Transform Your Water and Wastewater Application’s Connectivity

Transform Your Water and Wastewater Application’s Connectivity

If you have legacy equipment in your water and wastewater application, it can be difficult to know where and when to start updating your legacy equipment. A sprawling operation can be daunting to transform, and in many operations very little to no downtime is approved given the resource’s importance for communities.

Legacy connectivity in water and wastewater operations includes two major communication avenues: The DF1 industrial protocol, commonly seen in the industry; and the use of leased line modems to connect wide-ranging equipment. Today we’re looking at how to update these on your timeline; the benefits their updated replacements can bring; and the role that industrial remote connectivity can play in water and wastewater applications.

Updating legacy equipment

There are a couple key reasons to update DF1 equipment:

· Spares are dwindling or have been discontinued

· You’d like to leverage the benefits of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

Newer control systems and other equipment offer stability in terms of available replacements and the newest technology that can help you connect every part of your operation. Updating your equipment doesn’t have to be an all-at-once experience – with a solution like the DF1 Routing Module, you’re able to update your equipment in phases, and keep your existing equipment running while you update, decreasing the chance of service disruption.

Meanwhile, leased line modems can be replaced with a network of wireless radios. Wireless radios provide an easily scalable alternative, which is ideal for growing operations, and require less maintenance.

Typically, leased line modems connect your SCADA system to DF1-based RTUs, and they can play a role in enabling your update of RTUs to newer equipment. This approach may look like:

· Using the DF1 Messaging Module to enable RTU upgrades by connecting to them through the modem

· Then: Upgrading the main SCADA to an EtherNet/IP-based alternative

· Finishing by: Replacing leased line modems with radios in phases

Remotely connect Water and Wastewater sites

Another technology that is worth looking into is industrial remote connectivity for dispersed equipment. This is especially beneficial for wide-ranging operations.

A managed, always-on system is ideal for mission-critical applications, such as water utilities. You can be automatically alerted to issues, and in some cases you may be able to troubleshoot them from home. We recommend opting for a solution that has industrial-grade security features, including:

· No software to install or maintain

· Password policies your IT team can configure

· Token-based two-factor authentication

· The ability to control access, especially when outside vendors need to connect

Learn more about solutions for water and wastewater applications.