SCADA SYSTEM
Western North DakotaAbout the Project
The Western Area Water Supply Authority (WAWSA) SCADA System provides remote monitoring and control of the entire Western Area Water Supply Project.The project consists of two water treatment plants (WTPs) and more than 30 remote water storage reservoirs, pumping stations, and truck fill depots located throughout 10 counties in western North Dakota.
Project Details
Date: Ongoing
Client: Western Area Water Supply Authority
Key Project Elements
- Ongoing Support and Services
- Wonderware Application Development
- Remote Access to SCADA System
- 30 Remote Sites
Reliable Control Systems for WTPs and Remote Sites
The automation systems at the WTPs and remote sites were all designed, programmed, and commissioned by AE2S. AE2S is called on regularly for support and service for this system.Each site is controlled by an Allen-Bradley Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and utilizes some type of data connection to communicate back to one or both of the WTPs. The communications system is a hybrid of licensed and license-free UHF radios, microwave radios, internet service, and cellular service.
PLC and SCADA Solutions for Real-time Monitoring and Control
A master PLC at the WTPs polls the remote sites for status information on regular intervals and writes setpoint changes made by operators.If a remote site has an alarm or a setpoint change, the remote PLC writes that information immediately to the master PLC. The master PLC is connected to a Wonderware System Platform SCADA system, which controls the graphics, alarming, and data logging.
The Wonderware application was developed completely by AE2S programmers. WAWSA operators and managers can access the SCADA system remotely with a PC or mobile device over a secure VPN connection. AE2S also developed a customized SQL Server and web-based reporting application to handle the unique needs of the project.