Case Study: SCADA with Fifty-One East Water
Discover how a non-profit rural water corporation, serving a population of 2,500 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, improved their operation with eLynx SCADA for less than $7,000.
After a demo by eLynx Water Solutions during the 2021 Oklahoma Rural Water Association’s Annual Expo in Stillwater, Scot McKaskle, general manager of Fifty-One East Water, reached out to talk more about the operational problems they were facing.
McKaskle noted that they did not currently have a SCADA system in place. Their current alarm-only system was unreliable and gave inconsistent results.
As a Non-Profit Rural Water Corporation, McKaskle wanted to understand how they could optimize efficiency and sustainability with the implementation of a SCADA solution. Many small water systems are accustomed to hearing six-figure bids for SCADA, but eLynx is beginning to change the perception of the cost of SCADA within the water industry.
SCADA does not have to be expensive or complicated. With eLynx Water Solutions, rural operators can get started with SCADA with just a four-figure total contract value. As the budget allows, districts can scale their SCADA system and grow gradually.
Courtney McMillian, an eLynx automation specialist, conducted an on-site field survey in Stillwater, Oklahoma. McMillian learned what SCADA needs Fifty-One East Water had and what they may need in the future.
eLynx was able to provide a phase one quote for monitoring and hardware that they found very reasonable. With just a $7,000 investment, eLynx Water Solutions provided the system with the following:
It took right at three weeks from the initial meeting to signed agreement to installation, which took three days to complete. McKaskle noted that the eLynx team is extremely easy to work with and within days of the eLynx application coming online, the SCADA system was already proving to be a wise investment.
McKaskle said, “eLynx detected a problem quickly for us concerning a failed valve. We have two pressure zones, and one of the control valves between the zones failed. We were alerted quickly by the monitoring in the pump station of the lower pressure zone, showing an outbound pressure increase with the pumps not running, while the pumps in the high-pressure zone were operating at higher-than-normal levels.”
McKaskle said that he and his team enjoy the ability to control alarm thresholds and create formulas that are right for their system. His team can be more efficient and can avoid becoming overly fatigued with alerts all day. With the right thresholds and formulas, his team receives only the most relevant and urgent alarms.
McKaskle has gotten into a routine and checks the eLynx application every morning on his phone using the mobile app to ensure everything is running properly. Because of the eLynx system, McKaskle and his team can:
Fifty-One East has gained valuable insight with eLynx’s SCADA monitoring services and control system. Not only does the system allow for increased visibility, but the system also drastically enhances their efficacy.
As McKaskle plans for the future at Fifty-One East water, he plans to utilize the eLynx Water Leak Detection kits to monitor critical points identified by engineers in their water system. eLynx’s Continuous Pressure Monitoring will allow the Fifty-One East Water to remotely monitor the pressure in their system and will alert them to any significant pressure drops indicating a leak.
With the low cost, McKaskle is installing 10 units across his system for approximately $10,000. With continuous pressure monitoring, McKaskle and his team will be prepared for the unexpected.
With eLynx, it’s not all or nothing. You can gain visibility into your system slowly, with very low upfront costs. Remote visibility into your water system is no longer a $100,000 investment. Get started with water leak detection services for as low as $5,000 per year.
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