Product Focus: Pressure Points: Remote Monitoring System Alerts Water Utilities of Pressure Thresholds

The pressure sensor is attached to the water system and plugged into a communication module. Through a secure web portal, users can view their pressure data.

Mueller Co., a supplier of potable water distribution products, has introduced a new remote pressure monitoring system for water distribution networks as part of its Intelligent Water Technology™ (IWT) portfolio of products and services that actively diagnoses, monitors and controls the delivery of safe, clean drinking water to consumers and businesses.

The pressure sensor, typically installed one per district metering area or neighborhood, reports pressure data at customer-defined intervals via a low-cost, machine-to-machine, cellular-based service or a Mueller advanced metering infrastructure network. Information is collected and analyzed on a Mueller-hosted or a customer-secured web server.

The new monitoring system is designed to be simple to install and operate. The pressure sensor is attached to the water system and plugged into a communication module. Users access a secure web portal and view their pressure data. The ESRI map interface can be viewed with any web browser, and alerts are transmitted via SMS and/or email when customers' settings for low- and high-pressure conditions are reached.

Intelligent Water Technology diagnoses, monitors and controls the delivery of safe, clean drinking water to consumers and businesses.

Pressure management in pipe networks is fundamental to providing safe drinking water. The loss of pressure can allow groundwater to contaminate the distribution system. Further, fluctuations in pressure can affect the physical integrity of pipes, and surges in pressure can create additional leaks or main breaks and dramatically reduce the water infrastructure's life.

Accordingly, pressure management can also save utilities money since accurate pressure data may be used by systems operators to reduce energy, system maintenance costs, customer complaints, and water quality problems.

Beginning with pressure monitoring, Mueller has created a communications backbone that utilities can integrate into existing SCADA systems or use as a stand-alone monitoring platform. Mueller's new remote pressure monitoring system is available through its extensive waterworks distribution system. Mueller sales representatives plan to introduce the system at the local level throughout the country.

For more information on Mueller's Intelligent Water Technology portfolio, visit http://intelligentwatertechnology.com.