Automating Water Management with MOTOTRBO™

Overview

The implementation of a MOTOTRBO™ system at Barsinghausen is realising significant cost savings for municipal utilities. By using an interface adapter developed by Motorola Professional Radio Application partner ATS Elektronik to link the municipality's SCADA system to a MOTOTRBO radio, vital data – such as flow, pressure, and water quality – is being delivered in real time to a central control room.

Barsinghausen Municipality, a district of Hanover in the state of Lower Saxony, Germany, comprises 18 districts and spans an area of 102 km², serving some 34,000 inhabitants.

The MOTOTRBO system has enhanced efficiency by providing online access to the pumping stations, enabling remote control commands, and monitoring of the entire water treatment facility.

[Image Description: A large industrial pumping station featuring multiple electric pumps, extensive piping, and valves, situated within a water treatment plant environment.]

Customer Profile

Company: Stadtwerke Barsinghausen GmbH

Technology Partner: ATS Elektronik GmBH

Industry: Utilities

Products Implemented

• MOTOTRBO DM 3400
• MR 3000 repeater
• DMR921 USB adapter

Key Benefits

• Lower operating costs
• Integrated, reliable voice and data communications
• Permanently on-line
• Stand-alone system
• High reliability

"The combination of MOTOTRBO's digital radio platform with the DMR921 USB adaptor gives us high availability at a significantly reduced cost. The ability to integrate it with our existing SCADA system and have voice and data communications centralised on one system will streamline operations, improve service provision and enhance productivity."

– Mr. Heiko Wilhelmsen, Managing Director, Stadtwerke Barsinghausen GmbH

The Challenge

Historically, a telemetry solution using wired leased lines was employed to transmit data from pumps, valves, and filtering systems, and to monitor parts of the municipality's water treatment plant. This approach was not only expensive but also prone to interference and cost-prohibitive for system expansion.

Alternative options such as telephone and cellular networks were considered, but they could not provide the required reliability for round-the-clock monitoring and control of critical utilities. For instance, pumps need immediate activation when large volumes of water are required for fire fighting.

A solution was needed that could be easily integrated with the existing SCADA system, be highly reliable, and provide voice and data communications across the entire municipal area.

The Solution

A key factor in selecting the MOTOTRBO digital radio system was its ETSI approval, an open standard that assures customers like Barsinghausen Municipality that their investment is protected.

MOTOTRBO's IP data capabilities facilitate seamless integration with the existing control centre, minimising equipment overheads. The municipality's SCADA system connects directly to MOTOTRBO radios via ATS Elektronik's DMR921 USB interface adapter. This enables the transmission of operational data, monitoring of flow and pressure levels, and generation of alerts (e.g., when the water level in a pump rises), thereby enhancing the management and control of the waste water plant.

The radios are configurable for numerous applications through simple instructions sent via the DMR921. Permanent online access to processing equipment at the water treatment plant allows for rapid adaptation during emergency situations, such as fire alarms.

MOTOTRBO's digital error correction technology reconstitutes voice transmissions with minimal loss, ensuring clear communications over an extended range. The addition of a repeater guarantees coverage across the entire municipality, enabling telemetry deployment at multiple utilities for remote access and control. In case of a call-out, GPS locationing can identify the nearest technician, who can then be dispatched with instructions via their MOTOTRBO radio, saving time and boosting productivity.

The Benefit

The system's ability to transmit voice and data simultaneously on a single channel offers a centralised, robust communication solution independent of external service providers. It also eliminates recurring monthly call charges and maximises return on investment by doubling the capacity of an existing licensed channel.

Beyond reducing operating costs and improving efficiency, the MOTOTRBO DMR921 solution ensures continuous monitoring of pumping stations and enables remote transmission and execution of control commands. This has simplified procedures and automated functions, optimising the management and distribution of Barsinghausen's water treatment services.