Enhancing System Efficiency in Northern Tuscany Water Utility, Italy

Modern water utility systems demand efficient pressure management to reduce non-revenue water and ensure remote connectivity for real-time monitoring and control. Addressing these needs, BERMAD's DELTA controller is increasingly recognized as a reliable modulation control solution. It delivers a significant performance enhancement to system efficiency, enabling utilities to manage hydraulic pressure anytime, anywhere.

Installation characteristics and challenges

In northern Tuscany, a water utility company has analyzed the water network's consumption using flow metering data, identifying six trends related to six different time slots during the day. According to this analysis, they concluded the optimal pressure set point that was assigned to each time slot.

In this application, the water utility observed low consumption during nighttime hours, with a peak in the morning lasting until 13:30. Consumption declined at lunchtime and rose again between 18:00 and 21:00. To maintain adequate pressure at all critical points in the system, a specific pressure set point was assigned to each time slot (as listed in the schedule above).

The utility in Tuscany installed a 12” (DN300) BERMAD 700 Sigma Pressure Reducing Valve years ago, which reduces upstream pressure to a lower constant downstream pressure, regardless of fluctuating demand. As time passed and the enhancement of this solution became necessary, a dynamic pressure management was applied, allowing the minimization of non-revenue water while ensuring sufficient pressure for all consumers, including those located in the critical points of the water system.

BERMAD’s solution

BERMAD has proposed the DELTA controller as a solution to increase the network's efficiency. This full modulation controller is a stand-out pressure management device for system optimization. It provides a significant reduction in non-revenue water (NRW), improved efficiency, a calmer network with minimal leakage and bursts. Hence, a reliable water supply and better service for consumers under the utility's care.

The pressure setpoints were based on the water utility's analysis of expected demand fluctuations. It was configured to dynamically adjust pressure to 6 different setpoints depending on the time of day.

The battery-operated controller works independently. It has been programmed to send data of upstream pressure, downstream pressure and other working conditions. The controller logs on pre-set time intervals, to the cloud twice per day, at 07:00 and again at 17:00, based on its open communication protocol that searches for the best connectivity in the area (4G / 2G NB-IoT). 

Once configured, the water utility can read the data remotely through the web and smartphone applications connected to BERMAD Cloud. The user can also change, if required, the pressure set points from the software, eliminating the need to physically arrive at the installation and manually recalibrate the valve, minimizing the required manpower.

The graph below present the dynamic pressure management solution during winter time:

Demand may vary according to the season. This area in Tuscany serves as a touristic zone therefore the demand changes substantially during the summer and system periodic changes are necessary. The graph below presents the dynamic pressure management solution during the summer:

It is possible for the user to receive a variety of notifications and alerts, based on different parameters such as pressure deviations, high-flow, controller battery consumption, or communication errors.

The DELTA is hydraulically connected to the valve's upstream (P1) and downstream (P2) pressures, as well as to the reducing pilot, via a unique unit of bias chamber (PCBU), in order to execute the dynamic pressure management. The controller can be easily connected to a flowmeter, allowing for dynamic pressure management according to real-time water consumption, instead of according to predefined time slots.