Automated urban drinking water supply control and water theft identification system

The rapid growing of the wide urban residential areas imposes the expansion as well as the modernization of the existing water supply facilities. Along with this one more problem is identified in the water supply channels, some people use ½ HP to 1 HP pump to suck the water directly from the channel of their home street. Process automation system based upon utilization of an industrial PLC and PC systems including all the network components represents the best way to improve the water distribution technological process. The water theft can be best monitored by the flow variations given by the flow sensors mounted on the channels. The system includes Remote Terminal Units - RTU, specific transducers and actuators distributed on a wide geographical area and control and power panels for the pump stations. The reliable instrumentation connected to PLC or RTU assure real time monitoring of the main technological parameters of large water distribution networks. The data acquired of SCADA system (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) represent the support for optimization of the process and data- driven Decision Support System. The system uses HMI implemented on PC to ensure the process supervision and remote control functions based on OPC technologies and wireless communication components for WAN data transfer. The complete SCADA system for water distribution enable the user to get a high operation safety of the network, a cost effective use of equipment, energy efficiency and optimize the daily operation and maintenance procedures.