Wastewater treatment plants, being rather peculiar objects are usually located far from cities and other centres. Timely information acquisition about events and incidents is extremely important for the smooth operation of such facilities. Telemetry system should in such application have to be reliable, be able to expand and provide sufficient functionality for information retrieval and management of remote devices. Telemetry system of course, should be easy to use.

All of these conditions are completely met in Internet-based ControlMan ™ remote monitoring and control system designed by FF-Automation Oy. Its special variation for control of pump stations, water treatment plants, as well as water resources data collection structures has a name -WaterMan™. The fundamental difference of WaterMan™ from other SCADA systems is that access to information and controls can be given from any place of the world, 24 hours a day from any modern computer with Internet connection. This is possible because executable application is not installed in a local control room computer, but is running on secure and reliable servers, owned and maintained by www.verio.com, one of the best USA hosing companies. For a specific system and for each user, WaterMan™ creates special web page with custom illustrations of processes, graphics, dynamic maps, charts and reports. Thus, the authorized operator with a password can get the status of facilities and run pumps or other machinery for best system performance. In addition, there is a very important feature -- the ability to receive immediate alarm reports directly to responsible specialist’s mobile phone or email. That allows fast actions according to events and reduces equipment downtime cost.

What is inside such a system? How does this data transferring mechanism from field devices to the end user should work? Let’s take for example a pump station with two redundant pumps and reservoirs, located near some city.

At the pumping station, an RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) should be installed. The RTU consists of a programmable AutoLog® PLC controller, GSM / GPRS modem and a set of digital and analog inputs / outputs, which are connected to pumps, level sensors, switches and other control points. Data exchange between RTU and outside world is performed by using a common GSM/GPRS network in the form of SMS messages and FTP files. All the information is transferred to the WaterMan ™ web server application.

The RTU processes the input data from pump and level sensors and its application program decides whether to turn on or turn off pumps and other equipments.

In emergency situations, the RTU sends SMS messages to WaterMan™ server, which automatically forwards messages to on duty personnel mobile phones or e-mails. The system can automatically calculate such important parameters of pumps as throughput (efficiency), pumped volumes and pumping time periods. This information can be used e.g. to make the maintenance tasks at the right time. RTU can provide also with additional information such as temperature, leakage detection and door opening. It can help in operation and maintenance processes of such important and expensive equipment like pumping stations and water treatment systems.

On the basis of WaterMan™ remote monitoring and control system it is possible to build both simple (for one or more pumps), and very complex (multi-stage water purification system, cascade pumping stations) telemetry schemes.  The WaterMan™ system does not require control centres with expensive computer equipments and specially trained maintenance staff. User(s) just logs in and all the information can be obtained from the Internet - any place and any time. Easy and fast automated control system roll-out, significant savings in equipment maintenance and repair, the ability to add new and modify existing RTU devices directly from the Internet browser – and this is not a complete list of benefits of the WaterMan ™ from FF-Automation Oy. If you have pumping or water treatment equipment located far from centres and wish to save costs for visits and maintenance, WaterMan™ could be a great solution!