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Listed here are just some of the available technologies, from a system that monitors myriad-quality conditions of water at various stages of migration to a municipal supply, to one that helps farmers adjust water use according to a large number of variables, to a public-private partnership that helps building owners and homeowners choose water conserving products and services.

Measuring Flow Rate in Multiple Locations
Accurate water-flow monitoring is beneficial to managers of large water network infrastructure. Complex water supply networks benefit from a single system that monitors various flow conditions throughout the entire infrastructure with a high degree of accuracy. Accurate flow measurement allows a utility to bill customers with a high degree of precision, maximizing revenue.

The Model 7510+ Multiple-Path Chordal Transit-Time Flowmeter from Accusonic Technologies is designed for a diverse range of flow measurement and monitoring applications, as well as high-accuracy requirements of custody transfer and billing in the water and wastewater industry. The flowmeter uses multiple-path chordal transit-time technology to reportedly achieve accuracy within 0.5% in full pipes and 2% in partially full pipes and channels. It is designed to produce no pressure loss through the measurement section, saving energy.

The flowmeter measures flow bi-directionally in full pipes, open channels, and gravity-flow pipes flowing partially full through surcharged. The unit provides multiple-path, transit-time flow measurement in up to eight paths in a pipe or channel where distorted-flow profiles or cross-flow components may exist. The 7510+ can be configured for multiple pipe/channel applications and one unit can measure up to a maximum of four pipe or channel sections.

The unit is equipped with industry-standard inputs and outputs for compatibility with existing supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) or plant control systems. All Accusonic transducers are compatible with the 7510+, including designs for hazardous area installations, exposed pipes of all materials, buried or encased pipes, and pipes and channels that cannot be dewatered.

AccuFlow Windows-based software is available for easy flowmeter setup and configuration on a notebook PC. The flowmeter’s data logger has 2 megabytes internal storage of measured and calculated variables. Diagnostic tools include signal travel times, sonic velocity, signal gains, signal-to-noise ratio, and error messages.

Monitoring Quantity, Quality
Forecasting water demand is a multifaceted undertaking for a large municipality. So many factors must be taken into account to ensure that a quality water supply will be available many months into the future, from the rate at which aquifers are recharged from local watersheds to variables that can reduce the quality of the water feeding the main water supply. Monitoring both the quantity and quality of the water supply puts managers in a position to make prudent strategic moves to conserve both water and dollars.

Several different information systems from In-Situ Inc. are available that give managers access to critical forecasting information that facilitate this critical decision-making. These systems include the Level Troll Series systems, which monitor a wide variety of variables that form a comprehensive picture of potable water availability for a municipality. The Aqua Troll 200 system monitors the water supply for key quality measures such as conductivity and salinity. Troll Link Telemetry systems are not information systems in the sense of the others; rather, they make data gathering more efficient and help to reduce costs. Level Troll 300, 500, and 700 instruments provide long-term monitoring and resource management functions.

Long-term groundwater monitoring involves the development of historical data on groundwater aquifers to determine water influences and usages for residential planning, water rate billing, contamination plume direction, groundwater-surface water interaction, seasonal water demand, and other related issues. The lake and reservoir monitoring function tracks water levels over extended periods of time to determine yearly demand and supply.

For stormwater monitoring, data is collected on the amount and rate of stormwater runoff, so that managers can calculate the recharge rate into groundwater aquifers. In municipal and process monitoring, water levels in an established water system are monitored by attaching the Level Troll logging instrument directly to a SCADA or programmable logic controller (PLC) system.

Level Troll instruments are controlled by In-Situ’s Win-Situ software, which also is used to set up and manage the system. Win-Situ 5 software is included with the purchase of Level Trolls 300, 500, and 700 instruments. It is also included with the purchase of an In-Situ RuggedReader Handheld PC. Mobile software features include site data management; wizards to guide equipment setup; real-time indicators of instrument battery, memory, and alarms; and simple data export to Microsoft Excel and other analysis programs.

The Aqua Troll 200 system monitors water level, conductivity, temperature, and salinity. Some water conservation projects such as aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) and aquifer recharge use the system for long-term water level and conductivity monitoring during cycles of injection, storage, and retrieval. The system also monitors water supplies in coastal areas that may be susceptible to saltwater intrusion.

The Aqua Troll 200 system features SCADA and Telemetry readiness. It has built-in Modbus/RS485, SDI-12, and 4-20 mA output communications. The system is also calibrated and validated with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-traceable standards and real-time level compensation based on water density.

In-Situ cites the benefits that its Aqua Troll 200 system can provide an ASR system via the example of Lee County Utilities (LCU) in southwest Florida, which recently pioneered an innovative ASR system to manage freshwater supply challenges. In 2007 Florida experienced a statewide drought, forcing the state to implement stringent restrictions on water use. During the drought LCU took the opportunity to begin developing alternative water supplies and focused on innovating an ASR system.

ASR systems, which have become a viable municipal water-storage alternative in the past 10 to 15 years, can store large amounts of water deep underground and can reduce the need to develop expensive surface reservoirs. Aquifer storage eliminates evaporative losses that occur in surface water reservoirs and provides better protection from tampering. These systems may restore and expand the function of an aquifer that has experienced long-term declines in water levels from heavy pumping conducted to meet growing urban and agricultural water needs.

LCU’s ASR development program is designed to supplement fresh water supply on demand. Its program may model a similar strategy for utilities in other coastal states.

During the wet months of July through January, LCU’s Corkscrew Water Treatment Plant transfers 330 million gallons of treated groundwater into the Middle Hawthorn aquifer. The stored water is retrieved during the higher-demand months of February through April via five DEP-permitted Class 5 Injection Wells. According to Randy Edelstein, an LCU hydrogeologist, managing the stored water supplements water supply during high-demand periods and can also mitigate saltwater intrusion into existing groundwater supplies, depending on aquifer formation.

LCU is using self-powered Aqua Troll 200s to monitor and communicate well level and water-specific conductivity measurements via SCADA or cellular telemetry. Managers are using a RuggedReader handheld PC with Win-Situ Mobile software to review and evaluate measurements onsite.

In-Situ Troll Link Telemetry systems are designed to provide expedited access to water level monitoring devices. The water-level monitoring devices help managers to monitor aquifers for groundwater levels and reservoirs, lakes, and streams for surface-water levels, so that they can better manage and conserve water resources. Continuous water level monitoring can also keep equipment running smoothly, because lowered aquifer levels can lead to pump burnout and pumps are very expensive to replace.

Monitoring of water supplies can be even more immediate with a means to read the water-level monitoring devices remotely. Troll Link Telemetry systems are designed to alert users to changes in the matrix that would not have been observed until a site visit. In the process the systems can allow rapid data acquisition while reducing manpower and vehicle costs. In addition, these systems can gauge the status of the remote sensor and the potential need for recalibration or cleaning to improve accuracy.

Agricultural Water Use Optimization
One of the most-high-tech industries in the world, agriculture depends on timely data for successful long-term planning. Optimal use of water is not just an environmental stewardship issue—it’s the most important factor in maximizing crop yields. Modern technology is making it possible for farmers to continuously monitor soil conditions for the purpose of incorporating just the right volume of this key ingredient at just the right time.

An example of the available optimization technology is the Stevens Agricultural Monitoring (SAM) System, which utilizes the company’s Hydra Probe sensor to monitor multiple soil variables and helps the user to make informed crop management decisions. The sensor collects and analyzes all possible variables that impact soil conditions. These variables, which include weather, irrigation, and fertilization, are compiled to show the user their impact on the root zone of the crop.

The system indicates to the user information such as fertilizer transportation, irrigation effectiveness, soil temperature, soil moisture, and salinity levels. The data collected by the SAM System in the field is transmitted to the user’s base station PC for analysis of variables and conditions influencing the crop. The data are displayed in graphs and charts, or the user can customize them. The SAM System can also provide evapotranspiration management procedures by crop type based on local-published irrigation guides.

The Hydra Probe is designed to be compact and rugged for suitability to remote and harsh conditions. A defined sensing area allows accurate measurements in regions where there are strong soil moisture gradients, such as near the soil surface. Response time to changing soil conditions is immediate, and the user can calibrate the probe by simply selecting a sand, silt, loam, or clay soil type.

Multiple sensors can be connected to any RS485 or SDI-12 data logger with a single cable. Sensor data can also be sent directly to a radio modem through a small RS485-RS232 converter. The Hydra Probe uses an electromagnetic signal propagated from the center tine of the probe to measure multiple parameters. Onboard software converts the voltage to standard units of measurement for each parameter. With a standard database or spreadsheet, managers can view real-time soil snapshots or long-term soil trends.

Continuous Monitoring
Continuous monitoring of a municipal water supply can help city managers to maximize the amount of available drinking water—not to mention save money as they optimize their treatment resources. Two YSI Inc. systems, nitrate analyzers and a vertical profiling system, allow managers to analyze a municipal water supply in real time and make any necessary reservoir water-release or treatment adjustments.

According to YSI, a good example of a municipality that could benefit from using these systems is one surrounded by farmland that generates runoff with a high concentration of fertilizer. The chemicals in the runoff can contaminate the drinking water supply unless the source water is continuously monitored and adjustments are made to mitigate the impact of the pollutants on the drinking water.

A water quality alert that results from contamination by compounds from agricultural runoff can interrupt the supply of potable water—a catastrophic situation. Fertilizer and herbicide runoff from surrounding farmland that is heavily planted with corn make their way into the city’s rivers and on-stream reservoirs. YSI 9600 Nitrate Analyzers can allow the city’s water lab to determine the quality of the city’s source water prior to treatment. The analyzers can serve as a key component of continuous monitoring systems located outside the city’s water plants that draw directly from local impoundments and reservoirs.

These continuous monitoring systems can track rapid increases in nitrate that otherwise would be missed with sampling programs. The In-Situ analyzers give them a constant supply of data, providing accurate measurements of nitrate concentrations every hour.

The early detection system can give plant personnel the timely data it needs to treat the water, or, in those cases when a treatment system is not available, at least issue warnings to the public if the plants release this water into the distribution system.

An YSI Vertical Profiling System can give the city the capability to monitor other parameters besides nitrate. Another byproduct of farming, an herbicide called atrazine, runs off into local rivers and reservoirs and tends to form an invisible, harmful layer above the thermocline. The hot weather also leads to algal blooms and low-oxygen conditions.

Ensuring that relatively clean water enters the plant, so that it is easier and less expensive to treat, can save the municipality significant money over the course of a year. Continuous monitoring of reservoir water can help managers choose appropriate water release points and predict potential water quality degradation. The Vertical Profiling System can provide real-time data and guidance for adjusting the city’s reservoir withdrawal or release elevation and treatment methods at the plant. The system uses a profiler coupled with a multiparameter water quality sonde that can allow managers to continuously monitor stratification, thermocline depth, pH, conductivity, algal biomass, and dissolved oxygen levels throughout the water column. This data can be tracked on a municipal intranet, eliminating the need for staff to take samples.

Installing the Vertical Profiling System near a dam with multiple release gates staged at various depths can ensure that the cleanest possible water enters the reservoir. The YSI profiler—a floating platform and mechanical winch—lowers the sonde into the water column and then raises it, taking readings at user-defined intervals. Managers can analyze the thermocline near the dam, identify the optimal layer, and then inform the plant, which releases to open.

YSI sondes also can provide an even earlier warning system. The sondes can be deployed in rivers and reservoirs, so that they detect increases in chlorophyll levels. Detecting when an algae population is on the rise can alert the staff to a nuisance bloom likely resulting from agricultural runoff. Since the species of algae vary and respond differently to treatment, the lab will go out to the river and collect samples for cell identification. These data can be transmitted to the municipal intranet to alert the staff that a site visit may be necessary to gather detailed information, such as cell identification and toxin analysis.

The samples might indicate that the algae species is non-threatening, can clog the city’s filters, and is a toxic variety that will require chemicals to remove it from the water supply, or adversely affect the taste and odor of the water. Algae treatment can be costly and involve the use of potassium permanganate or powdered-activated carbon, which can cost $6,000 to $10,000 per day. The use of algae data monitoring can allow municipal staff to manage an algae problem only when algae levels are elevated.

Monitoring Products, Services Themselves
A public-private partnership program, jointly managed by the EPA and National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International, is a monitoring system of sorts for water products and services.

In June 2006 the EPA launched WaterSense, a voluntary public-private partnership and labeling program designed to educate American consumers on making smart water choices that save money and maintain high environmental standards without compromising performance. Building owners, commercial tenants, and homeowners can inquire about the availability of WaterSense-certified landscapers and about plumbing fixtures. According to the EPA, adopting water efficient products and practices could save enough water to allow the average household to save 30,000 gallons per year—an ample amount to supply a year’s worth of drinking water to 150 of its neighbors.

NSF International, a non-profit organization that certifies products and writing standards for food, water, and consumer goods, has been approved by the EPA to test and certify sinks and toilets under the program. To meet the certification criteria, products and services must perform at least 20% more water efficiently than conventional ones.

In October 2006 the EPA issued its first set of specifications to certify landscape irrigation professionals who adhere to WaterSense water conservation standards. Approved certification programs test for the ability to design, install, maintain, and audit water efficient landscape irrigation systems. Certification criteria include tailoring systems to the surrounding landscape and local climate conditions; selecting equipment, laying out irrigation systems, and setting up proper scheduling and auditing systems that deliver water unequally or inefficiently; and identifying ways to improve performance. The first programs approved under the WaterSense Program were the Irrigation Association’s Certified Irrigation Designer Program and Certified Irrigation Contractor Program. These programs test for the ability to design, install, and maintain water efficient landscape irrigation systems tailored to the surrounding landscape; select water efficient equipment; track local climate conditions; and develop appropriate schedules for watering.

In addition to irrigation, an initial focus of the WaterSense program was bathrooms. In a residential setting, bathrooms are, by far, the largest use of water in the home and consume half of total indoor water use. The EPA estimates that installing a WaterSense-labeled high-efficiency toilet (HET) and faucet or aerator would allow American homes to save more than 11,000 gallons each year.

In January 2007, NSF announced its participation in a new certification program designed to verify the water efficiency and performance of HETs, whose use would save up to an estimated 900 billion gallons of water each year. Toilets that meet this certification use 20% less water than standard models and are independently tested and certified to perform as well as or better than conventional models. As an EPA-licensed Certification Body, NSF oversees the program, which includes product testing. The testing includes that which ensures that HETs consume no more than 1.28 gallons per flush while successfully meeting all required performance testing. More than 60 HETs meet the certification.

The EPA and NSF followed this announcement with the launch of a product specification for bathroom sink faucets in October 2007. This specification is actually more stringent than the general guideline of a 20% improvement in conservation; fixtures that achieve this certification use about 30% less water than conventional models. To meet the criteria, faucets and accessories, such as aerators, cannot flow at a rate of more than 1.5 gallons per minute, or less than 0.8 gallons per minute.

The use of certified lavatory sink faucets or faucet accessories would save about $650 million in energy costs and more than 60 billion gallons of water each year, according to the EPA. According to NSF, WaterSense-labeled faucets not only save water, but they also save energy used to treat, pump, and heat water. NSF estimates that running a faucet for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours. Future plans to expand the program may include requirements for showerheads, irrigation control equipment, and other commercial equipment. More information about the program, including certified plumbing fixtures and landscaping contractors, is available at www.nsf.org/info/watersense or www.epa.gov/watersense.