Remote Pressure Monitoring: An Alternative to Telemetry Installation
Overview
Le-ax Water District is a drinking water facility located in southeastern Ohio. This rural water district supplies drinking water:
- 6,800 taps
- 17,000 people
- 500 miles of waterline
- 4 counties
Le-ax contacted Sealevel for a pilot project to monitor pressure-reducing valve stations. Approximately 20 stations are strategically located throughout the district to prevent damage from high pressure and avoid unnecessary stress to the infrastructure.
They sought a solution to remotely monitor their existing facilities and detect spikes in pressure or water main failures. Technicians were often not alerted of an issue until a homeowner or business called — after the damage had been done.
“If a device could send an alert to our distribution crew that a drop in pressure has occurred, we could react proactively.” — Travis A., Le-ax Water District Principal Engineer
Key Application Requirements
- Ability to configure thresholds
- Alerts via email or text
- Communicate via cellular
- Powered by a solar-charged battery
“Before finding Sealevel, the only way to monitor a PRV was to install a full-blown telemetry system which would require us to provide power at the site. However, the SeaConnect 370C is a perfect, low-cost solution that provides just enough I/O to get the job done. More importantly, the 370C is low power enough to be powered from solar.”
Travis A., Le-ax Water District Principal Engineer
The Sealevel Solution
The SeaConnect 370 monitors analog outputs from two pressure transducers and is configured to alert technicians when thresholds are exceeded. The device relies on solar power with a battery backup. To protect against the elements, the SeaConnect 370 and solar charging controller are installed in a waterproof enclosure. Once the pilot is complete, Le-ax Water District will begin fielding units across their territory.