Cellular Telemetry System Installation for Municipal Water Tower

The City of Canal Fulton operates a municipal water system that includes production wells, a treatment facility, a booster station, and a newly constructed elevated water tower designed to support system expansion and long-term demand.

With the construction of a new water tower, Canal Fulton required a reliable telemetry solution to communicate tower level and pressure information back to both the booster station and the water plant. The distance between sites made traditional communication paths impractical, and the city needed a system capable of providing continuous visibility and seamless integration with the existing SCADA platform.

This type of infrastructure challenge creates multiple problems for municipal water systems:

• Communication Barriers: Significant distance between the new water tower, booster station, and the water plant with no existing communication infrastructure to link the sites.
• System Integration: Requirement for full integration into the plant's SCADA system to enable automated control and operator visibility.
• Reliability Requirements: Need for a dependable communication method that would remain stable across varying environmental conditions.
• Construction Coordination: Timing constraints working with the tower contractor during final construction stages.

Control Associates Inc. (CAI) was contracted to supply and integrate the telemetry system for the project. CAI provided a complete telemetry package built around cellular communication technology to ensure reliable connectivity across all locations. This solution offered several critical advantages:

• No Infrastructure Required: Three CAI-sourced cellular telemetry systems, each installed in dedicated outdoor-rated enclosures, eliminated the need for trenching or cable installation.
• Strong Signal Quality: Mounted cellular antennas ensure stable connectivity between the tower, booster station, and water plant.
• Complete Integration: Integration of the water tower's level transmitter and pressure transmitter into the telemetry units with programming to deliver all data points in real time to the booster station and directly into the plant's SCADA platform.
• Automated Control: Logic integration allows operators to see tower conditions and enables the system to automatically manage tower filling operations.

This approach provided a clear communication path without the need for new wired infrastructure.

Following integration, configuration, and verification of the complete telemetry system, the installation included:

• Field installation of all telemetry enclosures and antennas at designated sites
• Electrical coordination with the tower contractor to tie in the transmitters
• Configuration of cellular communication channels and data routing
• SCADA integration to map all incoming points and ensure accurate tower level and pressure reporting
• Field testing to verify signal stability, data accuracy, and communication reliability under real operating conditions
• Final commissioning and operator review

The facility now experiences:

• Reliable Communication: Consistent cellular connectivity between the water tower, booster station, and plant.
• Real-Time Visibility: Complete level and pressure monitoring within the SCADA system.
• Automated Operation: Tower filling triggered automatically based on actual measured conditions.
• Reduced Site Visits: Decreased need for manual checks and direct site visits.
• Enhanced Situational Awareness: Improved operator visibility, especially during off-hours.
• Scalable Infrastructure: System capable of supporting future sites or additional telemetry needs.

Remote water infrastructure presents unique challenges for municipalities. When facilities are geographically separated without existing communication infrastructure, traditional wired solutions become cost-prohibitive and impractical. Modern cellular telemetry systems eliminate these barriers while providing:

• Rapid deployment without trenching or infrastructure construction
• Real-time data integration with existing SCADA platforms
• Automated control capabilities reducing manual intervention
• Continuous operational visibility across all sites
• Scalable architecture supporting system growth

The City of Canal Fulton's new water tower required a modern, dependable telemetry solution capable of bridging significant distances and integrating directly with its SCADA system. CAI provided a complete cellular-based system that delivers real-time visibility, accurate process data, and seamless operational control. The result is a more transparent, automated, and reliable water system for the community.