Desalination & Reuse Handbook - Flipbook - Page 25
THE YEAR IN TECHNOLOGY
Kamstrup smart meters go global
Demand for smart meters is growing rapidly worldwide, and has been spreading beyond the traditional European and American markets for smart water. Metering giant Kamstrup’s expansion into these markets is emblematic of this trend, most notably
an MoU signed in 2017 with the Ghana Ministry of Water and Sanitation to supply 500,000 smart water meters.
Before
2014
2014
2015
2016
2017
Source: GWI
Cyberattack highlights water network vulnerability
Cybersecurity in digital water was brought to the forefront of the industry’s minds in March 2018, when the US Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a joint technical alert highlighting a number of cyberattacks
on critical infrastructure, including water. Although details have not been officially released, costs to the taxpayer resulting from the
attack may be as high as $17 million. Unprotected process controls such as SCADA systems are particularly vulnerable to such attacks,
with older control systems often connected to a broader network without sufficient security. As digital solutions play an increasingly
prominent role in water distribution networks and billing, the resulting proliferation of interconnected communications networks will
also create a need for close attention to cybersecurity at every stage of the supply chain.
It is a constant process to maintain a cyber-secure environment. It is not a ‘one and done’ implementation – there is no one
product that you can put in place and say ‘I’m secure’.”
Mike Firstenberg, Director of Industrial Security,
Waterfall Security Solutions
Network water quality monitoring finds its feet
Public concerns over water quality combined with improving technologies at reduced costs are driving global demand for real-time water
quality monitoring. Market leaders such as Schneider and ENDTEC (Veolia) are predominantly active in water quality monitoring during
the treatment process, but newer solutions specifically designed for application in water and wastewater networks offer the potential for
real-time monitoring and reporting of pH, conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. For example, optical sensors can
indicate contamination by measuring water’s molecular composition via its refractive index. Despite significant progress made in recent
years, however, further progress remains necessary before automated, network-wide solutions are able to identify specific pollutants or
their sources.
In addition to new hardware, new software is also being developed to optimise operations across networks and collect data on influent
to inform water treatment procedures. Available products feature predictive diagnostics, and link laboratory equipment with process
equipment to provide greater analytical depth and control. With such a large variety of parameters in need of monitoring, and an evergrowing array of equipment types available, the real-time water quality monitoring market is a complex one. Continued innovation is
key to the industry’s progress, and whilst present techniques can be refined, it may be the case that technologies beyond the water sector
hold the key to taking the water quality monitoring market forward.
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