Cloud-based Water and Wastewater Monitoring Equipment Modernizes Water and Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Written by Dave Breisacher | Jun 24, 2025 12:00:37 PM

One of the biggest challenges in managing water and wastewater facilities is the need for constant oversight and real-time visibility. These facilities must deliver safe drinking water and prevent environmental contamination. Continuous monitoring of conditions such as pump status, flow rates, equipment function and tank levels is essential.

Modern water and wastewater monitoring equipment enables facility operators to remotely track environmental conditions and system status. These systems eliminate the need for on-site supervision, offering real-time data and alerts to improve response times and operational efficiency.

For operations spanning large areas or multiple locations, centralized monitoring is key. Managing sites individually can be inefficient and increases the risk of oversight.

To meet these challenges, many treatment plants now use cloud-based water and wastewater monitoring equipment such as the the Sentinel™ PRO system. These platforms offer centralized control, scalability, and advanced integration capabilities across multiple assets and locations.

Limitations of Outdated Software-Based Methods

Older plants often use software-based monitoring systems that operate on legacy platforms or hardware. These outdated solutions are costly to maintain and lack the flexibility needed for multi-site operations. Technology issues can hinder communication with SCADA, PLC or HMI systems. Problems include:

Computer failures
Software updates
Hardware breakdowns
Power loss
Network/firewall issues

These systems are difficult to maintain and often miss critical alarms.

Transition from Auto Dialers

Auto dialers were once standard for remote alerts, serving as secondary callout tools when primary systems failed. They relied on analog lines or dial-up modems. However, they're increasingly expensive due to:

Licensing fees
Secondary software needs
Dedicated hardware
Network maintenance
Line costs

With copper lines being phased out by telecom providers, auto dialers are now obsolete, as they can’t meet the needs of today’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) driven environments. Modern facilities need flexible, scalable and affordable water and wastewater monitoring equipment.

IIoT and Wastewater Facilities

Cloud-based remote monitoring systems are IIoT solutions that revolutionize wastewater management. These solutions provide real-time monitoring, control, and optimization of operations like lift stations and pumping stations—essential for maintaining wastewater flow and that transport wastewater to treatment plants at higher elevations.

Staffing shortages mean early detection is vital. Cloud monitoring allows remote, 24/7 access, minimizing downtime and preventing costly environmental clean-up costs and environmental fines if untreated wastewater is discharged into the environment. Historical data analysis supports predictive maintenance.

The system also supports predictive maintenance through trend analysis, allowing facilities to proactively identify signs of wear or failure.

Sentinel PRO Cloud-based Monitoring

The Sentinel PRO monitoring system offers a comprehensive IIot solution for water and wastewater monitoring. It reduces costs and eliminates the need for extensive hardware or backup dialers.
Key features include:

Real-time centralized monitoring of multiple facilities
Instant alerts via email, text, or voice
Secure access from any PC or mobile device
Trend analysis with automatic data logging

Additional capabilities:

SCADA/PLC integration via Modbus
Compatibility with third-party sensors
No additional hardware needed
Remote management via Ethernet or cellular
Secure, supervised cloud storage

A Reliable, Secure Monitoring Across Facilities

The Sentinel PRO continuously collects sensor data from equipment located across the site. Each monitored condition requires an individual sensor input connected to the base unit.

One monitoring device can track up to 64 Modbus registers and 12 different digital or analog status conditions, including:

Power, pumps, and tank levels
Flow, pressure, and temperature
Humidity and leaks

Facilities can integrate additional monitoring through external sensors to detect temperature anomalies, flow rates, power failure and security breaches.

If a connection is lost, it sends offline alerts. Data is logged locally and uploaded when service resumes. Users can set custom alert rules.

Supervised Connectivity and Enhanced Security

Unlike legacy systems, the Sentinel PRO system includes a supervised connection that sends an alarm if it loses server connectivity for over 30 minutes. Even during outages, it continues to collect and store data. Alerts can be customized by alarm type, day, time, and with sequential or simultaneous contact preferences.

It also issues alerts if any Modbus register fails—ensuring awareness if communication with PLC or HMI systems breaks down. Sentinel PRO uses private, monitored cloud infrastructure with redundant servers to ensure uptime and security.

Unlimited Data Storage for Historical Analysis

The system uses IoT-based architecture to offer unlimited secure data storage. Historical sensor data can be reviewed indefinitely to:

Identify trends
Improve performance
Support predictive maintenance

This eliminates the need for manual recordkeeping, logbooks, or chart recorders.

Access Anytime, Anywhere

Data is accessible through the Sensaphone website and mobile apps. Users can:
• Acknowledge alerts
• Generate reports
• Review real-time and historical data
• Visualize trends through interactive graphs

As a built-in data logger, Sentinel PRO enhances decision-making and operational insight for modern water and wastewater facilities.

Cloud-based water and wastewater monitoring equipment is essential for modern wastewater treatment operations—especially across multiple or remote locations. Unlike outdated software-based systems, cloud solutions offer scalability, real-time insight, seamless integration, and enhanced security. Sentinel PRO delivers continuous visibility and control, empowering facilities to operate more efficiently and proactively.

Get more information about the Sentinel PRO system.

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