Water & Wastewater Asia May/Jun 2021

FOCUS
New systems must be designed
keeping this journey in mind, and
the plant’s control philosophy must
include provisions for data storage,
IIoT-enabled capabilities, and use
of edge controllers to communicate
with data clouds. Plant Managers
must have clearly defined KPIs
like reduction in water loss, energy
consumption optimization, and a
commitment to move from calendarscheduled
or hour-scheduled to
condition-based maintenance.
The basic steps to accomplish each
of these goals are:
• Identify the input/output (I/O)
points to be monitored
• Identify or install instruments
(preferably intelligent) to monitor
these data points
• Incorporate edge controllers
suitable for connecting to these
data points and processing them,
or communicating them to higher
level systems
• Historize these data points as
timestamped values, so they are
available for analysis
BESIDES AGEING
INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT ARE
SOME OTHER FACTORS THAT
UTILITIES AND OPERATORS
HAVE TO TAKE OF NOTE OF
WHEN SEEKING DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION?
Getting the maximum out of the
expenditure put into modernising
existing infrastructure is one of many
goals that existing utilities should
work towards.
water”, as these infrastructure
projects are long term and entail
high capital expenditure and cannot
be putting up outdated mid-20th
century architecture.
2. CAN NEW INFRASTRUCTURE
COMPETE IN A COMPETITIVE
WORLD WITH SHRINKING CAPEX?
Reduced operational and
maintenance (O&M) expenses are
competitive advantages for utilities.
Increased digitisation using edge
controllers can significantly reduce
O&M cost, thereby making more
money available for expansion and
new infrastructure.
3. CAN NEW INFRASTRUCTURE BE
CONTROLLED REMOTELY AND VIA
HANDHELD DEVICES?
In the post COVID-19 world, there is
enhanced emphasis on the ability
to remotely view and monitor the
processes of critical infrastructure
like water. Incorporation of IIoT in
control system is a must to achieve
that.
4. IS THE CONTROL SYSTEM
CYBERSECURE?
With the increased propensity of
hackers to target public utilities
like power and water, utilities must
realise that using a cybersecure
controller like Emerson’s RX3i
CPL410 (which is Achilles
Level 2 certified) is a must. Not
only does it provide encrypted
firmware updates, it also prevents
unauthorised updates to firmware
and configuration and prevents
cyberattacks like “Man in the middle”
and “Denial of service” attacks.
5. WHAT IS THE CURRENT
WORKFORCE PROFILE?
Workforce profile makes a big impact
on the success of the digital journey.
An ageing workforce being replaced
by new operators and engineers will
require training on technologies of
tomorrow. In addition, they might
bring in competencies from their
prior experience. An outdated
control system may not only be
unappealing to them, but may also
hamper in their tasks. Moreover,
CXO-level employees must be
trained to clearly define KPIs that
need to be monitored and enhanced;
otherwise, there is a real risk of
having unrealistic expectations way
too early without investment in time.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST
REASONS TOWARD INCREASING
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION?
All industries are undergoing some
form of digital transformation; the
confluence of traditional control
systems, information technology and
data science is paving the way for new
Some questions that utility operators
should ask themselves during this
process include:
1. IS THIS NEW INFRASTRUCTURE
FUTURE-READY?
Any greenfield installation or
brownfield expansion must
incorporate the concept of “smart
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