More than 1800 people are without water at the moment because a municipal water pump failed overnight.  Two pumps were in place, but when the first pump failed, the water pressure was not substantial enough to keep the second pump running.  It automatically shut down when the sensors detected the reduced water pressure.  This was a better alternative than burning up two pumps, of course.

When the first pump is replaced, though, some DDC controls should be added to the overall budget. Pressure and temperature should be monitored to ensure that the new pumps are operating properly.  In this way, any issues noted could be responded to and caught before either pump failed.   It appears that in the existing system there were no alerts in place to tell the facility managers that there was a serious and immediate problem.  The article did suggest that there were concerns that were to be addressed at a town meeting in the coming weeks.  There were suspicions could arise and that plans were going to have to be made to upgrade the pump system, but without proper alerts, the crew could not be aware of how serious the issue was. Instead, both pumps were down and the water had stopped flowing before anyone was aware of the severity of the issue.

This is a reactive way to maintain the town water supply. When it could have been an active process, if regular preventative maintenance and alert sensors were in place. With sensors like the Ultra Electronics Spring-Loaded RTD with 1/2″ x 1/2″ NPT Hex Nipple and the NoShok 100 series pressure transmitter, information on the performance of the pump can be viewed in real time, and proper decisions can be made in regard to pump maintenance and part replacements.

While the problem is addressed, water is being trucked in to address the needs of the townspeople.