The Benefits of SCADA Modernization for Water Utilities

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Water utilities should be considering SCADA modernization efforts because automation systems that are old and out of date pose a significant risk.  And the cold, hard truth is that most SCADA systems within the water and wastewater industry are outdated because many were installed decades ago at the time of plant construction.

Although in general these old systems have been modified and patched over the years to keep them in operation, the proverbial Band-Aid approach can only stretch so far.

Benefits and Challenges of SCADA Modernization

As these systems become more fragmented and obsolete, modernizing them seems like a no-brainer.  However, there are clearly some challenges utilities face when addressing SCADA modernization.

First, the sheer scale and embeddedness of these systems means that they cannot be replaced quickly.  In fact, a full modernization could take up to a decade to complete because it could involve hundreds of thousands of internal connection points, each of which requires a substantial amount of configuration and testing.

Second, this type of effort is not without risk.  Water utilities must abide by stringent regulations around water quality and environmental health & safety, and these requirements cannot simply be cast aside during the modernization work.  The phrase, ?building an airplane while it’s in flight? comes to mind.

Third, SCADA modernization can be an integration nightmare.  Many water utilities operate multiple proprietary systems that can be difficult to integrate with modern systems and components.

Despite the challenges, the benefits for water utilities are numerous:

• Better protection against cyberattacks.
• More accurate and detailed real-time, systemwide insights and analytics.
• The ability to rationalize and prioritize alarm systems.
• Increased system and operational efficiency and flexibility.

In the final analysis, while it may seem daunting, the benefits make it completely worthwhile.  The keys for any successful SCADA modernization effort ? whether it?s water, gas, or electric utility SCADA systems ? are detailed planning, technology vetting and selection, and a highly regimented and phased rollout approach.  Good luck!