Armstrong Modernizes its Water Department Communications System

Upgrades to the Township of Armstrong’s communication system has made its water department more efficient.

In 2022, the Township invested $140,000 from the Canada Community-Building Fund into upgrading its communication technology for real-time data monitoring at its water and wastewater treatment facilities.

Prior to this upgrade, Armstrong was using a radio-based communication system to monitor six different locations. Not only was this type of technology becoming obsolete in terms of replacement parts, but it was also slow. Delays in transmission of data caused errors in the accuracy of information being received between locations.

The new computer system is able to track data and send information in real-time. Staff can now monitor all systems from one central computer at the water/wastewater main office.

In 2023, a new server and additional upgrades to the programmable logic control will allow staff to access the data remotely on tablets and phones, making it easier for them to track data outside of office hours and on-call.