The UK has seen an unprecedented focus on water management over the past 18 months with the UK water supply companies and their management and monitoring coming under the microscope from the public, media and the Government.
Announcements by the UK Government and water regulation authorities in 2023* & January 2024* see a renewed focus and tightening of water management control to maintain and sustain water supplies and enforce tighter control and management through dynamic monitoring.
Interface Force has been at the forefront of measurement tools with water management a key solution area. Our experience and diverse and flexible product range has seen these same water company requirements managed and monitored to maintain control, compliance and provide the ability to maintain long term sustainability.
In a world where water consumption is rising, and freshwater availability is increasingly limited, efficient water management is essential to maintaining long-term sustainability.
Versatility & Reliability
With water a valuable and essential resource, measurement tools must be immensely versatile to adapt to different requirements and locations while continually providing reliability. Water management tools must measure a wide variety of variables in order to provide water companies with meaningful information and alerts across different types of infrastructure, covering areas such as:
- Force management
- Weight monitoring
- Pressure changes
Information to provide control
Force measurement is crucial in various aspects of water management to provide operational insights, enabling systems and personnel to implement efficient control over water systems to reduce wastage and maintain supply. Load cells, torque transducers, wireless instrumentation, load pins, and multi-axis sensors are essential in water management applications, helping engineers ensure that the various water systems are both safe and efficient.
Whether in irrigation systems for tracking water weight in distribution pipes or at water monitoring stations for measuring water levels in critical infrastructure, water management sensors and instrumentation are crucial measurement devices for obtaining accurate data that informs decision-making and enhances the overall efficiency of water management processes.
Remote monitoring of water management information
While monitoring of water management systems is crucial, timely information and management is literally crucial to stop wastage and dramatically reduce the impact and cost associated from leakage and spillage. We combine water management systems with Semota Remote Monitoring to provide continuous monitoring 24/7 from any location. Semota utilises wifi enabled hardware to deliver information to central or dispersed handheld and control centre management consoles and enables remote monitoring of any load cell, force, torque or pressure sensor.
Live dashboards provide real-time information and enable both monitoring and control of remote devices. Control and information can run from a web based control portal or it can be integrated into existing systems.
Interface systems in action – Dam water management
Our systems have been applied to monitor the water levels of dams where multiple sealed load cells are anchored around the dam, connecting to multiple wireless acquisition modules. The forces of the water are measured, transmitted, and displayed to both handheld displays for single transmitters and to an industrial base station for central management and processing. Should any high flooding occur, this solution allows for real-time monitoring of the dam through the control centres.
Industry applications
Load cells, load pins, instrumentation, multi-axis sensors, and torque transducers are solutions that can be implemented to manage and monitor water management infrastructure projects and testing. Sensors commonly measure the hardware used for industry products and structures.
Our custom solutions team works alongside you to create the most effective and efficient solution based on your infrastructure project, hardware or product, and testing needs. Water management systems cover a multitude of applications:
- Water Infrastructure and Automation
- Flood Control and Dam Management
- Water Treatment Plant Systems
- Leak Detection and Prevention
- Reservoir Release and Spillway Monitoring
- Pump and Valve Optimization
- Dam Structural Design and Monitoring
- Pipe and Pipeline Flow Monitoring
- Hydropower Generation and Flow Monitoring
- Irrigation System Flow and Efficiency
- Environmental Monitoring and Restoration
- Research and Development
- Waterways Public Safety and Risk Management
- Hydroelectric Power Plant Systems
How can systems be managed and monitored and dynamically adjusted?
Numerous solutions are available to implement the correct levels of water management and alerts to match requirements, our key offerings include:
280/380 283/383 GP50 Tri-Clamp Pressure Sensors: Tri-clamp pressure sensors designed for a high degree of reliability within the demanding environment of flush and sanitary applications. https://interfaceforce.co.uk/force-torque-and-pressure-measurement/tri-clamp-pressure-sensors/
240 and 340IM GP50 Series: Flush mount pressure transmitters designed for use in high viscosity media, especially where more traditional non flush designs can get clogged or damaged. The 240 and 340-IM feature a rugged, all welded Inconel design which makes compatible with corrosive media for waste water treatment, slurries and sludge, pump suction and discharge lines. https://interfaceforce.co.uk/force-torque-and-pressure-measurement/240-340im-series/
188 Mini Flush Transmitter: Designed to fit into restricted spaces, yet offer pressure measurement to 10,000psi. The one piece, all welded construction offers a tough, reliable but high performance package. The flush port design eliminates any dead volume, making it ideal for many water management applications, including sludge and slurry pressure management. https://interfaceforce.co.uk/force-torque-and-pressure-measurement/188-mini-flush-transmitter/
117 / 217 / 317/317Z Industrial Series: Flush faced pressure or tank level sensors are an ideal solution where media being measured would otherwise clog a standard process connection. The 316L wetted parts with optional Hastelloy C make the X17 series impervious to corrosive media and provides standard operating temperatures to +121 deg C, ideal for waste water environments.
311-M351 Submersible Level Transmitter: A leak proof submersible level transducer that is designed for the tough challenges and environmental rigours of water and sewage treatment work. It is a high accuracy device, rated 0.5% FSO RSS. https://interfaceforce.co.uk/force-torque-and-pressure-measurement/311-m351-submersible-level-transmitter/
SEMOTA Remote Monitoring: When monitoring and transmission units are combined with Semota, dynamic, real-time information is available 24/7 to analyse trends, manage changes and react quickly and easily to environmental changes, with automated actions triggered by predefined situational preferences. https://interfaceforce.co.uk/continuous-remote-monitoring-semota/
Water management control – find out more
- Learn about our flush/sanitary pressure sensor product range.
- Read an application note showing how we developed a monitoring system to detect malfunctions in a dam spillway gate, which could result in a disastrous release of water downstream.
- Get in touch to discuss how we can help with water management and measurement.
*References:
New report reveals the policies needed to protect the UK’s water supply, January 29, 2024
https://www.watermagazine.co.uk/2024/01/29/new-report-reveals-the-policies-needed-to-protect-the-uks-water-supply/
Flowing Forward: Safeguarding the UK’s water system, December 5, 2023
https://demos.co.uk/research/flowing-forward-safeguarding-the-uks-water-system/
Ofwat calls on water companies to act now on open data, June 8, 2023
https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/ofwat-calls-on-water-companies-to-act-now-on-open-data/
Gov.uk: Water resources planning guideline, April 14, 2023
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-resources-planning-guideline/water-resources-planning-guideline