The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) provides water and wastewater
services to the Greater Detroit Metropolitan Area, supplying 43% of Michigan's residents
with water. The DWSD water system consists of 5 water treatment plants, 21 pumping
stations, 3,400 miles of large distribution mains, and a service area covering over a
thousand square miles. The wastewater system is comprised of approximately 2,900
miles of large pipelines and interceptors, 13 pump stations, 3 retention basins, and a very
large treatment plant (750 MGD avg. flow). Water and wastewater flows are remotely
monitored and controlled.
In February 2000, DWSD began a 4-year project to construct a modern, department-
wide supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system to allow coordinated operation of all of DWSD's water and
wastewater treatment and transport facilities. The contract replaces existing control
systems, constructs new control systems, refurbishes or replaces aged instrumentation, and
installs new field instrumentation.
One key feature of the new SCADA system is its ability to monitor and analyze
power consumption, enabling energy management strategies to be enacted. For example,
DWSD has a large base of backup power generation capability, which the new SCADA
system can use to shave peak demand and achieve cost savings. This paper discusses
all of the SCADA system abilities to improve energy efficiency, and presents how it will
achieve those objectives through planning, construction, and into operation. Includes table, figure.