How Automation is Transforming Water and Wastewater Management

Modern water and wastewater facilities are under increasing pressure to improve efficiency, minimise downtime, and gain real-time operational insights. One such water facility, part of a larger water and wastewater corporation, identified limitations in its existing SCADA system and began exploring more advanced, data-driven automation solutions to support long-term performance and visibility goals.

Goals and Needs

The facility’s existing SCADA platform lacked the flexibility and remote visualisation tools needed for evolving operational demands. As infrastructure aged and remote asset monitoring became more critical, existing control systems were no longer sufficient. The organisation aimed to implement a system capable of delivering real-time insights, seamless remote access, improved system redundancy, and enhanced scalability—without requiring extensive retraining or disruptive infrastructure overhauls.

Solutions

To address these needs, the site upgraded to Emerson’s PACSystems CPL410 and RSTi-EP remote I/O modules across key locations. These technologies offered modern edge-processing power and modular control ideal for remote environments. The facility also adopted Movicon.NExT, Emerson’s SCADA platform, to gain more dynamic visualisation, improved analytics, and a modern interface.

To manage budget constraints, the facility negotiated to fund a redundant Movicon.NExT Client/Server license and setup using the current spend of annual SCADA support fees. This provided a cost-neutral upgrade path while introducing greater system resilience.

Standardising on Emerson solutions also aligned with broader corporate strategies and enabled the team to move quickly. PACSystem development software features a fast learning curve from an intuitive interface, and its simple redundancy setup saves time and facilitates efficient deployment with minimal disruption.

With the new system in place, the facility has significantly improved its ability to monitor, analyse, and respond to operational conditions across remote sites. The combination of enhanced visualisation, reliable data access, and flexible control infrastructure has positioned the facility to support future growth while optimising current performance.