Upgrading Remote Monitoring for Municipal Wastewater Plant

This technical report outlines the modernization project undertaken by a Public Utility for Water and Wastewater in South Germany to upgrade its remote monitoring infrastructure in response to the impending 3G mobile radio standard shutdown. The utility operates 70 pumping stations and required a system that could ensure continued operation while transitioning from a 3G to a 4G cellular network. The existing Siemens TC35i modem and other components were incompatible with 4G, necessitating immediate replacement. The utility aimed for a future-proof solution that would also be compatible with 5G. FleX Automation GmbH was selected to implement the upgrade using the DA50A Advanced IIoT Gateway from Red Lion’s FlexEdge platform, which supports multiple industrial protocols and provides secure remote access via OpenVPN. The solution allows for the retention of existing controls and SCADA systems while ensuring robust data transmission and operational efficiency.