Going deeper with the data

Overview

SCADA systems are crucial as they help to maintain efficiency, process data for smarter decisions, and communicate system issues to help mitigate downtime. The effective operation and maintenance of any three waters solution requires a fit-for-purpose SCADA system.

A system ready for an upgrade

The existing Nelson City Council SCADA system was ageing and becoming less reliable as the systems and demands for data were expanding. Nelmac recommended an upgrade to not only maximise these possibilities but to safeguard public health through effective live monitoring and notification of anomalies.

Innovation to improve performance

Working collaboratively with the client, Nelmac was able to determine an upgrade pathway that would provide the best overall value for money within budget. Installation of a new ‘InTouch System Platform’ and replacement of analogue radios with digital 4RF Ethernet radios in the field provided a base platform for improvement.

Nelmac’s team planned, managed and implemented the transition of all sites to the new platform. Programme stages included:

• Review of the radio network to identify and resolve connectivity issues
• Single point of contact to reduce time demands on client
• Staged rollout over 12 months with zero incidents
• Managed parallel systems during rollout to minimise risk
• Designed the integration and programming of all sites to maximise the new functionality and identify programme and control issues embedded in the old system

Proving its worth

The SCADA upgrade has vastly improved system performance with increased reliability, better functionality and increased Nelmac’s ability to implement changes from the base station. Communication failures have been significantly reduced from 10-20 per week to on average one per month.

The site-by-site review of programming, control and implementation has resulted in the correction of embedded errors, improved consistency and led to great use of the new functionality. A more complete dataset has enhanced the ability to use data diagnostics and trending to support asset management decision-making.