A new case study explains how Paloma Irrigation and Drainage District bridged the gap between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) for seamless data flow and efficient management.

The Paloma Irrigation and Drainage District (PIDD) has been operating for over 100 years in Gila Bend, Arizona. It provides essential irrigation and drainage services to 30,000 agriculturally diverse acres and nearly 100 homes. More than just irrigation, the PIDD safeguards the environment and upholds the community's water rights.

The PIDD faced several pressing challenges, including high maintenance costs, limited monitoring and control, and inefficient manual operations. These challenges led them to look at industrial internet of things (IIoT) possibilities, which highlighted the need for a more modern, cost-effective, and data-driven approach to water management.

In this case study, read how PIDD bridged the gap between their operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) for seamless data flow and efficient management, propelling them into their SCADA expansion.

Topics: Case studies, Water & wastewater, IIoT, Raspberry Pi, MQTT, groov EPIC, groov RIO, digital transformation

ICC 2021 Discover Gallery finalist, Perceptive Controls, talks about their continued success with the Waterford, MI Department of Public Works

In February of this year, we looked at a pioneering MQTT Sparkplug project at the Department of Public Works in Waterford Township, Michigan. Thanks to the work of system integrator Perceptive Controls, Waterford’s project went on to become a finalist in the 2021 Ignition Community Conference Discover Gallery and was showcased in the latest Sparkplug Working Group virtual meetup. Recently, I followed up with Kevin Finkler, software engineer at Perceptive, to talk about using MQTT in the real world.

Topics: Case studies, Water & wastewater, MQTT, groov EPIC, Ignition

One community makes the leap into MQTT-based utility management

Formally organized in 1834, Waterford Township is located geographically in the center of Oakland County, Michigan, USA, and is home to over 72,000 residents. It is known regionally for its 34 lakes, from which it earns its name.

However, in the public utilities industry, Waterford is known for its leadership and persistent innovation in water/wastewater management. The Department of Public Works has been featured previously in an Opto 22 case study, and a generation later, DPW is working on another landmark project.

Topics: Case studies, Water & wastewater, MQTT, groov EPIC, Ignition, digital transformation

FCI Watermakers improves large-scale seawater reverse osmosis system design with groov EPIC.

Question: What do a yacht owner, an island resort, and a Las Vegas chef have in common?
Answer: They all need a reliable source of good fresh water—and they all count on FCI Watermakers to
provide it.

Topics: Water & wastewater, OEM, IIoT, EPIC, groov EPIC, reverse osmosis

When we announce a new product, we want you—our loyal customers and OptoBlog readers—to be the first to hear about it. 

And this isn't just one product. This is EPIC: the world's first Edge Programmable Industrial Control system—a brand-new I/O and control system built for the future of automation and designed for the way you work.

Topics: Energy management, Process control, Food & beverage, Discrete control, groov, Internet of Things, PLCs, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater, IoT, Machine builder, PACs, OEM, New products, Integrators, I/O, PAC Project, Building management, Oil & gas, PAC Control, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Node-RED, Data acquisition, MQTT, Ignition Edge, EPIC

When you're a smaller water/wastewater treatment district, it can be difficult to fund the SCADA systems you need.

All water/wastewater operations have to be strictly monitored and their data stored for reference, no matter the size of the district. 

Topics: Internet of Things, Water & wastewater, IoT, optonews, Integrators, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Data acquisition, OptoNews 2017-04-12

Once a haven for pirates, today Nassau and nearby islands host thousands of tourists.

One essential to keep tourists happy and healthy is fresh water, and most resorts rely on desalination to provide it.

Topics: Case studies, Process control, Water & wastewater, optonews, PACs, Integrators, OptoNews 2017-01-04

Vista Irrigation District, near San Diego in Southern California, is no stranger to change. 

For nearly 100 years the district has provided reliable water to farm and residential customers—through population growth, drought years, and changes in land use.

Topics: Case studies, Videos, Water & wastewater, optonews, Integrators, OptoNews 2016-09-28

From 1923 to the present, Vista Irrigation District has successfully battled THE two big Southern California issues: increasing population and drought. 

Transporting over 5 billion gallons of water each year, the district has hundreds of miles of pipeline and more than 30 remote sites. 

Topics: Case studies, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater, optonews, PACs, Migration, Integrators, OptoNews 2016-04-27

Do you monitor temperatures?

A lot of control engineers do, especially in fields like water treatment, refrigeration, thermoforming, refining, food processing, and energy or building management.

There are a variety of temperature sensors on the market—ICTDs, thermocouples, RTDs, thermistors, infrared sensors. Accuracy, cost, wiring complexity, and environmental conditions are some of the factors that determine which one is best for your application.

Topics: Energy management, Process control, Food & beverage, Water & wastewater, Machine builder, optonews, OEM, Integrators, OptoNews 2015-06-17