Milwaukie public works demonstrates upgraded SCADA system for water and wastewater operations

Peter Pasquale, Milwaukie public works director, gave a demonstration of the city’s upgraded SCADA system at a council study session, describing the system’s design, recent installations and remaining refinements.

The SCADA upgrade began with a master plan completed in 2018 and moved through a multi-stage procurement. “We upgraded the programmable logic controllers … and then we also updated the communications from a, megahertz, broadband radio system to a cellular … wireless system,” Pasquale said, summarizing the scope of the work and the decision to separate communications from automation during the design process.

Why it matters: SCADA controls pumps, wells, treatment processes and monitoring that deliver and manage Milwaukie’s water and wastewater service. Pasquale told the council the overhaul aims to improve operator usability, automation, cybersecurity and system monitoring — and to reduce the time operators spend chasing intermittent communication faults caused by aging radio links.

Key details from the demonstration: - Timeline and procurement: City staff developed a SCADA master plan beginning in 2018, issued a request for qualifications, and in 2023 contracted with Technical Systems Incorporated (TSI) to perform much of the system integration and implementation. Pasquale said the project took longer than anticipated in part because the design required heavy operator input and COVID-era delays. - Hardware and software changes: The city replaced older panels and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) used to automate pumps and treatment processes. Pasquale presented live, read-only screens showing wells, reservoirs, tank levels and control set points used by operators. - Communications: The city moved from a 400-megahertz broadband radio network to a cellular-based system. Pasquale said cellular has generally been “a more robust, stable system,” but that the city has experienced occasional interruptions tied to wider carrier outages. To reduce outage risk at key locations, project work included installing broadband fiber to provide redundancy at several critical facilities, including the lower treatment plant and the Stanley Reservoir site. - Operator functionality and automation: Pasquale showed how new screens and automation allow staff to track reservoir elevations, chlorine dosing, generator status and pump set points, and to add automated alarms and trend reporting. He said the system came online “last summer” and staff continue to refine displays and add functionality based on operator feedback. - Legacy integration: Pasquale said the project had to be implemented while systems remained in operation, requiring a phased replacement and some continued use of legacy equipment while new components came online.

Questions from councilors focused on details of the zone mapping (how pressure zones serve different neighborhoods), where dedicated generators exist, and whether the software has self-learning or “AI” functions. Pasquale said the system does capture and store usage and elevation data that can be used for simulation and reporting, but “No” when asked directly if the SCADA deployment includes AI or self-learning automation.

What remains: Pasquale said a small number of refinements remain, including screen tweaks, automation rollouts and final generator telemetry additions. He also said staff plan occasional pilot or refinement work to tune communication “ping” rates and to continue improving operator workflows.

Pasquale closed by noting the SCADA deployment is now the city’s primary operations platform for water and wastewater, and the project team will continue modifications based on operator input.

Ending: Council members praised the demonstration and asked staff to continue reporting back on reliability metrics and any additional redundancy needs as staff complete the remaining punch-list items.