The management of remote water infrastructure presents a persistent logistical challenge for Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) and water management authorities across the United Kingdom. Critical assets: such as remote sluices, drainage ditches, and culverts: are frequently situated in topographically isolated regions where the provision of mains power and wired telecommunications is economically unfeasible. Historically, these ‘unreachable’ locations relied on manual inspection regimes, which are inherently reactive, labor-intensive, and prone to delays during extreme weather events.
To address this gap in infrastructure visibility, Lee-Dickens Ltd. has developed a high-integrity solution combining the Mini RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) with the Sitewatch Anywhere cloud-based telemetry platform. This integration facilitates real-time data acquisition and visual verification in off-grid environments, transforming how critical infrastructure is monitored and maintained.
The Off-Grid Challenge: Power and Connectivity
The primary obstacle in monitoring remote water courses is the lack of a consistent power supply. Standard telemetry equipment typically requires a stable AC mains connection, which can cost tens of thousands of pounds to install in rural drainage basins. Furthermore, traditional copper-line telecommunications are often unavailable or being phased out in favor of digital-only infrastructure.
The Mini RTU is engineered specifically to operate within these constraints. Utilising low-power electronics and advanced power management protocols, the unit can be deployed using a solar powered arrangement or long-life battery systems. In a typical configuration for an IDB, the Mini RTU is programmed to wake every 15 minutes and report water level data: delivering 96 discrete data points every 24 hours: while maintaining a negligible power draw to conserve battery capacity.
Technical Specification Overview
- Power Supply: 12V/24V DC, solar powered or battery-only configurations.
- Communications: Integrated 4G LTE/5G cellular modem with secure private APN capabilities.
- Data Resolution: Remote solar-powered units typically wake and report at 15-minute intervals to conserve battery, with alternative polling strategies configurable where site power budgets permit.
- Environmental Protection: IP66-rated stainless steel or GRP enclosures for outdoor deployment.
- Inputs: Support for Vega radar sensors as the preferred method for water level monitoring, with ultrasonic sensors, pressure transducers, and digital status switches also accommodated.
Integrating CCTV: Beyond Digital Data
While numerical data provides the essential metrics for water management: such as head levels and flow rates: it lacks the environmental context necessary for total situational awareness. The integration of CCTV into the telemetry and monitoring framework allows for visual verification of site conditions.
For IDBs, visual verification serves several critical functions:
- Debris Detection: Sensors may report a rise in water levels, but a CCTV feed can confirm if this is due to a physical blockage (such as fallen timber or accumulated refuse) at a weed screen.
- Health and Safety: Before remotely activating a pump or sluice gate, operators can visually confirm that the area is clear of personnel or livestock.
- Lone Worker Support: Providing a safety ‘eye’ for technicians performing installation and commissioning or routine maintenance in isolated areas.
- Verification of Operation: Confirming the physical movement of a sluice gate or the discharge from a pump, providing a redundant check against digital feedback sensors.
The systems utilise 1080p high-definition cameras equipped with infrared day/night vision and Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) functionality. These are often configured in a “Patrol Mode,” where the camera cycles through pre-set positions to monitor multiple aspects of a facility automatically.
Sitewatch Anywhere: The Centralised Command Hub
The data generated by the Mini RTU is transmitted securely to the Sitewatch Anywhere platform. CCTV video is not streamed into Sitewatch Anywhere; instead, it is routed to a dedicated cloud platform for mobile viewing and visual verification alongside the telemetry workflow. This cloud-based SCADA solution centralises information from hundreds of disparate sites into a single, browser-accessible interface.
“The ability to view live status updates and high-definition video from a smartphone has shifted our operations from reactive to proactive. We no longer send teams out to check every alarm; we verify it visually first, saving significant time and fuel costs.” : Operational Manager, Regional IDB.
By utilising military-grade encryption and secure private links, Sitewatch Anywhere ensures that critical infrastructure data remains protected from unauthorised access while remaining accessible to authorised personnel on any device. This is particularly vital for process industry applications where uptime and security are paramount.
Trial Success and Product Rollout: The South Holland IDB Case Study
The efficacy of this technology is best demonstrated through its application by the South Holland Internal Drainage Board (SHIDB). Managing a network of 20 regional pump stations, sluices, and tidal stations, SHIDB required a system that could bridge the gap between traditional SCADA and modern, mobile-first monitoring, including the remote control of gates at critical locations.
The implementation involved the deployment of MIDI 10 units and Mini RTUs. A dual-comms architecture was adopted for the MIDI 10 sites, with Broadband as the primary connection and Cellular as the backup path for resilient communications. This rollout allowed the board to monitor and control remote sluice gates that were previously “blind” spots in their network. The result was a more resilient flood defence strategy, with the ability to monitor 100,000 m³ void capacities in real time, ensuring that pumping operations are optimised for both efficiency and energy consumption.
Facility Monitoring and Site Resilience
The Mini RTU does more than just monitor water; it monitors the facility itself. Integrated sensors can track:
- Intruder Alarms: Detecting unauthorised access to remote enclosures.
- Power Failure: Alerting operators to solar charging issues or battery depletion.
- Plant Status: Monitoring the health of backup generators or auxiliary equipment.
By consolidating these diverse data streams into the Sitewatch Anywhere ecosystem, water authorities gain a comprehensive overview of their entire asset portfolio. This holistic approach to site monitoring reduces the “Mean Time To Repair” (MTTR) by providing technicians with the exact nature of a fault before they even leave the depot.
Conclusion: Bridging the Infrastructure Gap
As climate patterns become increasingly unpredictable, the pressure on water management infrastructure continues to grow. The ability to monitor ‘unreachable’ sites is no longer a luxury but a technical necessity for maintaining public safety and environmental health.
The Mini RTU, backed by the Sitewatch Anywhere platform, provides a scalable, cost-effective solution for off-grid telemetry. By combining low-power data acquisition with robust site visibility, Lee-Dickens Ltd. enables IDBs and water authorities to maintain a continuous, reliable presence at the most remote reaches of their networks.
About Lee-Dickens Ltd.
Lee-Dickens Ltd. specialises in the design, prototyping, and manufacture of high-integrity industrial and military process monitoring and control systems. With over 60 years of expertise, we provide bespoke engineering solutions ranging from signal conditioning equipment to advanced SCADA and telemetry platforms. Our Sitewatch Anywhere service represents the forefront of remote asset management, delivering reliability in the most demanding environments. For more information on our range of RTUs and monitoring solutions, visit www.lee-dickens.co.uk.
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