Upgrade and Expansion of Water SCADA Network

Project Overview

A water and electricity utility company in the UAE runs and controls one of the most advanced utility networks in the Middle East, making sure that millions of people and businesses have access to reliable water and energy. The city’s water system spans approximately 16,000 kilometres and includes reservoirs, pumping stations and transmission pipelines. Rapid population growth and economic development have driven a significant increase in water consumption, requiring sophisticated technologies for efficient resource management.
The utility company started a significant upgrade of its Water SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system to keep up with the city’s accelerated urban expansion. The goal of this upgrade was to enhance cybersecurity, operations efficiency and reliability.

Challenges

  • Slow and ageing infrastructure that has limited scalability.
  • Facilities such as pumping stations, reservoirs, and desalination facilities are spread out and lack of fiber optic infrastructure.
  • Cybersecurity threats are increasing as a result of the integration of IT and OT networks.
  • Slow response times for critical alarms and fault detection.
  • Integration of legacy equipment to the new backbone network.
  • Undetected water leaks and challenging monitoring procedures.
Water SCADA

Objectives

  • Enhance real-time monitoring and control of the water network to guarantee continuous supply.
  • Minimize unaccounted water losses using sophisticated leak detection and fault management.
  • Reduce downtime and improve system resilience to meet the city’s growing demand for the years to come.
  • Scalable, future-proof, open standard and highly reliable network.
  • Improve operational efficiency using smart technologies, including AI and IoT.
  • Enhance operational efficiency by utilizing intelligent technology such as artificial intelligence and Internet of Things.

The utility company’s upgrade project is being implemented in several phases to prevent service disruption.

Phase 1 - Water Transmission SCADA Center Launched in 2014, aimed at the 2,300-kilometer water transmission network. Key elements included:

  • Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) and flow meters for real-time data collection.
  • Industrial-grade communication networks (fiber, industrial Ethernet switches, wireless).
  • Advanced SCADA software with Human-Machine Interface (HMI) for centralized operations.

Phase 2 (Ongoing) - Water Distribution Expansion The second phase expanded the SCADA network to the 4,600-kilometre distribution network.


Phase 3 - Launched a state-of-the-art SCADA Center in 2023, which integrates transmission and distribution networks. Features included:

  • Real-Time Hydraulic Modelling to enhance monitoring of water flow and pressure.
  • Training Simulator to equip operators in handling complex scenarios.
  • Predictive maintenance and planning using Advanced Analytics.
  • Expanded the SCADA network with over 10,000 devices across 3,000 kilometers.

Westermo, a Swedish company and a leading global brand of industrial data communication devices was chosen to provide robust, secure, and high-performance Ethernet switches for the vital communication infrastructure of the SCADA Network. Westermo switches replaced all of the existing and aging industrial Ethernet switches from other brand due to lack of cybersecurity and advanced functionalities.


Water SCADA


Westermo was selected by the utility company for the following reasons:

  1. Westermo has a strong global presence in water and power utility networks with numerous proven references in mission-critical SCADA systems.
  2. The utility company prioritises the protection of SCADA data against cyber threats and places a significant emphasis on OT cybersecurity. Westermo layer 3 switches are equipped with integrated firewall, VPN, and secure management functionalities that are not available in other leading brands.
  3. The Water SCADA network includes remote pumping stations, reservoirs, and distribution sites that are exposed to heat, dust, and electrical disturbances. Westermo switches and routers are designed to withstand harsh temperatures, humidity and vibration ensuring reliability in the UAE climate.
  4. Westermo switches use the WeOS operating system developed by Westermo that gives a unified software platform across Westermo’s networking products ensuring consistent functionality, management, and security. A common OS means consistent features across product lines, reduced training requirements, reduced maintenance complexity and simplified network expansion.
  5. Water distribution is mission-critical so any communication downtime can disrupt pumping and monitoring. Westermo supports open standard protocols such as STP and RSTP. They also developed a unique redundancy protocol FRNT (Fast Recovery Network Topology) for faster network recovery accommodating up to 200 switches per ring.
  6. Westermo designs its products with long-term availability and provides extended life cycle. This would eliminate the possibility of sudden end of life or forced upgrades.

Products Supplied by Easy World

Phase 1 – Industrial Ethernet Switches and LTE Routers

DEWA Water SCADA

Phase 2 – Industrial Ethernet Switches and LTE Routers

DEWA Water SCADA

Phase 1 & 2 – Network Configuration Tool and Network Management Software

DEWA Water SCADA

Solution Architecture

DEWA Water SCADA

Implementation Process (Easy World Contributions)

The deployment of Westermo switches and LTE routers was executed by different System Integrators. Key implementation steps included:


Proof of Concept, Network Design and Proposal

  • Executed a proof of concept with the utility company and system integrators.
  • Provided sample units to the utility company to test and evaluate internally.
  • Helped the customer in designing the network based from the project requirements.
  • Recommended suitable and cost-effective product models to use.
  • Provided all the necessary documents for the equipment approval.
  • Exclusively provided a buy-back program for the utility company.

Testing & Commissioning
  • Assisted with the configuration of Westermo switches and LTE routers, and improved network security.
  • Rigorous testing ensured seamless communication and simulated different network failure scenarios.
  • Sent Easy World’s FAE to witness and assist the site commissioning.

Training and Maintenance:
  • The network operation and maintenance team were trained on Westermo switches and management software ensuring effective operation and maintenance of the network.
Technical Support
  • Respond to all technical enquiries related to Westermo devices and Moxa NMS.
  • Sent Easy World’s FAE to the site if necessary.

Benefits

  1. Continuous operation with almost zero downtime across critical water infrastructure.
  2. SCADA network protected from external and internal threats due to enhanced cybersecurity.
  3. Centralised monitoring and fault diagnostics reduced maintenance times.
  4. The utility company has not encountered a single failure on Westermo products for the last 12 years.
  5. A long product lifecycle guaranteed sustainable investment and minimised the total cost of ownership.