Madison Water Utility uses Longwatch Video Surveillance System

Phil Black - PII Editor 23/02/2009

189 1 minute read

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The system monitors 32 remote sites at the Madison, Wisconsin, water plant, transmitting video over low-speed wireless to Wonderware HMI/SCADA operator interfaces in the control room

One of the first images engineers at the Madison Water Utility (MWU) in Madison, Wisconsin, saw when they were installing their new Video Surveillance System from Longwatch was a platoon of soldiers, dressed in camouflage uniforms and carrying M16 machine guns, creeping across the property. The water plant survived that “invasion” and now monitors 32 remote sites with video cameras that transmit over a low-speed wireless network to Wonderware HMI/SCADA operator interfaces in the control room.

The system was surveyed and each site was carefully planned for coverage and vulnerability during October 2007 and installation work commenced in November 2007. Sites typically took one to two days to install the cameras and equipment. The cameras were then aimed, focused and calibrated. Wonderware SCADA software was used at the central office to manage and organize monitoring of the remote sites.

The video surveillance system uses a Wonderware HMI to allow the operator to monitor alarms, and view and manage video clips. The remote sites communicate with the main server via Ethernet radio connection to the HMI computer.

Today the system is fully operational and is monitoring the system 24/7. MWU can monitor its remote sites and know when someone has entered a site. Through the tour and live modes of Longwatch, they can check in on the assets protected by the camera system at any time of the day or night.

Since the “invasion,” Madison’s video system has identified intruders and graffiti artists and kept a secure eye on the premises.

About Longwatch
Longwatch, Inc. was founded by industrial automation and software veterans with the goal of simplifying video delivery over existing SCADA, HMI and distributed control networks. The result is the Longwatch Surveillance System™, a portfolio of products that enables SCADA system users to view events and easily verify alarms at local and remote sites using both legacy and new networking infrastructures. The system integrates video and system alarms on the same display for fast, reliable operation and decision-making.

Longwatch, Inc.
520 Providence Highway
Norwood, MA 02062 USA
Toll Free: 877-LONGWATCH
Phone: 781-255-7400