Application of systems engineering to large scale water industry telemetry schemes

The UK Water Industry is undertaking a major programme of investment in supervisory and control technology for its existing plant. A total of over £150 million pounds will have been spent on these projects between 1985 and 1995. Such a major investment offers great opportunities to enhance operating efficiency and improve knowledge of plant performance so that resources can be best deployed to maximise the effectiveness of the water undertakings. However, the investment is spread over many thousands of sites and systems engineering offers the potential to direct the investment to best effect. This paper outlines the background to these projects and shows how a systems engineering approach has enabled direct cost savings and increased benefits to be obtained in one of these projects