NSVA installed overflow monitoring equipment at night in Helsingborg

NSVA (Nordvästra Skånes Vatten och Avlopp) is a municipal water and wastewater company that supplies drinking water, treats wastewater, and manages stormwater in the municipalities of Bjuv, Båstad, Helsingborg, Landskrona, Perstorp, Svalöv, Åstorp, and Örkelljunga. A total of 250,000 residents depend on NSVA’s ability to maintain control over the water and wastewater networks. Part of the monitoring in the coastal city of Helsingborg is carried out using the multisensor node Fenix Hub X.

Keeping track of overflow discharge in the wastewater network is crucial for maintaining a safe underground infrastructure. Wastewater networks are often affected by large amounts of infiltration water due to leaks that allow rainwater and stormwater to enter the system. Causes may include frost damage, ground movement, old concrete pipes, loose pipe joints, root intrusion, and incorrect connections. In coastal municipalities, seawater can also flow back into the system.

“You often hear that for every cubic metre of clean water that leaves the system, you may get up to ten cubic metres of wastewater back,” says Johan Stigsson at Aqua Robur.

Helsingborg wanted to replace around twenty battery-powered Fenix Hub nodes in the city with the new, more secure and updated generation featuring improved sealing. Fenix Hub X is the next generation IoT device, designed to make data collection even simpler, more robust, and more flexible. With NB-IoT/LTE-M connectivity, no gateway or investment in additional radio infrastructure is required. Thanks to smart energy-saving functions and optimised alerts, battery life is further extended, providing a reliable solution with minimal maintenance.

To minimise disruptions for residents caused by temporary closures, the installations in the manholes were carried out at night.

“Even though our solutions are easy to install, we assist with many installations. In Helsingborg’s case, it was especially important, as the work had to be completed quickly and smoothly within a limited time frame,” says Johan Stigsson.

The overflow monitoring, carried out with millimetre-precision radar technology, provides data that helps ensure wastewater does not overflow into watercourses. It is also important to identify the sources of infiltration water. If certain overflow discharge locations correlate more with rainwater than others, actions can be planned more effectively. A significant increase in wastewater during heavy rainfall can, for example, affect water quality at swimming areas. “With the installation of Fenix Hub X, NSVA now has the measurements and data required to plan ahead and minimise the risk of wastewater flooding in the future,” concludes Johan Stigsson.