Customer case study
Water | Wastewater
Redundant connections replace outdated leased
lines in authority’s wastewater SCADA system
Summary
• Northwest Bergen County (N.J.) Utilities Authority
needed to replace leased-line connections to the
wastewater SCADA system
• Antiquated remote terminal units (RTUs) needed to be
replaced with modern PLC-based control technology
• Phoenix Contact provided packaged RTUs featuring secure
cellular and backup PSTN phone-line connectivity
Schematic showing secure VPN connectivity via cellular connection
between the pumping stations and master location
Customer Profile
Challenge
The Northwest Bergen County
Utilities Authority serves about
75,000 people. Its wastewater plant
treats approximately 10.3 million
gallons of wastewater each day,
before releasing it to the Ho-HoKus Brook. Each local municipality
owns and is responsible for its
collection system. NBCUA owns
and operates the interceptor and
pumping station system.
NBCUA has been using leased lines to connect the RTUs in its
distributed pumping stations to the master SCADA at its plant in
Waldwick, N.J. According to NBCUA’s WWTP Supervisor, Rob
Genetelli, “[Leased] lines were incredibly unreliable and took days
to have fixed.” Not only did the communications medium need to
be replaced, but the old RTUs were only designed to work over
leased lines, so the RTUs needed to be upgraded as well.
Phoenix Contact
PSI-MODEM-3G/ROUTER
© 2013 PHOENIX CONTACT
Thirdly, because the new primary communications path is via the
cellular network, and therefore prone to fluctuations in availability
(particularly in times of emergency such as during Superstorm
Sandy), the Authority required a back-up means of communication.
Finally, NBCUA required that the new RTUs would interact
seamlessly with their existing Wonderware SCADA host. This
way, the system would have the same look and feel to the
operators who make critical decisions based on the data.
PHOENIX CONTACT • P.O. BOX 4100 • HARRISBURG, PA 17111-0100
Phone: 800-888-7388 • 717-944-1300 • Technical Service: 800-322-3225 • Fax: 717-944-1625
E-mail: info@phoenixcon.com • Website: www.phoenixcontact.com
Solution
Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority worked with
Phoenix Contact and its distributor, GCF, Inc., of Northvale, N.J.,
to find a suitable solution to these challenges. Phoenix Contact’s
Solutions Development team applied their engineering know-how
to design and build packaged RTUs that met the requirements of
the project.
The various pump stations are located several miles from the
treatment plant where the SCADA host is located. Each new
RTU communicates back to the plant over the cellular network
via GSM/GPRS Ethernet modems mounted in each new RTU
panel. These modems establish secure VPN communications
through the cellular network and Internet. Each GSM/GPRS
Ethernet modem also functions as a firewall, protecting the ICS
from accidental or intentional cyber threats.
NBCUA wanted to ensure communications between the pump
stations and the central SCADA host so that plant operators
always have an accurate picture of the condition of their system.
Although the cellular network is typically reliable, NBCUA
insisted upon a backup communications path. Each panel,
therefore, also contains an mGuard unit. In the case of loss of
cellular communications, the mGuard creates a secure connection
across the dial-up phone (PSTN) network.
This large project was handled efficiently and
cost effectively. My perception [of Phoenix
Contact] has only changed for the better.
Despite this wise precaution regarding redundant communications
paths, NBCUA’s Genetelli stated that the reliability of the cellular
network has “been exceptional.” After several months of
operation, when asked if the system switched over to the backup
dial-up modem connection at all, he commented, “Not at all.”
Each panel has an Inline Controller (ILC) to handle local
monitoring and control. NBCUA is so happy with the
performance of the new RTUs that they are considering adding
the following functionality:
•
•
Intrusion detection
Surveillance via IP camera
The RTU has enough inputs, and the cellular modem has enough
throughput to easily accommodate these added functionalities.
© 2013 PHOENIX CONTACT
Phoenix Contact provided packaged RTUs featuring secure cellular
and backup PSTN phone-line
Phoenix Contact provided integration assistance back at the
treatment plant, ensuring seamless connectivity, and enabling site
personnel to readily interact with the new hardware. The aim
was to provide continuity to the operators so they could keep
their focus on efficiently running their process, not on learning
new hardware or software.
Phoenix Contact configured NBCUA’s existing Watchguard
firewall to allow the appropriate new data streams, while properly
protecting their industrial control system (ICS). The operators
have grown accustomed to the existing Invensys WonderwareTM
SCADA interface, so Phoenix Contact helped ensure complete
integration of each RTUs data into that front-end.
Results
Upgrading the RTU system presented several challenges:
maintaining operations while replacing antiquated monitoring |
and control hardware; switching from leased-lines to cellular
communications; and adding backup PSTN communications.
All of this needed to be done, while also ensuring that the
industrial control system remained cyber-secure.
By working with GCF and Phoenix Contact, Northwest Bergen
County Utilities Authority was able to overcome the challenges
and realize an enhanced SCADA system. NBCUA was already
aware of Phoenix Contact, having used their components in the
past. Genetelli noted: “This large project was handled efficiently
and cost effectively. My perception [of Phoenix Contact] has
only changed for the better.”
PHOENIX CONTACT • P.O. BOX 4100 • HARRISBURG, PA 17111-0100
Phone: 800-888-7388 • 717-944-1300 • Technical Service: 800-322-3225 • Fax: 717-944-1625
E-mail: info@phoenixcon.com • Website: www.phoenixcontact.com