Read about how Revere Control Systems modernized a municipal water treatment plant (WTP), expanding capacity from 32 MGD to 48 MGD with zero downtime. This case study highlights Revere’s phased approach, advanced SCADA and PLC upgrades, and collaboration with plant staff, resulting in improved operational efficiency and water quality for a growing communit
Challenge: Outdated Systems and Increased Demand
A municipal water treatment plant (WTP) needed to modernize its aging infrastructure and expand its output capacity to meet increasing community demand. This overhaul required replacing outdated Automation Direct PLCs with modern control systems and transitioning to a new SCADA platform.
Revere Control Systems was selected for the project for their expertise in municipal upgrades, their history of managing complex projects, and their local presence, which allowed for rapid, on-site responsiveness throughout the process.
Solution: A Comprehensive and Phased Approach
Revere implemented a phased and carefully-coordinated approach to modernize the water treatment plant while ensuring uninterrupted operations. The project began with the installation and commissioning of three new filters (numbers 7–9) to expand plant capacity. Once these were online and operational, Revere systematically replaced the remaining panels and systems one process area at a time. This deliberate sequencing minimized disruptions and ensured the plant could maintain daily water production throughout the upgrade.
The phased approach required meticulous pre-planning and preparation. Revere’s team worked ahead to design temporary wiring configurations, relays, and testing procedures to allow each stage of the process to proceed without impacting operations. This upfront work was essential for maintaining output while executing such a large-scale upgrade. The team also deployed approximately five miles of fiber optic cable between the raw water pump station and the treatment plant to enhance system connectivity and reliability.
Revere delivered a full SCADA and controls solution for the plant, including:
- Inductive Automation’s Ignition SCADA HMI platform with Historian, providing advanced data monitoring, recording, and analysis capabilities.
- Allen Bradley CompactLogix and ControlLogix platforms to replace the outdated Automation Direct PLCs, improving system reliability and scalability.
- All new PLC code developed from scratch using Rockwell Software RSLogix 5000, ensuring precise, reliable performance under the new configuration. The existing code was incompatible with the modernized system, necessitating the rewrite.
- Communication infrastructure that utilized fiber optic, radio, cellular, and Ethernet/IP networks for seamless data transmission.
- Approximately 2,000 hardwired I/O points to the PLCs, with an additional 500–1,000 soft I/O points estimated for comprehensive process control.
The project involved 50 control panels, designed, built, and installed to manage automation across 10 critical plant process areas, including:
- Raw Water Intake Pump Station
- Filter Settling Basins
- Filters
- Reuse Pump Station and System
- Sludge Pump Stations
- High Service Pumps
- Lime Silos
- Chemical Feed and Storage Systems
- Water Distribution System
To ensure system reliability, Revere conducted Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) to validate the quality of the control panels, PLC logic, and HMI interface. These tests were performed in collaboration with consulting engineers and the plant maintenance/SCADA manager for the city. This rigorous quality assurance process identified and resolved issues early, ensuring a smooth deployment. While there was no redundancy at the PLC level, the HMI had standby server redundancy through the Ignition platform to ensure system reliability.
The Ignition HMI included approximately 26,000 tags, allowing for detailed monitoring and control of nearly every critical process within the facility.
Throughout installation, startup, and commissioning, Revere worked closely with the city’s plant staff to facilitate a smooth transition. The team provided hands-on training for approximately ten operations and maintenance personnel, equipping them with the knowledge to maintain and optimize the upgraded systems.
Revere’s strategic planning, technical expertise, and client-focused approach successfully balanced the demands of modernization, scalability, and uninterrupted operations.
Results: Significant Expansion and Zero Downtime
Revere successfully completed the upgrade and expansion of the WTP, achieving the goal of zero downtime, planned or unplanned. The project transformed the facility into a modernized operation with improved reliability, enhanced operational control, and an expanded capacity from 32 million gallons per day (MGD) to 48 MGD, ensuring it could meet the growing demands of the community.
This project’s success can be demonstrated through the following key measurements and metrics:
- Daily Throughput: Increased plant capacity from 32 MGD to 48 MGD, ensuring sustainable water delivery for the community.
- Processes Controlled: Automated control for 10 distinct systems, including raw water pump stations, settling basins, and chemical feed systems.
- Control Panels Installed: Replaced 50 outdated panels with modern Allen Bradley CompactLogix PLCs.
- SCADA Modernization: Deployed Inductive Automation’s Ignition SCADA HMI platform with Historian, delivering advanced monitoring, data visualization, and historical data analysis capabilities.
- Communication Infrastructure: Installed five miles of fiber optic cable between the raw water pump station and the treatment plant, supporting fiber optic, radio, cellular, and Ethernet/IP communication pathways.
- Water Quality Improvements: Lower turbidity levels and extended runtimes between backwash cycles due to upgraded filters and automation.
- Training and Future Capacity: Trained approximately 10 operations and maintenance personnel and included 20% spare capacity for future expansion.
- Operational Efficiency: Achieved an estimated 10% improvement in operational and maintenance efficiency.
- I/O Points Managed: Integrated approximately 2,000 hardwired I/O points and 500–1,000 soft I/O points to provide full system control and monitoring.
- HMI Tags: Configured approximately 26,000 tags within the Ignition HMI for detailed monitoring and control of all plant processes.
Insights for Future Projects
This project highlighted the importance of careful planning, strong collaboration, and proximity in managing large-scale municipal upgrades. Revere’s local office, just 36 minutes from the site, enabled rapid on-site support and ensured the team could address evolving project needs without delay. The phased approach, which required extensive pre-planning and meticulous coordination, proved critical for maintaining operational continuity during the complex upgrade. By automating 10 key plant processes, improving monitoring through a modern SCADA platform, and providing comprehensive training, Revere empowered the plant staff to sustain the facility’s improved performance. These lessons underscore Revere’s ability to deliver client-centered solutions tailored to the unique challenges of municipal projects.