The Water Supply Systems Operators in the Mexican cities of Morelia and Puebla, as well as Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao, Spain (Bilbao's Water Utility), are testing Datalogger IT for monitoring and controlling their hydraulic facilities.
Developed by Tekniker-IK4 and Obra Social de Kutxa [Kutxa's Benevolent Fund], the a.m. system aims to guarantee water quality and prevent leakage, overflowing and overpressure through remote control.
A small-sized, weatherproof technological solution, it requires no wiring and allows centralised, flexible, unattended and two-way data management.
‘Ingucap' as this project is named started two years ago and is part of the ‘Ingurutek' scheme addressing the development and application of electronic technologies in the sphere of the environment.

A new integral water management system developed by Tekniker-IK4 with funds from Obra Social de Kutxa is being trialled for monitoring hydraulic facilities in Mexico. The Water Supply Systems Operators in the Mexican cities of Morelia and Puebla, as well as Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao, Spain (Bilbao's Water Utility), are testing and evaluating Datalogger IT with a view to using it in their respective networks.

This is one of the applications of Ingucap, an ambitious project developed in Guipuzcoa over the last two years. It makes it possible to detect leakage, overpressure and overflowing immediately and remotely as well as to guarantee the quality of water. Datalogger IT consists of three core elements: a sensor, a node and an electronic board. It is small, weather-resistant and wireless.

The data logging system operates unattended, is stand-alone and remotely configurable, and it provides direct and immediate measurements. It is therefore a good preventative tool for anticipating possible incidents before they arise and avoiding water wastage, which generates savings.

The new system works on a single device, allowing centralised data management through the flexibility, bidirectional transfer and exhaustive control of all the established data. Implementing this system would benefit the two million odd inhabitants of Puebla - the metropolitan area with the fourth largest population in Mexico - and those nearly 700,000 persons living in Morelia. As far as it is concerned, Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao supplies drinking water and sewerage to 71 towns that with about one million residents account for 90% of the total population of Biscay.

The prototype is the product of the Ingucap (Drinking Water System Control and Monitoring Unit) project on which Tekniker-IK4 and Kutxa's Benevolent Fund have been collaborating for the last two years. The financial institution agreed to defray the cost of the project, while the Eibar-based technology centre was responsible for developing it.

The Ingurutek Project

Ingucap is part of Ingurutek, an ambitious scheme emerging from the collaboration between Tekniker-IK4 and Kutxa's Benevolent Fund, the aim of which is to develop and apply electronic technologies in the sphere of the Environment. For this purpose, the scheme was split into three sub-projects: Water, The Sea and The Air. Ingurutek channels investments of about three million Euro in high value-added projects that will have a bearing on Gipuzkoa's social and technological development.

As one of the embodiments of the wider scheme, the Ingucap project is premised on the following thought: The sole imperative of ensuring water supply to the population and complying with the legal requirements for its consideration as drinking water has so far ruled the management of water utilities. By contrast, it is presently possible to influence the demand, in addition to the offer, in order to derive environmental, economic and social gains.

Accordingly, the technological innovations brought in by Ingucap will enable simultaneous control of all water processes, from water collecting to its supply to the end consumer. That will lead to greater water saving and efficiency of use, which in turn will contribute to the protection of the environment and sustainable economic growth.

Specialists Companies

In developing the project, Tekniker-IK4 has benefitted from the collaboration of specialist companies, including Datalogger and Maser Mic.
Tekniker-IK4 is a Technology Centre with 25-year experience in applied technology research and transfer of same to the Basque industrial fabric. Owing to its high level of specialisation in four major areas (Mechatronic and Precision Engineering; Surfaces Engineering; Production Engineering and Automation and Manufacturing Technologies), it is in a position to offer its cutting-edge technology for all kinds of job. Developments it implemented during 2007 were worth more than 18 million Euro.

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