the
resistance to the effective use of instrumentation and concentrated on why we don’t use instrumentation for what it is....which quite literally is the “eyes
and the ears” of the Water Industry. It is certainly the case in the UK Water Industry that the number of people on sites have reduced drastically since the
industry privatised 27 years ago and as such there is a need for instrumentation to monitor the plant and its performance when an operator cannot. In reality
this unspoken deal has not happened.. To take the key points of what was said five years ago the resistance comes from
1. The reliability of instrumentation
2. The installation of instrumentation
3. The supposed threat that instrumentation poses to people’s jobs
4. The flood of data - Big Data versus Small Information
Of course there is a counter to all of these arguments and I will get to them in a moment but the highlight of this piece is that we simply do not value the data
that instrumentation collects and with this lack of worth comes a lack of interest and with a lack of interest comes neglect. If you were doing a business case
though the value of instrumentation becomes quite clear. Let us in an example below take an example of a flow meter, something that I am very used to.
An example of the value of an instrument: A regulated flow meter
Taking a flow meter that is regulated under the MCERTS programme over an asset life of 10 years. Firstly there is the initial installation:
Cost of Concrete work to install a V notch - £18,000
Cost of V Notch Weir Plate including installation - £7,000
Cost of installing instrument including mounting - £ 5.000
Capital Cost - £ 30,000
Cost of certification (3 visits) - £2,000
Annual Calibration visits (Annual for 10 years) - £1,000
Cost of Asset Management - £1,000
Operation Cost - £ 4,000
In real terms this gives a total cost over a ten year period including the initial installation of £34,000 or approximately £3,400 per year perhaps an
over-estimate but in the right region of cost. As the instrument is regulated it is important to keep the instrument operating correctly or the consequences
can be high. For example say a regulated flow meter is reading 20% high and exceeds its regulated dry weather flow by 10%. This would trigger an investment
need for the site that the regulated flow meter is on which would attract a revised consent in line with the principles of no deterioration. A 10% increase in flow
would result in a 10% decrease in the sanitary parameters (crudely put but its more or less correct) if this attracts more settlement capacity on a treatment
works (a typical minimum solution for an ASP works that is suffering from high flows) then the investment in this case is in the region of £800k (two settlement
tanks installed with all of the associated pipework). As we can see the business case is spend £34k on accurate flow measurement for 10 years or spend £800k
on further unnecessary investment.
This is of course an extreme example but has the possibility of happening. At this point, let’s take a step back and have a look at the four points made earlier as
to the resistance to instrumentation
The reliability of instrumentation
If I had a £1 for every time that somebody said that my instrument is “wrong” then I would be happily retired
by now. In the past instrumentation certainly needed alot of maintenance and what could be referred to as
TLC. These were the days when flow meters were mechanical and although they worked beautifully then
needed to be calibrated on a regular basis (figure 1). However the reliability and capacity for instrumentation
has increased as the industry has gone from mechanical monitoring to electronic and the industry has gone
from paper chart recorders that were marked with coloured pens to their digital equivalent.
The reliability of instrumentation is in fact governed by a much more fundamental flaw nowadays and that is
surrounding a number of points. Including
• Poor instrument selection
• Poor instrument installation (including its surrounding and associated devices)
• Poor understanding of the telemetry & communication needs
• Poor understanding of asset capture
• A lack of understanding of the operation & maintenance needs
• A lack of basis asset management for the instrument and its ongoing needs
• A lack of value for the instrument
Opinion:
Do we value our instruments
and know their true worth?
Figure 1: The day’s when meters needed a little more
TLC
Page 12

In turn all of this contributes to a unreliable instrumentation and results in the
unreliability of an instrument. For example the instrument in figure 2 although
it is correctly located in a flume, the actual meter is working correctly it is the
way the instrument is mounted on a decayed mounting that has actually worn
through in places that has basically meant that the flow meter is unreliable and
not only is the data that it is collecting incorrect it has in fact got to the point
where anybody seeing the data and not knowing the state of the instrument
could base decisions on poor quality data.
In this situation the instrument and the instrument manufacturer is usually
blamed with the cry of “the instrument is wrong.” As can be seen in figure
2 the instrument is actually working perfectly correctly and is in a relatively
good condition, it is simply the way that it has (a) been installed and (b) been
neglected that actually affects the accuracy of the data that the instrument
collects.
The selection & installation of instrumentation
There is a need to discuss the installation of instrumentation a little bit further
as this is an area where the root cause of instrumentation often lies starting
with both the selection of instrumentation and its eventual installation.
Often the lifecycle of instrumentation is not considered when instrumentation is installed and it needs to include:
The first stage is the one that is most often missed and is questioning the purpose of the instrument that is going to be installed, these questions should
include:
• Why am I Installing an instrument? Do I really want an instrument or do I want a sensor?
• If I want an instrument, what need is it satisfying. What do I hope to do with the resulting data
• What use is the data going to be and what information am I going to get out of it?
• What is the worth of the data and the information that I plan to collect. Is there a value to it?
Secondly is the stage of instrument selection which feeds into instrument installation. The questions at this stage, before any design takes place are:
• What am I measuring and in what way?
• What and how much of that what am I hoping to measure to measure and at what resolution (kilogrammes or micrograms for example)
• Am I selecting the appropriate measurement technology for the application that I have
• Where am I installing it and how am I installing it
• Can it be operated and maintained and can it be replaced when it needs to be replaced and what is the methodology of replacement
Thirdly is the operation and maintenance stage which is relatively simple when you have one plant with 10,50 or 100 instruments but when you have
thousands of instruments spread over hundreds or even thousands of treatment works the challenge starts to begin. In this situation it is of course
absolutely necessary to have an asset management system and a base maintenance programme of asset replacement. As without this approach
instruments get forgotten and neglected and thus stop working.
At a base level an asset management system for instrumentation can be achieved through a simple spreadsheet of what instruments exist, what jobs need
to be done on those instruments and at what frequency and when they were done and who they were done by. This is of course backed up by descriptions
of all the jobs that need to be done on that particular instrument. Ideally in line with the manufacturers instructions.
On a basic level this seems to be simple and of course, as it is common sense, it actually is. However the scale of the number of instruments in a particular
business can make the job more and more difficult and the appropriate systems and the appropriate number of staff with the appropriate skills also need
to be available. In reality this is where things often fall down.
The Threat of Instrumentation
The threat of instrumentation is often seen as a major barrier to the uptake of instrumentation within the water industry with the use of instrumentation
often seen as being a cheap way to replace people and in some more backward organisations this may well be the case. However, any organisation that
thinks it can wholesale replace people with instrumentation is (a) wrong and (b) foolish at best and negligent at worst.
Figure 2: Poor or neglected installations will result in poor quality data
Page 13

About the Author
Oliver Grievson is the Flow & Instrumentation Specialist for the Foundation for Water Research as well as being a
Director of the Sensors for Water Interest Group and also Wastewater Education 501 (c)3 as well as being the group
manager of the Water Industry Process Automation & Control Group (WIPAC). He has had many years experience in
both the operation and engineering sides of the Water Industry and is currently a technical expert and manager in flow
and instrumentation regularly consulting & lecturing on both a national and international basis.
He is a Chartered Scientist, Environmentalist and Water & Environmental Manager as well as a Fellow of both CI-
WEM & the Institute of Environmental Sciences and a Member of the Institute of Measurement & Control.
Instrumentation has its uses and the main one is that it can be used as a way to see the state at which a process or system of processes is operating in not just
at the current time but retrospectively as well. The more complicated model based systems will in fact using data from the instrumentation will also predict
the state at which the process or system will be in over a future period of time. This is in fact useful information for the operator (a physical person) to actually
operate the works.
The use of instrumentation should actually be for supporting operational staff and allowing them to operate the system to get maximum value from it rather
even if on a supervisory basis rather than as a cost-cutting and (staff cutting) exercise.
The data flood - Big Data versus Small Information
What the Water Industry is learning right now is that unless data is controlled it can get out of control and the value of the data decreases as it becomes
more and more impossible to analyse it and as the data value decreases so does the value of the data producers, the instruments themselves. This is the
phenomenon of Data Richness & Information Poverty. With the advent of Smart Meters and Smart Instruments this situation, if the value of the data is not
understood is only going to get worse. This can be combated by a number of different methods.
The first of these is to only install instrumentation where its value and the value of the data that it is going to collect is understood. If the data has a value to the
business then install the instrument. If it doesn’t then don’t. This will limit the instruments that are installed and the data that is collected, gathered, processed
and displayed.
The second is the phenomenon of Small Information. This is basically a buzz word for the proper integration of the data that is collected. So where there is a
treatment works that collects 25,000 pieces of data a day the question would be how can the data:information ratio be maximised so that the 25,000 pieces of
data are converted to the 25 pieces of information that the operator or manager needs to make an informed decision.
Lastly is the phenomenon of Big Data. This is a buzz word that has been doing the rounds for many years and means alot of things to alot of different people.
In essence it takes lots of data from lots of different places and makes information out of it. An example of this would be taking tweets from Twitter to locate
where people are seeing water leaks or taking information from different parts of a company’s corporate systems -for example data from different parts of SAP,
quality databases and flow data to get a picture of what is happening at a treatment works.
Discussion
As an industry we have always been addicted to instrumentation and data. At times we have installed instrumentation without an idea of why we are installing
it and have abandoned it when we have found no obvious use for it like a nonchalant child on its Birthday. As we move forward the pressures in the industry
are changing and there is more of a need to understand, in detail, how are businesses are operating on a day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute basis
The Water Industry is turning into a production industry and as a production industry must operate in terms of producing a product. Learning from production
industries we know that the factories that do not measure the state of the production soon go out of business.
However, as an industry, we suffer from years of not understanding what instruments can do, collecting data almost recklessly to access it only when we need
to access it to prove how something happened in the past. Through the use of data, analytics and information management the Water Industry can understand
not just what has gone on in the past but more importantly what is happening now and what is most likely to happen in the future. Even by looking at what
can happen now a remarkable amount can be done by looking at how the business is operating but also by ensuring that the treatment works and networks
operate at their best possible efficiency producing the best product for the customers and the environment by simply monitoring what we are doing.
This is the very essence of what is in the process of becoming the Smart Water Industry. Instrumentation and the Smart Water Industry is not the entire solution
but is most assuredly a part of it.
Page 14

Feature Article:
A smarter approach to
instrumentation and
asset management
Developments in smart instrumentation and asset management systems are offering a raft of new opportunities for today’s process operators. Providing
real-time access to an expanded array of information, these developments can help to dramatically improve process performance. This article explains the key
developments that have taken place and the benefits they can bring in a process environment.
The impact that faulty equipment and processes can have on production is well known. In a 2010 report, the ARC Advisory Group estimated that unscheduled
downtime and poor quality alone were responsible for global process industry losses amounting to $20 billion, or five percent of annual production. Of these
losses, ARC estimated that almost 80 percent were preventable, with 40 percent being primarily attributable to operator error.
Smart instrumentation combined with asset management offers the opportunity to minimise these losses. Smart instrumentation first appeared in process and
power plants in 1983. Since then, significant advances in sensor and microprocessor technology have resulted in a new generation of intelligent field devices
offering more information than users could have dreamed of in the past.
Smart instruments in the field measure or directly affect single or multiple plant variables, contain a microprocessor for processing data, and are commercially
available “off the shelf.” These instruments include not only sensors for measurements and communications, but also actuators, valves, motor variable speed
drives, and other control equipment. They allow operators and engineers to gain more useful information about the process and the device itself.
Today’s plant engineers and operators have access to such functions as power management, maintenance systems, process automation, asset optimisation,
and safety systems. Standards such as NAMUR NE107 are steadily improving the Human Machine Interface (HMI), making it easier to commission, configure,
and manipulate instrument parameters.
Benefits of smart instruments
Smart instruments are characterised by:
• Fast, bidirectional digital-communication capability
• Enhanced sensor, electronics, and process diagnostics
• Increased measurement accuracy under varying operating conditions
• Better record keeping
• Capability for wireless communications.
Process engineers are no longer limited to a process variable measurement from a unidirectional 4-20 mA analogue signal. Intelligent instruments in fieldbus
networks offer remote configuration and calibration, data beyond process variables, diagnostics, and much more. These systems are decreasing the cost of
process instrumentation while providing increased informational value.
The key benefits of smart instrumentation include:
• Scaled process variable: No further scaling is needed outside of the instrument, reducing complexity and the possibility of introducing error
• Self-validation/status: Indication of instrument’s state and health, alerting operators to a change in quality of measurement and potential problems
• Tag-number: Clear P&ID identification of the device within the network, reducing potential errors
• Description: A written definition of the instrument and its application more clearly identifies its role
• Time stamp: Provides a real-time record of process variable information
• Serial number: Can be synchronised with remote instrument life-cycle management systems and maintenance information
• Traceable validation: Indication that device calibration is valid, often addressing ISO 2001 Chapter 7.6
The development of bus communications has drastically increased the amount of transmissible information. Also, bidirectional communication of digital
information can take place between a field device and a system, and between field devices.
To make the most of communication improvements and to satisfy more advanced needs, big changes are taking place within field devices, especially those with
wireless capabilities.
Wireless possibilities
Maximising plant assets and reducing unplanned plant shutdowns have increasingly become a focus for reducing costs and maximising productivity.
Currently, potentially valuable information acquired by process instruments is often left stranded in the field. This information could be monitored if a
communications pathway back to the host control system were created.
Typically, existing installed instruments have a built-in HART communication protocol, normally used during instrument commissioning. With the
arrival of wireless standards, such as WirelessHART, wireless adapters can now be fitted to existing HART instruments, providing a cost-effective and secure
Page 15

communication pathway back to remote condition monitoring applications.
Current estimates indicate that only 10 percent of the 30 million HART instruments installed since 1989 have a digital pathway back to the host. Remote digital
access would allow operations and maintenance to take full advantage of this stranded instrument information. WirelessHART adapters for field instruments
eliminate significant rewiring costs. Recovered information could include, for example:
• Multivariable process data
• Instrument condition monitoring
• Degrading valve performance
• Sticking valve
• Analyzer calibration required
• Low level of pH calibration buffer stock
• Instrument over-pressure counter
• Mass flow and totaliser
• Mass flow and density/temperature
Wireless communications can improve plant uptime in three
steps. Initially, the instrument identifies a fault and sets an
internal alert. Then an application that monitors conditions
reads the instrument alert via the WirelessHART network.
The asset management system generates a fault report based
upon severity. Finally the maintenance or remote support
team connects to the field instrument and drills down via
HART tools such as DTM (Device Type Manager) to diagnose
the fault and arrange repair.
The use of smart and wireless technologies considerably
increases the range of information from field instruments. In
addition to the measured value, status and alarm messages
provide valuable information about plant conditions as well
as the reliability of the measured values.
A guide to WirelessHart can be viewed here
Multivariable transmission
In this case one field device detects multiple measured variables. A traditional analog transmission system requires one cable for each measured variable. Bus
communication supports multivariable transmission. So the field device can transmit all measured variables detected via a single cable. The same goes for
control signal transmission to a positioner for an actuator or control valve. Using a bus communication system enables the transmission of multiple data such
as control signals, limit signals, and valve opening signals.
Examples of uses for multivariable detection and transmission include:
• Monitoring the condition of the steam heat tracing of differential pressure transmitters by ambient temperature information
• Detecting clogging in impulse lines by static pressure information
Many other pieces of information can also be used to expand measurement and control capabilities. Combining multiple sensor systems in a single pressure
transmitter permits simultaneous measurement of differential pressure, absolute pressure and, via an external sensor, process temperature. Additionally, the
sensor’s internal temperature is measured and recorded for service and diagnostic purposes. The sensor temperature and the absolute pressure can be used
to eliminate environmental effects on the sensor.
Improving DP flowmeter accuracy
A single multivariable DP instrument can measure gauge or absolute pressure, differential pressure, and temperature, overcoming the problems associated
with multiple instruments by reducing pipe intrusions and the opportunities for leaks while facilitating regulatory compliance.
Three sources of error exist in a DP flow measurement, specifically:
• Minimising transmitter errors
• Minimising errors in gas and steam caused by pressure and temperature variations
• Minimising primary element errors.
• Minimising all three sources provides the best accuracy and repeatability.
Based on their experience with traditional analogue systems, many users believe that the transmitter is no longer important when it comes to improving DP
flow measurement performance. They believe the transmitter is a 3 to 5 percent device over a 3:1 flow turndown, and that the orifice plate is the main source
of error. However, new smart transmitters can dramatically improve performance by taking into account the effects of the various sources of pressure variability
and flow errors that can affect DP flow measurement.
Recalculating these components based on the flow rate and temperature significantly improves performance, and can greatly extend the flow range that can
be measured accurately with DP Flow. Recognising these issues explains how DP orifice flow measurement can improve from a 3 to 5 percent device to a better
Figure 1: A WirelessHart Network
Page 16

than 1.0 percent device.
Asset management
Equipment uptime for continuous production represents an important factor in improving process plant productivity and overall profitability. Smart
instruments can play a key role in optimising the maintenance function toward this end.
Coal pulverising and rotating machinery provide good examples of the benefits of asset management principles. In coal pulverising operations typical of power
plants, plant maintenance sometimes has to deal with problems associated with the long impulse lines that transfer pressure to remotely mounted pressure
transmitters.
The lines may plug as often as once a week and even once a shift in some cases. A small air purging system in the sensing line may be present to provide
positive pressure, attempting to keep the coal out of the sensing line. Even then, this may not be sufficient to stop the problem. Wet coal following a rainstorm,
for example, will invariably lead to plugged lines, creating dried ‘mud’ which has to be drilled out by maintenance technicians.
Once impulse lines are plugged, reliability of measurement becomes questionable. Smart pressure transmitters equipped with Plugged Impulse Line Detection
(PILD) can quickly alert maintenance departments to measurement problems. On sensing a plugged impulse line, the transmitter displays a diagnostic message
while sending a digital and/or analogue alarm.
This capability protects the transmitter while offering predictive diagnostics of the pressure measurement loop. The operating condition of critically
important rotating machinery can be monitored continuously. Permanently installed sensors make it possible to communicate vibration information
continuously. Vibration levels of support machinery can also be measured periodically in the field by plant personnel using portable equipment.
In both cases, health management software processes the data, providing a complete picture of the operating condition. The ability to overlay frequencies, and
match fault frequencies to peaks, allows trained personnel to efficiently analyse the data. Alarm reports enable decision makers to quickly evaluate a situation
and take appropriate action to prevent a breakdown.
NAMUR standards
The aim of the Namur NE107 recommendation is to summarise how to make use of diagnostic data from field devices to support operators to take
appropriate actions as required. ABB smart instruments follow the NAMUR “Traffic Light” standard for identifying fault levels, which can be adapted by the
customer, depending on the application.
The user must be able to interpret the fault levels and formulate an appropriate response to a diagnostic event. Reactions to a fault in the device may vary,
depending on the user’s requirements.
Focused asset management supports maximum productivity while incurring minimum costs. Productivity is maximised by fast, reliable start-ups, by adopting
predictive maintenance strategies to assure reliability of essential production assets, and by using field-based information and diagnostics to identify and avoid
potential trouble. Careful planning and execution of plant turnarounds minimises their duration and extends intervals between them.
A predictive maintenance program can be expected to bring a 1 to 3 percent improvement in product throughput, generating enough additional revenue for
payback in three to six months.
Summary
Despite the numerous benefits of smart instrumentation, there still remains a long way to go before the benefits of field-based intelligence are fully embraced
throughout the process industries. However, growing pressure from all the key areas impacting on business today, from tough trading conditions and health
and safety issues to energy costs and environmental concerns, are all driving plant operators to look for ways to work smarter. Intelligent instrumentation can
help them do that.
About the Author
Alan Hunt is the Electromagnetic flow meter product manager for ABB in the United Kingdom & Ireland. He has
been with ABB for over twenty years and has a wealth of experience in not just electromagnetic flow meters but all
instrumentation in general from his long years of experience as a commissioning engineer for the company.
As well as flow measurement, Alan is a specialist in level measurement as he was ABB’s level product manager for
many years before his current position.
As a manufacturer and supplier of intelligent instrumentation
encompassing everything from pressure and temperature measurement
through to smart positioners and water and process analysers, ABB is
well-placed to advise on the expanded range of possibilities offered by
today’s technologies. For more information, email enquiries.mp.uk@
gb.abb.com or call 0870 600 6122 ref. ‘smart instruments’
Page 17

Article:
A smart solution to leakage
Thames Water, the UK’s Water company that has the largest number of customers, has been given a mandate by the UK Government to install meters in all of
the homes of its domestic customers and as a result is changing the face of metering with its innovative and radical technology delivery programme. This is at
least partly due to the amount of water stress that the South-East of England suffers from.
This official green light has prompted a programme of progressive metering that has seen the company roll out a radical and wide-ranging project designed
to address a predicted shortfall in water supply that could, with London’s predicted population growth, amount to 133 million litres a day.
Smart meters
It is an alarming prospect that is fostering nothing less than a fundamental and innovative overhaul of household metering on a scale unlike anything ever seen
in the UK water industry. By 2030, Thames Water aims to have installed around three million smart meters and have 75 to 80 percent of its customers on board.
And the figures are already impressive. In the final three months of the last financial year, as the programme moved beyond its pilot phase, Thames Water
installed 40,000 meters, reaching a peak of over 1,000 a day in targeted London suburbs.
The target for the current year is 110,000 but Thames Water and its partners are progressing well and at peak times, more than 100 operatives are involved in
installation work. The infrastructure contract was awarded to Arqiva in March last year, with Sensus on board as the contracted technology partner.
Fairer than the rateable value method, modern ‘smart’ meters are the best way to encourage responsible water usage, especially when their introduction is
combined with conservation advice and free water saving devices.
Generating accessible information every hour, they are also a valuable tool for customer and company alike, giving the utility valuable data on consumption and
potential leaks while offering the consumer real-time awareness of usage levels.
Smarter decisions
The decision to move to a smart meter solution dates back to the company’s water resources management plan of 2014 and an evaluation of the additional
cost of a ‘smart’ meter system, with its new technology and back office systems to hold the data, over a conventional ‘dumb’ system. It was felt the benefits,
outweighed the extra expense.
• Improvements in billing information so that all bills are now based on the use of actual readings, instead of rateable values of property
• Giving customers a better understanding of their water use and helping them to understand ways they can manage consumption and influence the size
of their bills
• Offering an opportunity for interaction, including incentive tariffs to help customers share in the benefits of water saving
• The identification of customer water supply problems such as continuous use, which could indicate wastage or leakage. Further reducing leakage,
which is already down a third since 2004, continues to be an integral part of Thames Water’s business strategy and 25 per cent of leakage comes from
customers’ pipes.
• Better monitoring of water in the network to properly understand where water is going for the first time and identify leaks more efficiently so they can
be repaired faster
• Enhancing water network operations, through the use of sensors including pressure and temperature, to better understand how the network is
performing and make improvements
During 2014, Thames Water examined the different options available on the market and made its decision in March 2015, opting for Arqiva and Sensus’ end-to-
end system that included new digital meters, a radio-based fixed network data capture system, data management and secure transfer to the company’s systems.
Key to the choice was finding a system with a 15-year life to ensure the new digital meters would last as long as existing technology.
New technology
Nevertheless, using the new technology placed greater emphasis on getting the installation right and ensuring the contractor responsible for this part of the
project installed the meters against an agreed specification and maintained a consistently high standard through each step of the process. Wherever possible,
data is collected by electronic means such as bar code, photograph and GPS. There is a rigorous audit and a proper check carried out on the supply between the
meter and the property it serves.
Finally, new systems have been established to make sure that all data is stored, checked and automatically transferred to Thames Water’s corporate systems, all
compliant with the rigorous security safeguards of the Data Protection Act.
Fewer leaks: more control
With more than six months of data available and the programme well established, Thames Water is now working hard to realise the practical benefits of the
meters. One of these has been their impact on customer-side leakage. What is termed ‘points of interest’ are starting to emerge, making it clear which properties
have unusual levels of water usage. When engineers investigate, they almost always find leaks, either in pipework or in household items like toilets. Unchecked,
these leaks could have continued for years and ultimately impacted on metered customers and, of course, on the company’s leakage targets. Customers, too,
are seeing the benefits and have information at the click of a mouse, showing them their levels of consumption and how it compares with a similar family in a
similar property. Armed with this information, they can really take control of their water consumption and, crucially, the size of their bills.
Page 18

Article:
The need for
Smart Wastewater Networks
With increased environmental regulation and the need to improve customer service, cities are turning to “smart,” data-driven solutions to improve their
wastewater systems. Traditionally, wastewater systems have operated “passively” with system modelling and long-term goals based on historical patterns, such
as rainfall, water levels and flow data (Brown et al., 2015). However, there is now a growing shift towards adopting online models, which can pre-empt weather
events and ensure the health and proper function of wastewater systems. A smart wastewater system provides solutions for improving water quality, energy
efficiency, sewage overflows, industrial pollution, and overall system efficiency.
There are two common types of municipal wastewater systems: Separate Sanitary Sewers (SSS), which collect only wastewater, and Combined Sewer Systems
(CSS), which consist of a single pipe designed to collect and carry domestic sewage,industrial wastewater and storm water runoff to wastewater treatment plants.
Overflows in both of these systems pose threats to human health, the environment, and add to high costs incurred by utilities during the process of addressing
flood events, such as when providing manpower, system management, remediation, accounting and compensation.
Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) are caused by blockages, line breaks, operational and power failures, and sewer defects allowing excess storm water and
groundwater infiltration into an SSS (EPA, 2004). An SSS is not designed to collect large amounts of storm water, thus increased storm water infiltrating the system
can cause untreated and partially treated sewage to be released to the surrounding environment as well as onto city streets and into residential homes (Boyd &
Quist, 2015). In contrast, due to its dual-flow carrying capacity, a CSS is designed to release large amounts of untreated water into the environment when flows
rise above a certain level, causing a CSO, or Combined System Overflow (EPA, 2016).
Proper operation and management is necessary in order to minimise discharges into the environment. Investing in smart, data-driven technologies can help
reduce pollution by providing predictive capabilities, maintaining existing infrastructure, minimising sewage overflows, increasing storm water capture and
treatment, and notifying the public in the event of a CSO or SSO (EPA, 2004). Smart wastewater technologies can stop outflows, or if unavoidable, prioritise them
within the system. These solutions utilise available flow, water quality, and weather data to predict and provide updated alerts about network problems such as
sewer blockages, flooding, and pipe bursts. With this information, utilities can recognise problems before they occur, reducing the flow volumes released into
the environment. For example, using smart CSO solutions, network managers can decide the best method for separating storm and sewer water, as well as which
flows to store within the system based upon contaminant concentrations (Brown et al., 2015).
To estimate the impact of a sewage overflow, a utility must use either long term sensor observations or
simulation models based on the unique dynamics of the system (Salau, 2016). Sensors act as a system
control to aid in preventing overflows by sending alarms to system managers, thus reducing response
time. There are two common types of event monitoring devices for overflows: Single Purpose/Basic
Alarm Devices (SP/BAD) and True Real-time Monitors (TRM). SP/BADs provide alarm notifications in the
chance of blockages that can lead to increased flow levels.
Though SP/BADs are generally marketed at a lower price point, TRM systems are more advanced and
possess predictive capabilities. These solutions provide real-time viewing of remote sites, two-way
communication between system managers and the system site, level and flow data, and assistance with
report generation. Such trend tools allow users to not only be notified of an overflow event, but also
allow for the predictive ability to avoid situations where an alarm would be needed (preparing days or
weeks in advance). These devices can further assist in directing a utility’s capital to areas of the system
that need it the most (Boyd & Quist, 2015).
Other examples of smart wastewater solutions integrate information from SCADA and GIS systems to
simulate rainfall and runoff under various conditions. For example, hydraulic modelling solutions allow
operators to model catchment systems and watersheds. This provides an accurate representation of
the surrounding environment through flow equations and mapping of ground topography, water levels,
and system infrastructure data. Such tools allow utilities to explore all options for system control and
provide sample consequences of each situation (Boulos, 2013). In addition, smart wastewater solutions
can provide notifications of flood
risks to customers through several
different platforms, such as via web or
smart phone applications.
Before adopting a smart wastewater network, a utility must determine its “end game”
based on its individual business drivers, such as financial savings, environmental impact, and
customer service. It is important to consider which facets to optimise. For example, when
examining the cost-benefit analysis of flood prevention, a utility must consider more than
just the manpower used in remediation, but also the costs of public relations, reporting to
authorities, litigation, and compensation (Boyd & Quist, 2015).
The goal of the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN) is to accelerate the development
of smart water and wastewater networks worldwide. A more technical report on smart
wastewater will be made available soon to SWAN members, complete with utility case studies
for practical reference. A free, new Wastewater Management Solution is also currently under
Single Purpose Basic Alarm Devices
Sewer Flow Monitoring
Page 19

development as part of the SWAN Interactive Architecture Tool (www.swan-tool.com). In addition, in September SWAN is launching the SWAN North American
Alliance, which will be free to join and accelerate smart water and wastewater development in North America through tailored webinars, a utility workshop,
research studies and the opportunity to form internal partnerships within the industry.
Bibliography
Boulos, P. (2016). Making wastewater systems smarter. Opflow, volume 39:6, Pp. 22-24.
Boyd, J. & Quist, G. (2015). Real time collection system monitoring: Saving money, protecting the environment and improving public image. Florida Water
Resources Association.
Brown, E., Kellagher, R, Osborne, M. & Scarlett, N. (2015). Integrated Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Wastewater Systems. London, UK. UKWIR.
Reference No. 15/SW/01/12.
EPA. (2016). Combined System Overflows (CSOs). Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/combined-sewer-overflows-csos
EPA. (2004). Report to Congress: Impacts and Control of CSOs and SSOs. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015- 10/documents/csossortc2004_
full.pdf
Salau, N. (2016). Understanding combined sewer overflows (CSOs). Pp. 202-207. In Ingildsen, P. & Olsson, G. Smart Water Utilities: Complexity made simple.
London, UK: IWA Publishing.
About the Author
Hannah Rosenstein is a Research Analyst at the SWAN Forum. Originally hailing from San Francisco, CA, she holds
a master’s degree from Tel Aviv University’s Porter School of Environmental Studies.
She can be contacted at hannah@swan-‐forum.com
Yokogawa releases FieldMate R3.02 versatile Device Management
Wizard
Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that it has significantly enhanced its FieldMate®
device management software, and is releasing this as FieldMate R3.02 on August 10.
FieldMate is a versatile software program used to configure, adjust, and manage a wide
variety of field devices used in factories and other production sites. This latest version of
FieldMate includes new functions that reduce maintenance workload by simplifying a
number of field maintenance tasks.
Digital communications standards are playing an increasingly important role in
communications between plant central control systems and field devices. With a number
of digital communication standards in use today, plants often have devices from multiple
vendors that use different standards. Software tools are thus required that have the
versatility to configure, adjust, and manage these devices.
With its support of a variety of digital communication standards and its ability to configure,
adjust, and manage a variety of devices from different manufacturers, FieldMate is up to this
challenge. With this latest update, FieldMate has become even easier to use and improves
the efficiency of field maintenance operations.
Previous FieldMate versions could run on Windows® 7 PCs and tablets. With release 3.02, FieldMate can now be used on PCs and tablets that run Microsoft’s
latest operating system, Windows 10. This is particularly significant because Windows 7 and 10 tablets are increasingly being used in the field by maintenance
personnel.
Additional key new features of FieldMate R3.02 are as follows:
• One-click (touch) operation for complex procedures
• Easy comparison with past settings
• FieldMate Validator
Page 20
Industry News (continued)

Sydney takes Smart metering
approach to Water Metering Data
Australia’s largest water utility Sydney Water have adopted a smart strategy for their meter data collection, blending automated and manual approaches to
achieve the best commercial benefits.
The complexity of serving a catchment of over 4.6 million people, consuming around 1.4 billion litres of drinking water every day, means deploying
technology in commercially smart ways is critical to Australia’s largest water utility, Sydney Water.
When it comes to the collection of the lifeblood of any utility, metering data, their approach has been no different. After evaluating strategies and
technologies for collecting and processing metering data from their customers, Sydney Water decided on combining manual and Advanced Metering
Infrastructure (AMI) approaches.
“We’ve done a lot of work on it, we understand exactly what the pros and cons are, and the case just isn’t there for an AMI roll out at this stage,” says Mirko
Sramek, Customer Metering Manager of Sydney Water. “In the foreseeable future, in the next five or ten years, there is a very strong place for manual meters
and a very strong place for AMR meters.”
Sydney Water found that implementing a smart combination of AMR and AMI was the best solution to read multi-level buildings. They use AMR in buildings
three levels or lower, and AMI in buildings over three stories. “The technology is used where it is cost-effective,” says Mr Sramek.
Sydney Water have worked with meter data management experts, DataCol Group, to implement this approach, implementing a solution based on DataCol’s
SevenX meter data management product, which combines software that manages field force logistics and collects meter data from handheld units in the field
via manual or automated reads. SevenX is used by water, energy and gas utilities across Australia, New Zealand and the African continent.
“Sydney Water is one of the largest utilities in Australasia and their needs are varied. There couldn’t possibly be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution that would work
for these requirements – ‘out of the box’. The DataCol team delivered a solution that was flexible and customised specifically for Sydney Water’s business
requirements”, says Bruce Franks, CEO of the DataCol Group, who pointed out the SevenX solution was originally developed in the electricity sector and had
been extended for use by gas and water utilities.
Sydney Water has been able to improve and simplify their quarterly reading cycle by providing added functionality and visibility.
“It’s enabled us to pull in new technologies and there are some significant benefits in how the SevenX system allows us to read mixed routes with manual
and AMR meters,” says Jason Dagger, Program Manager Metering at Sydney Water. “If we weren’t able to do that it would push the case for AMI a lot better.
But by being able to cost effectively read AMR allows us to defer a large capital outlay that comes with implementing AMI.”
Sydney Water meter readers now complete their rounds quicker using SevenX AMR. It enables them to read all meters in a building as one group, regardless
of meter brand, rather than one by one, says Mr Sramek. “The ability to adapt the system to be able to read AMR, and particularly to be able to read two
different AMR manufactured metres and be able to incorporate them with our manual reads has been a real bonus.”.
Mr Sramek also points to cash flow previously being restricted due to an inflexible billing system. Whole routes needed to be completed before customers
could be billed. “Under the new solution our cash flow, or billing process, hasn’t been held up while we wait for the entire route to be read.”
This has helped Sydney Water to send bills faster, which has sped up the cash flow process, helping customers and the utility to stay up to date with payments.
“The speed, accuracy and the quality of meter reading is essential to a utilities organisation striving for customer satisfaction, as well as being cash-positive.
SevenX allows the streamlining of the ‘meter-to-cash’ process,” says Mr Franks.
Clever SevenX features like being able to add notes in, ensures that customer messages and information updates are passed on to readers. “It’s a big
improvement to make sure that the reader got that message,” says Mr Dagger. “It makes for much better customer service and a lot less customer calls.”
Customer service has also benefited from photo identification of meter faults. “The photo capability has reduced our need for check reads and improved the
efficiency of our back end office processes, where previously if you had a reading, you didn’t know if it was a data entry error,” says Mr Dagger. “But with a
photo you don’t need a check read and that exception can be processed there and then and then it’s done.” The customer can be notified and action taken
immediately to remedy the problem.
Although added confidence, efficiency and functionality have been the outcomes of the SevenX roll-out, the real success x-factor throughout this process has
been the strong partnership between Sydney Water and DataCol.
DataCol are available for any enhancements and upgrades and can turn these around in a timely manner – another advantage that the giant vendors often
struggle with. There is an open exchange of ideas between the two organisations that then make up a roadmap for ongoing enhancements.
“In essence this solution processes billions of dollars’ worth of billing data and nothing but the best technology will do, to ensure absolute accuracy with
class-leading efficiency of operations. We understand this is a mission critical system for Sydney Water and we’re proud of the role we play in the delivery of
this service,” concludes Mr Franks.
Sydney Water’s pragmatic approach to implementing new meter data collection technology has meant they can meet their commercial drivers, as well
ensure customer service is maintained at a high level. A truly smart approach.
Page 21

WIPAC Monthly - August 2016

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Water Industry Process Automation & Control

More from Water Industry Process Automation & Control (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

WIPAC Monthly - August 2016