5 Reasons Smart Water Utilities Need a Weather Station #1: OPERATIONS

Meteorological data can be a critical tool for water utility managers to make intelligent decisions to improve efficiencies, safety, and public information.

With the rise of data-driven decision-making and inter-agency collaboration, weather monitoring is becoming increasingly important across government agencies. The Internet of Things movement is a big drive toward Smart Everything – Smart Phones, Smart Cities, Smart Governments. With the integration/interoperability of city-wide agency systems, “Smart Water” plays a significant role and weather monitoring is a part of it.

Over the next few weeks we’ll highlight more specifics in five areas. The first is Operations.

Whether dealing with water supply or water treatment, weather conditions impact operations. Operating procedures are created taking meteorological factors into consideration. Standard decisions can be automated for normal operations and planned/documented for special circumstances such as chemical release or severe weather.

“Certain weather conditions trigger actions at our facilities,” says Jonathon Sudar of Central Utah Water Conservancy District. “We monitor air temperature, wind speed and water temperature. We know from past experience what combination of these parameters will cause ice to form on our intake screens and when we need to open the bypass gates.”1

Rainfall is one of the most impactful meteorological parameter on water management systems. Overflows can adversely affect systems and public health. Monitoring environmental precipitation is key to helping manage, whether the solution is diversion or chemical treatment.

Some normal operations based on weather conditions can be automated with a weather station interfaced to the SCADA or PLC system. Weather monitoring systems can also be used to activate alarms for notification as well as control based on specific weather parameters such as precipitation accumulation, high or low temperatures, and high wind speed.

Dealing with the rare chemical release or spill involves environmental monitoring including temperature, wind speed and direction for neighbor notification, effective response, and potential evacuation.

When listing “All” Hazards that beset utilities, 6 out of 18 are weather-related according to “The All-Hazard Consequence Management Planning for the Water Sector.” These include Flood, Extreme Winds, Lightning, Drought, Hurricane/Tornado, and Severe Weather. Consequences include service disruption, damage to infrastructure, loss of revenue, etc…. 2

Preparedness guidelines suggest an Emergency Operations Center, and that sheltering-in-place may be required during certain types of emergencies, including severe weather or chemical release.A weather station is standard equipment for an Emergency Operations Center. Meteorological factors may influence critical decisions.

This Mobile Emergency Operations Center boasts an Orion Weather Station with Weather Display console from Columbia Weather Systems. Planning for an Emergency Operation Center is a key preparedness guideline for a severe weather event or hazardous incident.

Inside the MEOC. Note the Weather Display mounted on the wall to the left.

In the EPA’s Water Sector Incident Action Checklist, the first item in Actions to Prepare for Extreme Cold and Winter Storms: “Actively monitor weather for inclement weather.” 3

Hurricanes and blizzards threaten the operation of wastewater infrastructure and in some cases the infrastructure itself.” 
~ Severe Weather Guide for Wastewater Utilities, New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission4

Bottom line, you want to equip your staff with the best possible access to information to increase operational efficiencies and empower ability to make timely decisions. A weather station on-site provide key data as weather conditions can change suddenly and the line between safe and hazardous may be just a few degrees.

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Images: Francis, Tom. (2013, February).What is the impact of rainfall on the sewage industry? Water and Wastewater Treatment. Retrieved from http://wwtonline.co.uk/features/what-is-the-impact-of-rainfall-on-the-sewage-industry-#.WnDLX6inHcs

1: Columbia Weather Systems. Water Management: Central Utah Water Conservancy District. Retrieved from https://columbiaweather.com/applications/water-management/

2: Preparedness, Emergency Response, and Recovery CIPAC Workgroup. (2009, November). All-Hazard Consequence Management Planning for the Water Sector. Retrieved from https://asdwasecurity.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/all-hazard-cmp_final.pdf

3: Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water. (2015, January). Incident Action Checklist – Extreme Cold and Winter Storms. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/extreme_cold_and_winter_storms.pdf

4: New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. (2016, September).Preparing for Extreme Weather at Wastewater Utilities: Strategies and Tips. Retrieved from http://www.neiwpcc.org/neiwpcc_docs/9-20-2016%20NE...