IoT platform for failure management in water transmission systems

Abstract

In aging water supply systems, many components have exceeded their service life. Consequently, tools are needed to efficiently manage the failures in these systems. This work describes the development and implementation of a web tool for the management of breakdowns in water transmission networks. The proposed tool, called wAIter, consists of a network of wireless water pressure sensors that send real-time data to an IoT platform. The core of the platform consists of a rule-based decision algorithm, which detects and classifies failures based on the recorded pressure values and then sends an alert to repair them. In addition, wAIter uses the mathematical model of the hydraulic network to estimate the maximum repair time without causing supply interruptions. This information is key in the decision-making process to repair breakdowns and facilitate repair work management. Finally, the results of the implementation in a real water transmission network are presented.