Empowering Water Quality Monitoring in Distribution System IoT and Intelligent Tools for Operational Efficiency and Sustainability

Nitrification within a water distribution system can be detrimental to human health, lead to boil water notices, and waste precious water resources. This project aimed to provide the tools to significantly enhance water quality monitoring by leveraging IoT and intelligent tools to develop predictive alerts prior to an event. The primary objective was to streamline operational procedures, reducing the need for data gathering, entry, preprocessing, and dashboard creation, thereby minimizing inefficiencies and making data readily available.

To address this challenge, optimization methods, including advanced algorithms, were implemented. This optimization process, integrated within the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system, enables the utility to monitor key chemical components in Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) and maintain water quality standards in elevated and ground storage tanks and testing sites throughout the distribution system. Additionally, better instrumentation is essential for more reliable prediction and monitoring, ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of data used in decision-making.

Ultimately, optimizing water quality monitoring from WTPs to distribution locations through SCADA, combined with enhanced instrumentation, leads to notable benefits by reducing redundant processes and resource waste, fostering a more efficient and sustainable water management system.