Brunei deploying rugged smart water management
28/03/2022
The Sultanate of Brunei is adding low-cost sensors for flash flood detection, pumping station monitoring and water quality monitoring by deploying a smart water device network, with a focus on monitoring river water levels, wastewater pumping stations and water quality.The nation’s Ministry of Development, with a roadmap to digitise various services, commissioned an Internet of Things (IoT) solutions company named Anian to develop several use cases for smart water, which included sensors, connectivity and data management dashboards.
The initial need was to monitor water levels in Brunei’s rivers, as flooding is frequent and often unpredictable. Other recurring water infrastructure problems in the country included the management of wastewater and pumping stations, which often broke down, tides and water on parking lots and highways, and the general quality of water.
The main challenge Anian faced was the difficulty of finding a consolidated solution that included rugged hardware. A partnership with IoThink Solutions and Actility provided the solution’s basic elements and all necessary technical support through a networking architecture known as long-range wide-area networking (LoRaWAN).
Flooding is the main natural hazard in Brunei. With a hot and rainy climate, the country experiences frequent and intense flooding episodes that can be triggered within hours. The Department of Drainage and Sewerage under the Ministry of Development undertakes monitoring of the sewerage distribution network and river levels at various locations in Brunei-Muara to help predict flooding and detect abnormalities in the sewerage system.
River level monitoring has until now been primarily based on telemetry technology or, in cases where this technology is not deployed or is inoperable, manual monitoring with significant mobilised manpower.
In order to create an effective system of preventative alerts on these hydrological events, Anian deployed ultrasonic sensors connected through a patented technique for LoRaWAN to monitor the water level in flood-prone rivers. The solution combined rainfall volume monitoring with rain gauges/tipping buckets to measure the velocity of water currents.
A significant portion of Brunei’s population lives in close proximity to rivers or in villages on stilts. Wastewater from the homes is treated and released into the rivers. When there are overflows in the pumping stations, the discharged water pollutes the rivers, creating a significant odour nuisance for the inhabitants.
This system is inefficient and has negative financial risks. Pumps can shut down due to trash and debris, creating excessive vibration that leads to overheating and explosion. The financial impact of a pump break is exorbitant, as a pump costs between €50,000 and €100,000 (approximately £41,900 and £83,900).
Monitoring of facilities and equipment relied primarily on telemetry and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) technology at only a few locations and in places had no monitoring at all, with only reactive maintenance.
The solution implemented by Anian allows the monitoring of wastewater pumping stations, via continuous measurement of pump vibrations, the use of floats and LoRaWAN ultrasonic sensors in wells to alert if the water surface rises within 50 cm of the cover, and of the presence of smoke or dangerous gases, including CO, H2S or CO2.
The Water Department under the Ministry of Development was also looking to monitor water quality and the various related infrastructure to avoid many recurring problems. Anian offered to deploy LoRaWAN sensors to detect leaks, pressure and water quality in pipes.
A LoRaWAN network is of strategic interest to the Government of Brunei, as it allows for the development of broad application areas. The Ministry of Development hopes to make many more improvements in the coming years, including:
- Monitoring of water networks (pressure, flow, leaks, water quality, reservoir levels and pumps)
- Monitoring of tides by the departments concerned
- Use cases for intelligent buildings and energy savings (air quality, security, water and electricity consumption measurement, data centre environment and parking)
- Bridge and road infrastructure monitoring (bridge pier vibration, crack monitoring, worker safety, wind and rain monitoring)
- River water quality, air quality and weather information.
