As the world around us becomes more technologically connected, smarter and more automated, the pace of inevitable change appears to accelerate, and the water and wastewater sector is not immune.
Building on the previous decade’s system integration initiatives to modernize water and wastewater infrastructure through cloud supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), the focus now centers on leveraging AI-powered technologies for further modernization. Yet, despite these modernization efforts and the widespread availability of advanced technologies, adoption has remained slow due to budget limitations, asset life cycle constraints, regulatory requirements and the pressing operational priorities unique to each utility or agency.
The additional elephant in the room is mindset—consequential gains to one are often perceived as disruptive to another. While the challenges of keeping up with the pace of innovation, information overload and recurring changes pose as possible downsides, the sure upside is the emergence of scalable system integration paths enabling utilities and agencies to modernize on their own terms.
When comparing personal technology habits, most people get by for several years on a smartphone or computer that was not the newest or did not have the most bells and whistles at the time of purchase. The same is true when integrating future-ready control system upgrades to water and wastewater pumping systems.
For local entities seeking future-ready equipment replacements or retrofits, transitioning from traditional SCADA to a cloud-based SCADA system continues to be one of the most practical ways to modernize, although many utilities still hesitate when it is time to evaluate their current systems.
Operational Cost Savings & Efficiency Gains
Cloud SCADA is designed to be more cost-effective than traditional SCADA, both in upfront expenses and ongoing use. By removing the need for significant upfront investments in on-site servers, network infrastructure and specialized IT maintenance, it shifts costs to a flexible subscription or usage-based model. This allows water service providers to pay only for the resources they use, reducing capital expenditure and simplifying budgeting while enhancing operational efficiency.
Without the added burdens of maintaining hardware, performing routine data backups and keeping software licenses up to date, operation teams are free to keep their focus on day-to-day water and wastewater operations.
As water and wastewater networks become more connected, cloud SCADA’s more flexible, scalable operational expenses have the potential to allow local entities to increase tag counts and system capacities without incremental licensing fees or disruptive reinstallations.
Secured Remote Monitoring & Control Access
When cloud SCADA is mentioned, the first thing operation managers bring up are potential security concerns. Security remains a foundational element of cloud-based SCADA systems, with most software providers making it a central focus of their offering. With support features including user credentials, multifactor authentication and audit trailing, operation managers and asset owners can expect that remote user connections are private and safe.
Integrating Legacy SCADA Systems With Cloud-Based Solutions
A successful migration to cloud SCADA requires an understanding of how existing programmable logic controllers (PLCs)/remote terminal units (RTUs) connect with traditional SCADA systems. Also worth considering is system design.
Operators already have enough to learn just by accessing core functionality, such as alarm management and trending. Extensive searches and sifting through critical data in a poorly designed application are a sure recipe for immediate rejection of a new platform. An intuitive interface that allows operators to easily access the information they need is most often the difference in overcoming initial resistance to change.
Ultimately, the biggest driver of team adoption comes when operators experience benefits firsthand. The success stories heard most often highlight the convenience of remote access to real-time alarms, which helps operations avoid unnecessary on-site dispatches and prevents missed notifications.
Such was the case in the town of Schaghticoke, New York, when a failed dialer on a booster pump system resulted in unanswered alerts. The incident exposed serious gaps in the infrastructure and led to the realization that simply replacing the modem and line would not be enough.
The town chose a retrofit modernization that integrated cloud SCADA into their existing system, which was still utilizing an aftermarket flow meter. To ensure seamless functionality, the integration included a custom program modification that enabled the new cloud SCADA platform to reliably acquire and interpret data from the flow meter—laying the groundwork for improved system responsiveness. Now equipped with a more robust delivery of notifications and remote access to real-time data insights, unanswered alarms became a thing of the past.
When the village of Homewood, Illinois, switched suppliers of its Lake Michigan water, the aging SCADA system could not support the new pump station needed to manage the additional flow distance of bringing water from the opposite direction. To accommodate the supply transition, the village opted for a plan that specified a 52-foot-long housed booster pump system equipped with
three horizontal split case pumps, complete with dedicated cloud SCADA to provide intuitive pump control capabilities and unmatched visibility into system operations.
Unlike the previous on-site setup, the cloud-hosted SCADA solution eliminated the need for additional hardware while delivering advanced functionality. Operators now have real-time insight into pump performance, automated reporting and instant alarm notifications, all accessible through secure private communication lines. The system also features ultra-low harmonic variable speed drives and an automated caustic dosing system, ensuring precise control and water quality.
To safeguard operations, a dedicated diesel generator provides backup power, allowing the SCADA and pumping systems to remain fully operational during outages. This integration not only modernized Homewood’s water infrastructure but also created a scalable, future-ready platform for municipal water management.
Leaping Forward With a Manageable Step
As technology and regulations continue to evolve, modernization is no longer optional—it is essential. Falling behind further increases the risk of system failures and drives up operational costs. Cloud SCADA offers a pragmatic, scalable upgrade path that empowers utilities to take a manageable step forward today while delivering significant long-term impact and future readiness.
