LEE-DICKENS Ltd

Author: Penny

Precision VMI for Food Production: Telemetry Solutions for Silos and Tanks
As outlined in the previous article, Smart Silo Monitoring: Revolutionising Inventory Management with Lee-Dickens, the commercial value of remote stock visibility is now well established. The engineering reality of Vendor Managed Inventory in food and powder handling, however, is determined less by the concept itself than by the quality of the measurement chain behind it. In practice, replenishment decisions are only as dependable as the field instrumentation, installation geometry, update interval, and data interpretation applied at the vessel.

For bulk powders and food liquids, the technical ground truths are straightforward. Deliveries cannot be scheduled accurately unless usable inventory is measured consistently across varying vessel geometries, changing product behaviour, and live production draw-off. Powders stored in vertical silos with conical discharge sections do not present a flat, stable surface to a sensor; liquids in horizontal cylindrical tanks do not convert linearly from level to volume without correct strapping or geometric compensation. Across both formats, telemetry must therefore be engineered around the physical storage asset, the product characteristics, and the operational delivery model rather than treated as a generic level indication exercise.

The monitored product range is not limited to flour and sugar. The same telemetry architecture is routinely applied to ingredients such as vinegar, citrus concentrates, palm oil, olive oil, malic acid, and glycerine, provided that the sensing method, process connection, and installation arrangement are selected to suit the medium and vessel configuration. In VMI environments, that level of engineering precision is not optional; it is the basis on which stock visibility, delivery planning, and supplier accountability are made technically credible.

The Strategic Importance of Bulk Ingredient Storage

A bulk ingredient vessel is often the primary buffer between raw material delivery and the production line. In a typical bakery or food-processing setting, a flour silo, edible oil tank, or liquid ingredient vessel may support several shifts of continuous operation. The failure to accurately track the depletion of that asset does not merely result in an administrative inconvenience; it leads to production interruption, emergency delivery surcharges, stock rotation problems, and potential waste of intermediate batches.

By implementing a VMI strategy supported by Sitewatch Anywhere, food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and logistics companies can work from the same live operational picture. This allows production teams to focus on manufacturing efficiency, gives suppliers a dependable basis for replenishment planning, and enables transport planners to schedule deliveries against real site demand rather than manual estimation. Even on sites with multiple silos or tanks, telemetry remains critical: it enables delivery sequencing to be optimised across the vessel group, reduces the likelihood of older stock remaining unused in a secondary vessel, and creates maintenance windows in which an individual silo or tank can be isolated without production planning being reduced to guesswork. In that respect, the system is a practical win-win across the full delivery cycle rather than a tool used solely by the vessel owner.

The Sitewatch Mini RTU: a compact telemetry interface that provides the monitoring intelligence, irrespective of vessel geometry, when paired with the appropriate field transducer.

Technical Challenges in Powder and Liquid Inventory Measurement

Monitoring powders such as flour or sugar is inherently more complex than liquid level sensing, although liquid vessels introduce their own geometric and installation constraints. The physical properties of bulk solids lead to several phenomena that can compromise the accuracy of a simple top-down level measurement, particularly in tall silos with conical hoppers.

Coning, Bridging and Ratholing

Powders exhibit a high angle of repose, which results in coning during the filling and discharge phases. As material is drawn from the conical bottom of the silo, a funnel-shaped void often forms in the centre, a condition known as ratholing, while the outer edges remain at a higher level. Conversely, moisture, compaction, or inconsistent particle behaviour can cause bridging, where the material forms a solid arch across the diameter of the silo, leaving an empty space above the discharge valve despite a high level reading at the top. Telemetry does not remove these flow characteristics, but historical usage patterns, refill response, and depletion anomalies can make them visible early enough for operations staff to intervene before a stock-out or false assumption of available inventory occurs.

Dust, Atmospheric Interference and Sensor Position

Pneumatic filling processes generate significant airborne dust within the silo headspace. This environment can attenuate ultrasonic signals and can also create difficult reflection conditions for non-contact sensors if the installation geometry is poor. For powders, weigh scale arrangements based on load cells are generally regarded as the gold standard, because total vessel weight is measured directly and the clogging, bridging, and irregular surface profile issues inherent in non-contact level methods are largely avoided. Where radar or ultrasonic measurement is used, the sensor should not simply be aimed down the centreline; for conical or uneven powder surfaces, mounting at approximately two-thirds of the radius from the centreline is typically preferred in order to obtain a more representative average height, rather than repeatedly measuring the peak or valley of the product cone.

Abstract technical representation of coning and bridging phenomena in powder silos.

Implementation of Sitewatch RTUs

To address these challenges, LEE-DICKENS Ltd. provides a specialised telemetry package centred around the Mini RTU and the MIDI-10 RTU. The Mini RTU is the monitoring intelligence rather than the storage asset itself: in engineering terms, it is the brain, not the bucket. It is designed for rapid integration with existing plant infrastructure and is well suited to monitoring one or two silos or tanks where a compact, localised telemetry node is required. The MIDI-10 RTU is the heavier-duty option for larger silo farms and denser installations where additional I/O capacity and broader site integration are needed. In practice, many food-production sites deploy a mix and match arrangement of Mini RTUs and MIDI-10 RTUs according to vessel layout, signal density, and the physical spread of the asset base.

The RTU interfaces with the selected field instrumentation, which may include load cell systems, radar transmitters, ultrasonic devices, pressure-based level instruments, or other process signals appropriate to the application. Levels are monitored live and in real time, with the RTU continuously observing process conditions so that no event is missed, while data logging runs alongside at configurable intervals, for example every 15 minutes, to create an accurate historical record for reporting, audit, and trend analysis. This dual approach provides immediate visibility for operational decisions while building a robust long-term dataset. It also allows a common telemetry architecture to be retained whether the monitored asset is a single 40-tonne flour silo, a horizontal cylindrical vinegar tank, or a multi-vessel edible oil installation served by a larger silo farm controller.

"The integration of Sitewatch telemetry onto our flour silos has transformed our logistical planning. We no longer rely on daily manual 'dipping' or weight estimations. The real-time visibility allows our suppliers to optimise their delivery routes, ensuring we are always topped up before a critical production run."
: Operations Director, UK Commercial Bakery Group

Sitewatch Anywhere: The VMI Dashboard

The data acquired by the RTU layer is presented through the Sitewatch Anywhere interface. This platform allows food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and logistics companies to monitor levels across multiple sites through a unified, secure portal.

The Sitewatch Anywhere interface provides live silo analytics for multi-silo food-production sites, including real-time status, estimated delivery amounts, and inventory planning insight for powders and liquids such as flour, white vinegar, and vegetable oil.

The dashboard is configured to provide:
- Live Status Updates: Real-time percentage and tonnage readings for each silo.
- Consumption Rate Analytics: Predictive modelling that estimates the time-to-empty based on current production speeds.
- Estimated Delivery Amounts: Calculated figures indicating how much product was included in the last delivery, derived from the recorded inventory immediately before and after the delivery window and adjusted for the average ongoing consumption during that period.
- Automated Alarms: SMS and email notifications triggered when levels breach pre-defined low or high setpoints.
- Historical Trending: Analysis of usage patterns to identify long-term efficiencies or supply chain bottlenecks.
Aggregate Silo Views

Where a site contains multiple silos holding the same ingredient, Sitewatch can present those vessels as a single aggregate or "virtual" tank within the dashboard. In practical terms, three separate 40-tonne flour silos can be grouped into one high-level inventory view, allowing suppliers, logistics planners, and manufacturer inventory managers to assess total flour availability across the whole installation rather than interpreting each vessel in isolation.

This aggregate view is particularly important for delivery planning and consumption analytics. It converts redundant storage capacity into a single operational data point, making it easier for logistics teams to schedule replenishment against the true site total and for manufacturer inventory managers to understand combined stockholding and depletion trends without losing visibility of the individual silos. At the same time, the underlying silo-level data remains available for operational decisions such as maintenance isolation, stock rotation, and individual vessel performance review.

Hardware Integration and Installation

For food-grade environments, hardware must be installed with minimal disruption and adhere to strict hygiene standards. Our installation and commissioning services ensure that sensors are mounted using appropriate process connections (e.g., DIN flanges or hygienic couplings) that prevent material ingress or bacterial growth.

Ultrasonic or radar sensors are securely mounted to provide non-contact, high-accuracy measurement.

Both the Mini RTU and the MIDI-10 RTU are housed in robust, IP65-rated enclosures suited to harsh industrial environments, including washdown conditions common in food production. The RTU footprint and mounting arrangement can therefore be selected to suit constrained positions around silo banks, tank farms, and mixed-ingredient storage areas without imposing on the mechanical design of the vessel itself.

Conclusion: Driving Efficiency through Data

The transition to a VMI model for food-production silos and tanks is a logical progression for manufacturers seeking to modernise their supply chains. By leveraging the technical expertise of LEE-DICKENS Ltd. and the reliability of the Sitewatch Anywhere platform, companies can mitigate the risks associated with manual inventory management and the physical complexities of both powder and liquid storage. The engineering emphasis remains on selecting the correct sensing strategy, integrating it cleanly with plant instrumentation, and delivering dependable telemetry intelligence to those responsible for supply continuity.

For over 60 years, LEE-DICKENS Ltd. has specialised in the design and manufacture of high-integrity process monitoring and control systems. From bespoke contract electronics manufacture to advanced telemetry and SCADA systems, we provide the technical foundation for critical infrastructure across the industrial, military, and utility sectors. Our Sitewatch Anywhere platform remains at the forefront of the IIoT revolution, offering unparalleled reliability for remote asset management.

About LEE-DICKENS Ltd.
Established in 1962, LEE-DICKENS Ltd. is a leading UK-based manufacturer of industrial electronics and process instrumentation. We provide fully bespoke engineering solutions, including signal conditioning, power monitoring, and the Sitewatch RCMS platform. Our expertise spans demanding environments, from Internal Drainage Boards to military defense contractors, ensuring long-term, reliable partnerships for critical infrastructure monitoring.
2 June 2026
Smart Silo Monitoring: Enhancing Inventory Visibility with Sitewatch Anywhere
In the high-volume environment of industrial food manufacturing, the management of bulk ingredients represents a critical logistical challenge. Whether storing powders such as flour and sugar or liquids like oils, vinegar, and citric acid, the ability to maintain precise inventory visibility is paramount. Most sites already operate local monitoring arrangements, whether through gauges, local HMIs, or existing level instrumentation, but these arrangements do not always make the data readily available to offsite decision-makers.

As production schedules become increasingly complex and supply chains more volatile, the role of Sitewatch Anywhere is to extend existing site visibility by moving critical silo data into the cloud. This allows inventory position, usage trends, and refill planning data to be shared more effectively with suppliers, logistics teams, and billing staff, regardless of where they are located.

Technical Complexities: Liquids vs. Powders

The physical properties of ingredients dictate the instrumentation required for accurate measurement. Liquids, such as vegetable oils or vinegar, generally maintain a uniform, level surface due to gravity. This allows for relatively straightforward measurement using hydrostatic pressure sensors or ultrasonic level transmitters. However, powders and granulated solids present a significantly more complex set of variables.

The Challenge of Coning and Bridging

When solids like flour or sugar are loaded into a silo, they do not settle evenly. Instead, they form a “cone” or “peak” at the entry point. Conversely, as material is drawn from the bottom, an inverted cone or “rathole” can form. This phenomenon, known as coning, can lead to significant errors in volume calculation if measured by a single-point sensor. A sensor measuring the peak will over-report inventory, while one measuring the trough will under-report, potentially leading to critical stockouts.

To mitigate these inaccuracies, Lee-Dickens employs advanced signal processing within the Sitewatch Anywhere ecosystem. Converting a measured height into a meaningful volume or weight is also technically challenging where vessels are not simple cylinders, particularly where conical bottoms, dished sections, or horizontal cylindrical tanks are involved.

Lee-Dickens has extensive experience in linearising these irregular shapes so that reported stock figures remain technically credible and operationally useful. Where the highest measurement certainty is required, weigh scales remain the preferred method and the ultimate gold standard, because they are unaffected by coning, bridging, product surface profile, vessel geometry, dielectric variation, or liquid properties, and therefore perform equally well for both powders and liquids. Where direct level sensing is used, the preferred instrumentation is typically Vega radar technology for its precision and repeatability, although existing legacy sensors already installed on site can also be integrated without difficulty. By integrating appropriate sensing hardware and applying sophisticated algorithms, the system can calculate a true inventory position while accounting for the irregular topography of the material surface.

Handling Erratic Usage Patterns

Food production rarely follows a perfectly linear consumption model. Seasonal demand, machine downtime, and batch-specific requirements lead to erratic use patterns. Standard monitoring systems that rely on simple “high/low” alarms are reactive; they notify operators only when a crisis is imminent.

Sitewatch Anywhere utilises historical data to transition from reactive monitoring to proactive management. The platform analyses consumption rates over time, filtering out “noise” and temporary fluctuations to provide a steady-state consumption trend.

Remote dashboards are configured to present usage analysis, live silo level displays, and trend data, allowing operators and logistics planners to review both current inventory position and rate-of-use behaviour from a single interface. Bespoke schematic layouts can also be provided through the web-based platform, so the screen presentation reflects the customer’s actual process rather than a generic dashboard.

When local site data is made available through the cloud, the same information can be reviewed by production, logistics, supplier, and commercial teams without requiring them to be physically present at the plant. This is particularly useful where stock planning, tanker scheduling, and invoice verification are handled across different offices or by third-party partners.

Sitewatch Anywhere can also monitor multiple silos of different sizes as separate assets while presenting a combined aggregate inventory figure for the site as a whole. This allows individual stock positions to be reviewed without losing sight of total material availability across the facility.

This allows the system to generate two critical metrics:
1. Expected Time to Empty (ETE): A countdown based on the current rate of consumption, informing production managers exactly how much operational runway remains.
2. Possible Refill Point: This identifies the earliest moment a delivery can be accepted without risking a silo overfill, known as ullage management.
Optimising Delivery Logistics and Ullage Management

The cost of logistics in the food sector is high, and failed deliveries due to insufficient silo capacity, often known as “blow-backs”, are both expensive and a significant safety risk. Ullage, the volume of empty space available in a silo, must be calculated with absolute precision before a tanker is dispatched.

A primary benefit for logistics managers using Sitewatch Anywhere is the ability to synchronise deliveries with real-world capacity. The system ensures that a tanker is only called when there is sufficient ullage to accept a full load. This prevents part-load surcharges and minimises the carbon footprint of the supply chain.

Associate accounts can also be provided, allowing inventory and usage data to be shared directly with third-party logistics teams or suppliers so that delivery planning can be streamlined across the wider supply chain.

“Our bakery customers were often relying on incomplete stock visibility when managing their flour silo refills,” notes a Lead Engineer at a major UK flour mill. “That created avoidable delivery inefficiencies, particularly where the ’empty’ silo was actually a third full due to coning. The live data and predictive refill windows have made refill planning much more controlled.”

The Complexity of Active Delivery Measurement

A recurring technical issue in the industry is the estimation of delivery amounts when the product is being drawn from the silo during the delivery process. In a continuous production environment, the intake cannot always be isolated.

Sitewatch Anywhere resolves this by correlating the flow rate of the production line (draw-down) with the increase in silo level (intake). By subtracting the known discharge rate from the observed level increase, the system can provide a highly accurate estimation of the actual quantity delivered by the supplier. This data is vital for financial auditing and verifying that the manufacturer is receiving exactly what has been invoiced.

High-Integrity Infrastructure and Security

As food manufacturing is part of the UK’s critical national infrastructure, the security and reliability of telemetry data are non-negotiable. Sitewatch Anywhere is designed for maximum resilience, boasting a 99.97% uptime track record.

At field level, the standard telemetry hardware is the Mini RTU, a compact and cost-effective solution for remote monitoring that provides the high-integrity data link required for dependable Sitewatch Anywhere operation in demanding industrial environments. The Mini RTU is typically used for monitoring one or two silos.

For three or more silos, the preferred arrangement is either additional Mini RTUs or the Midi-10 RTU, depending on the number of signals and the wider site requirements. The Midi-10 can handle dozens of silos and is suited to larger silo farms or more complex monitoring duties.

This is the “Intelligent Modular Solution”, built around a high-performance processor with battery-backed RAM and designed as a wall-mounting unit with broader I/O capacity and modular expansion for high-integrity monitoring across larger silo farms and wider process applications. Although the focus here is silo monitoring, the Midi-10 RTU can accommodate a much wider range of inputs across a site, making it suitable for full plant-wide monitoring rather than being limited to inventory measurement alone.

Where required, the Midi-10 RTU can be installed in a panel or alongside DIN rail equipment, but it is equally at home as a standalone wall-mounted unit. The main advantage is its modular architecture and its ability to deliver dependable monitoring across multiple assets and process signals.

The standard Sitewatch Anywhere model is a subscription-based service. The subscription provides the data SIM card, cloud account hosting, secure data access, and remote support activities such as configuration updates and scaling changes. It is generally the most economical option because the IT overhead remains with Lee-Dickens rather than the customer.

For any site-based maintenance requirement, a comprehensive maintenance plan can be added to provide field-based service support and preventative maintenance. Maintenance is available in Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers. The Silver plan is generally the recommended option, providing a 24-month preventative maintenance cycle together with free parts replacement, excluding lightning damage. For more critical installations, the Gold plan provides a 12-month preventative maintenance cycle and includes lightning protection measures within the service package.

One of the key advantages of Sitewatch Anywhere is that it can be accessed by the customer on any browser on any device, with no software installation required. Where a customer prefers to retain infrastructure on-site, a local server can also be provided as an alternative deployment model:
- Private APN/VPN: Data is transmitted over private cellular networks, bypassing the public internet to prevent interception.
- SSL Encryption: All communication between the field hardware and the cloud server is protected by Industry-standard Secure Sockets Layer protocols.
- UK-Based Data Sovereignty: All data is hosted and managed within the UK, ensuring compliance with domestic data regulations.
Unrivalled Technical Support

Unlike generic “off-the-shelf” IoT solutions, Sitewatch Anywhere is backed by over 60 years of Lee-Dickens engineering expertise. Based in Kettering, our technical support team provides office-hours support as standard, ensuring that critical infrastructure receives informed technical assistance from engineers familiar with the application.

Official support is provided within office hours, although goodwill out-of-hours support is also provided whenever possible. When a food manufacturer contacts the support desk, they are speaking to engineers who understand the nuances of process instrumentation and the specific challenges of the food manufacturing environment.

Conclusion: A Partnership for Precision

The transition to Sitewatch Anywhere represents more than a hardware upgrade; it is a practical enhancement to existing monitoring arrangements. By mastering the physics of powder and liquid measurement and applying predictive logistics, food manufacturers can significantly reduce waste, prevent stockouts, and streamline their supply chain.

About LEE-DICKENS Ltd.

Established in 1962, LEE-DICKENS Ltd. specialises in the design and manufacture of high-integrity industrial and military process monitoring and control systems. From our UK headquarters, we provide bespoke engineering solutions ranging from signal conditioning equipment to the comprehensive Sitewatch Anywhere telemetry platform. Our commitment to reliability and technical excellence has made us a trusted partner for critical infrastructure management across the industrial, military, and utility sectors.

Optimise your logistics and prevent costly stockouts. Contact our engineering team today to discuss a bespoke Sitewatch Anywhere solution for your facility.

For further information on our range of telemetry and monitoring solutions, visit our products page or explore our cloud-based monitoring services.
20 April 2026
Future-Proofing Flood Resilience: Making the most of the £830m Defra Funding with Sitewatch Anywhere
Defra’s £830m flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) programme allocation for 2026/27 gives Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) a practical opportunity to modernise telemetry across pumping stations, sluices, penstocks, level monitoring points, and the broader “hard-to-reach” asset base that usually generates call-outs at awkward times.

For most Boards, the real issue is not whether funding is available, but how to turn that funding into measurable operational resilience: fewer avoidable site visits, clearer prioritisation during events, and a more defensible audit trail for decisions made under pressure.

This post takes a straightforward, engineering-led look at how IDBs can use the 2026/27 funding window to invest in Sitewatch Anywhere telemetry, with a focus on remote monitoring, real-time alerting, and data-driven maintenance. It also explains why the updated guidance point that asset refurbishments can be 100% funded is worth paying attention to when telemetry is treated as part of the asset improvement scope, rather than a bolt-on extra.

Note: IDBs should always confirm eligibility and scope with the relevant Defra/EA programme guidance and local approving authority for the specific scheme. The intent here is to outline a proven technical approach to “spend well” on resilience outcomes.

1) The operational problem IDBs are trying to solve

Across IDB districts, the same constraints keep appearing:
- Distributed assets over large geographies, frequently in remote or low-access locations.
- Power constraints (no mains available at outfalls and structures) and limited communications options.
- A heavy reliance on routine visits to confirm “all OK” status, especially outside pumping stations where inland level risk is driven by tide-locking, rainfall intensity, and localised blockages.
- During rainfall and tide events, the operational mode becomes reactive: teams are dispatched because “something might be happening”, not because instrumentation shows what is happening.
Telemetry is often discussed as a general improvement, but the technical value is specific: it reduces uncertainty. The correct objective is not “more data”; it is actionable signals: alarms, trends, and status that translate directly into dispatch decisions and maintenance prioritisation.

2) Why the £830m allocation matters specifically for telemetry

Funding rounds typically create two behaviours:
1. capital works that are easy to specify and procure, and
2. digital improvements that get postponed “until next year”.
The 2026/27 position is useful because it encourages Boards to treat monitoring upgrades as a core element of asset refurbishment (not an operational add-on). If refurbishment scopes can be 100% funded, telemetry can be packaged correctly as:
- instrumentation replacement or enhancement,
- new status/condition monitoring,
- improved resilience (e.g., comms/power upgrades),
- reduced operational risk through earlier detection.
In practice, this means a pump station refurbishment does not have to stop at MCC/panel works and mechanical overhaul; it can include the “eyes and ears” that make the refurbished asset easier to operate for the next 10–15 years.

3) The technical approach: problem → solution → benefit

Problem: limited visibility between visits

For many Boards, the interval between physical checks is still the dominant “sensor”. That works until it doesn’t: particularly when:
- a level rises quickly overnight,
- an outfall becomes tide-locked longer than expected,
- a pump trips but no one knows until the next visit or a phone call.
Solution: Sitewatch Anywhere telemetry as a standard layer across the district

Caption: A Sitewatch SCADA dashboard providing a high-level overview of multiple pumping stations across a district.

Caption: Real-time alerts on a tablet—allowing duty engineers to identify a tripped pump instantly from anywhere.

Sitewatch Anywhere is a cloud-based telemetry service operated by LEE-DICKENS Ltd., designed so authorised users can access live status via a browser (phone/tablet/PC) without taking on additional IT infrastructure.

Core building blocks typically include:
- level monitoring (ultrasonic, pressure, radar as appropriate),
- digital status and fault inputs (pump run/trip, door, intrusion, high level),
- optional analogue measurements (pressure, power parameters),
- remote diagnostics and event history,
- alarm routing and escalation.
Sitewatch Anywhere service entry point:
- https://www.sitewatchanywhere.co.uk
Related company context and services:
- LEE-DICKENS Ltd. main site: https://www.lee-dickens.co.uk
- Cloud-based monitoring service page (navigation reference): https://www.lee-dickens.co.uk/services/cloud-based-monitoring
- Telemetry & monitoring product area (navigation reference): https://www.lee-dickens.co.uk/products/telemetry-and-monitoring
Benefit: fewer “unknowns”, better dispatch decisions, better evidence

The operational benefit is not abstract. It is specifically:
- real-time alerts rather than discovery-by-visit,
- trend context (is level stable, rising, or oscillating?),
- improved tasking: crews go where attention is needed,
- a defensible record of what was seen and when, which matters after events.
4) What “future-proofing” looks like in real IDB deployments

Future-proofing in an IDB context is rarely about a single big system. It is about standardising a telemetry pattern that scales.

4.1 Remote locations: solar-powered monitoring at outfalls

Caption: A Lee-Dickens remote telemetry station powered by solar energy—ideal for tidal outfalls and remote monitoring points without mains power.

A common blocker is mains power at tidal outfalls. That is exactly where instrumentation is needed most, because the inland level behaviour can change rapidly with tide and rainfall interaction.

South Holland IDB deployed Micro Solar Packs (MSPs) reporting into their web-based Sitewatch pump station application at tidal outfall sluices, specifically because AC-powered alternatives were not economically justifiable in those locations. The units provided 15-minute updates (96/day) over cellular communications, supporting year-round monitoring without routine “just to check” site visits.

“The Micro Solar Pack enabled us to monitor our sluices at an affordable cost, providing us with regular water level updates throughout the year for a fraction of the cost.”
Karl Vines, Catchment Engineer, South Holland IDB

The key technical point is that solar-based telemetry is not a compromise when the system is engineered correctly; it is often the only viable way to create visibility in the parts of the network that drive the most uncertainty.

4.2 Quick wins: start with one station and expand

Feldale IDB provides a pattern that suits many Boards: start with a small telemetry deployment at a pumping station using cellular telemetry, subscribe to Sitewatch Anywhere, and then use the operational learning (alerts, trend behaviour, call-out reduction) to prioritise the next sites.

That model aligns well with a funding year because it allows:
- early delivery on a subset of assets,
- proof of operational benefit,
- phased expansion with a standard spec.
Reference: Official Reference: £1.4bn flood investment unleashed to protect homes and businesses – GOV.UK

5) Mobile Visual Verification: CCTV in Your Pocket

Caption: Visual verification via integrated CCTV—offering a live view of drainage channels and sluice gates as a complementary mobile tool alongside Sitewatch Anywhere.

Sitewatch Anywhere provides the telemetry data, alarm handling, trends, and alerting layer, while the integrated PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) HD colour CCTV is viewed through a dedicated selection in a smartphone app.

In practice, an operative can receive an alert in Sitewatch Anywhere, then immediately switch to the CCTV app on a phone or tablet to visually verify site conditions. That gives the team practical “eyes on the ground” wherever they are, whether in the office, at home, or already out on-site.

This makes it straightforward to:
- verify weed screen condition, water levels, and pump structures before deciding whether a visit is needed,
- check site status for security and lone working safety in line with HSE considerations,
- confirm environmental conditions before and after remote operations.
It works as a complementary mobile tool alongside Sitewatch Anywhere rather than as a direct in-dashboard video view, which is often the more practical arrangement for mobile operational teams making time-critical decisions.

6) Turning funding into a telemetry specification (without overcomplicating it)

Caption: Sitewatch Schematic Geographical Overview: A professional SCADA dashboard showing a logical schematic of watercourse levels and asset statuses across a drainage district.

To make telemetry spend defensible under a refurbishment or improvement programme, it helps to specify in operational terms rather than “install telemetry”.

A practical specification format IDBs can use:

6.1 Measurement and status points (typical)

Caption: A typical wall-mounted ultrasonic level sensor installation for non-contact monitoring.
- Upstream level (primary, referenced to ODN (Ordnance Datum Newlyn) where applicable) and downstream/tide level (where relevant)
- Pump run / pump trip / pump available status
- High-high level alarm (independent threshold)
- Door open / intrusion (where appropriate)
- Battery/solar health (for off-grid installations)
- Communications health (heartbeat, last update timestamp)
6.2 Update intervals and event behaviour
- Routine update interval suitable for catchment dynamics (commonly 15 minutes for level sites where rapid change is plausible)
- Event-driven uploads on alarm state change (trip/high level/door)
- Time synchronisation and a retained event log for audit
6.3 Alarm routing and escalation
- Role-based notifications (duty officer, operations team, on-call)
- Escalation if alarm not acknowledged within set time
- Clear alarm rationalisation (avoid nuisance alerts)
6.4 Data ownership and access
- Secure user accounts with role-based access
- Exportable trends for reporting and post-event review
- A clear record of configuration and change control (important for long-lived infrastructure)
7) How Sitewatch Anywhere supports data-driven decisions during events

During rainfall/tide events, the question is “what is happening now, and what should be done next?”

Telemetry supports this in three direct ways:
1. Situational awareness across the district
  Instead of ringing round or driving round, the duty engineer can see which assets are stable and which are deteriorating.
2. Faster fault isolation
  If a pump trips, the timestamped event combined with level behaviour often indicates whether the trip is consequential (level rising) or incidental (redundant capacity available). That changes the dispatch priority.
3. Post-event review and maintenance prioritisation
  Trend histories show which stations ran hardest, which sites sat tide-locked longest, and which sensors/structures were borderline. That feeds directly into winter maintenance and refurbishment planning.
The operational stance becomes proactive, because crews are sent based on evidence rather than uncertainty.

8) Where the “100% refurbishment funding” point can be used properly

The Boards that get best value from funding typically treat telemetry as part of:
- pump station refurbishment (panel/MCC upgrade plus monitoring),
- structure refurbishment (sluice/penstock works plus level sensing),
- comms resilience (cellular with appropriate antennaing, resilience planning),
- safety and access improvements (reduce unnecessary site exposure during storms).
This is not about dressing telemetry up as something it isn’t; it is about acknowledging that an asset upgrade without visibility often leaves the operational burden unchanged. A refurbished station that still requires frequent “prove it’s running” visits is not optimised for modern operational constraints.

9) A pragmatic rollout plan for IDBs (2026/27 funding year)

Phase 1 : Site selection and comms/power survey (2–4 weeks)
- Identify 5–15 priority assets: highest call-outs, highest consequence, least visibility
- Confirm cellular coverage and antenna requirements
- Confirm power: mains vs solar requirements
Phase 2 : Pilot installation and alarm tuning (4–8 weeks)
- Install telemetry, commission I/O points
- Configure dashboards and alarm thresholds
- Run through one rainfall event cycle and tune nuisance alarms
Phase 3 : Standardisation and scale-out (remainder of year)
- Freeze a standard telemetry I/O schedule per asset class (pump station, outfall, level site)
- Roll out in batches with consistent commissioning and documentation
- Align outputs with reporting needs (programme evidence, maintenance planning)
This pattern keeps delivery achievable inside a funding year and reduces the risk of large-spec systems that take too long to implement.

10) Next steps for IDBs
- Use the funding window to define telemetry as a refurbishment deliverable with a measurable operational outcome (alerting coverage, visit reduction, response time improvement).
- Start with assets where telemetry removes the most uncertainty: tide-affected outfalls, high-consequence pump stations, and remote level points.
- Build the telemetry layer as a repeatable standard, not a one-off project.
For Sitewatch Anywhere discussions relevant to IDBs: levels, pump stations, tidal outfalls, solar deployments: contact LEE-DICKENS Ltd. via the main site:
https://www.lee-dickens.co.uk

What Next?

If an Internal Drainage Board is planning 2026/27 funding work, a sensible next step is to identify the assets where telemetry and visual verification will remove the most uncertainty, then talk through a practical deployment approach. LEE-DICKENS Ltd. can provide a Sitewatch Anywhere demonstration and discuss suitable options for pump stations, tidal outfalls, remote level points, integrated CCTV, and wider refurbishment-linked monitoring projects. To arrange a chat or book a demonstration, call the office on +44 (0) 1536 760156 or email sales@lee-dickens.co.uk.

About LEE-DICKENS Ltd.

LEE-DICKENS Ltd. (www.lee-dickens.co.uk) has delivered high-integrity industrial and military process monitoring and control systems since 1962, specialising in bespoke engineering, telemetry and SCADA, and contract electronics manufacture. For IDBs and other operators managing dispersed assets, that means practical support with remote monitoring and control systems that are designed to be reliable, straightforward to deploy, and fit for long-term service in demanding environments. The Sitewatch platform supports remote monitoring and control of distributed assets, enabling clear status visibility, auditability, and dependable operational support where those requirements matter.
20 April 2026
Celebrating 30 Years of Partnership: Lee-Dickens Receives the VTScada Legend Award
In the field of industrial automation and critical infrastructure, longevity and technical reliability are the primary benchmarks of success. Lee-Dickens Ltd., a firm with over 60 years of expertise in industrial electronics and process instrumentation, was recently honoured at the annual SCADAFest with the VTScada Legend Award. This accolade recognises three decades of continuous partnership between Lee-Dickens and Trihedral, the developers of the VTScada software platform.

The award serves as a formal acknowledgement of the technical integration and deployment of high-integrity SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems across demanding industrial sectors. Since the inception of the partnership 30 years ago, Lee-Dickens has utilised this software foundation within its wider monitoring architecture, ensuring that critical assets: ranging from military navigation aids to regional water management systems: remain operational under rigorous conditions.

A Legacy of Engineering Excellence

Established in 1962, Lee-Dickens Ltd. has maintained a consistent focus on the design and manufacture of high-reliability instrumentation. The company's trajectory from producing rugged signal conditioning modules to providing comprehensive, cloud-based telemetry services reflects the broader evolution of the industrial landscape.

Within that progression, Sitewatch Anywhere has become the primary delivery platform for remote monitoring and control, with water management and silo monitoring representing the principal areas of deployment. The same engineering approach is also applied across gas installations and several other industrial sectors where dependable telemetry, alarming, and remote asset visibility are required. The underlying software layer provides a stable and resilient environment for complex data acquisition, while the Sitewatch service model remains the principal customer-facing solution. Over the course of 30 years, this alliance has supported monitoring systems that prioritise data integrity and system uptime. The "Legend Award" therefore marks not merely the passage of time, but the successful execution of high-level engineering projects requiring long-term support and technical continuity.

Technical Application: Water Management and Drainage Infrastructure

One of the most significant applications of the Lee-Dickens partnership is found within the water management sector, specifically concerning Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) and flood risk authorities. These organisations require precise, real-time data to manage water levels across vast geographical areas, often in remote or environmentally sensitive locations.

The technical challenge in these environments involves the synchronisation of field hardware: such as level sensors and pump status information: with remote telemetry units (RTUs). These systems must support continuous live updates at pumping stations, while solar-powered remote sites can be configured to back off to 15-minute reporting intervals where power budget and site conditions require it.

Case Study: Flood Risk Mitigation

In a typical deployment, the Sitewatch Anywhere platform receives data from the telemetry stations over secure and robust private links, including from solar-powered remote telemetry stations. This data is then visualised on centralised dashboards, allowing for the remote management of pumps and sluice gates.
- The Problem: Managing a drainage network with a 100,000 m³ void capacity requires instantaneous visibility of all assets. Manual monitoring is logistically impractical and presents a significant risk during high-precipitation events.
- The Solution: Implementation of a decentralised telemetry network using the Sitewatch RTU, a modular field device that can be adapted to increase I/O capability as station demands change. These units provide a unified view of the entire drainage basin through Sitewatch Anywhere.
- The Benefit: Transitioning from reactive to proactive maintenance. Operators receive automated alerts when thresholds are breached, enabling the activation of secondary pump systems before critical capacity is reached.
"The partnership with Trihedral has allowed us to focus on the human and operational outcomes of our technology. By utilising the underlying software platform as a reliable core, we can concentrate on the bespoke engineering of our systems, ensuring that the people responsible for critical infrastructure have the most reliable data at their fingertips. It is about placing the industry's needs first, with the technology serving as the silent, reliable enabler." : Andy Needham, Director of Engineering, Lee-Dickens Ltd.

For industries such as logistics, food production, and silo management, the ability to monitor tank levels or pressure gradients in real-time is essential for safety and regulatory compliance. In silo applications in particular, the primary operational benefit is real-time inventory visibility. This enables refill schedules to be planned before stock is exhausted, ensuring that the silo does not run empty, while also confirming that sufficient ullage is available before a road tanker is dispatched with a full load. The Sitewatch platform therefore supports both continuity of supply and more disciplined delivery logistics, in addition to providing historical trending and predictive analytics for optimised replenishment cycles and reduced operational downtime.

High-End RCMS Applications in Aviation and Defence

A further area of technical significance is the deployment of the Lee-Dickens Remote Control and Monitoring System (RCMS) at international airports and military airfields. These installations represent a high-end application environment in which reliability, presentation quality, alarm discipline, and integration integrity are subject to particularly close scrutiny. In such settings, remote monitoring is not merely a utility function; it forms part of the operational infrastructure supporting airfield systems and associated assets where service continuity and rapid fault visibility are essential.

The engineering value of these RCMS deployments lies in their ability to consolidate distributed field information into a robust supervisory environment that provides operators with immediate status awareness and dependable control pathways. For customers, this type of application carries additional strategic importance. The successful delivery of systems into international airport and military airfield environments provides visible evidence of engineering credibility, and gives end users confidence that the same design standards, hardware integrity, and software discipline can be relied upon across other critical infrastructure sectors.

Trial Success and Continued Product Rollout

The "Legend Award" also marks the success of recent trials in urban flood monitoring, where bespoke telemetry units were integrated into residential culverts to provide automated warnings to local authorities. The success of these trials has led to a wider rollout of the Sitewatch Anywhere service, with the strongest emphasis on water and silo monitoring, while further deployments continue across gas applications and other specialist sectors.

As Lee-Dickens enters its seventh decade of operation, the focus remains on high-integrity systems. The 30-year relationship with Trihedral provides a stable software foundation for future innovations in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and remote asset management, but the operational emphasis remains firmly on Sitewatch as the primary solution for field telemetry, visibility, and control. This award recognition therefore sits within a broader engineering heritage defined by long service life, dependable field performance, and the disciplined integration of software, instrumentation, and telemetry into systems that remain operational in demanding environments. It also reflects the same reliability demonstrated in recent work with Internal Drainage Boards, as outlined in Monitoring the Unreachable.

Technical Summary and Services

Lee-Dickens Ltd. continues to provide comprehensive solutions for industrial and military organisations requiring high-reliability monitoring and control. Our core competencies include:
- Process Instrumentation: Design and manufacture of sensors, probes, and DIN-rail signal conditioning modules.
- Telemetry & SCADA Systems: Deployment of the Sitewatch Anywhere service for real-time remote monitoring and automated control.
- Contract Electronics Manufacture: Bespoke equipment design and prototyping tailored to specific military and industrial specifications.
- System Maintenance: Long-term support and maintenance contracts to ensure the continued integrity of critical infrastructure assets.
With over 60 years of engineering heritage and a 30-year partnership with a leading SCADA software provider, Lee-Dickens remains at the forefront of technical excellence in process monitoring. For more information on how our integrated SCADA and telemetry solutions can enhance your operational efficiency, visit www.lee-dickens.co.uk.
20 April 2026
Sitewatch™ Airport RCMS & CMMS: Integrated Solutions

The operational integrity of modern international airport infrastructure is predicated upon the seamless acquisition and processing of vast quantities of technical status information. In environments where safety-critical assets, ranging from Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) to Ground Movement Radar, are distributed across wide geographical areas, the ability to centralise control and monitoring is not merely a convenience, but a technical necessity. As aviation technology evolves, the challenges associated with disparate hardware manufacturers and legacy communication protocols have intensified. To address these complexities, LEE-DICKENS Ltd. provides the Sitewatch™ platform, a specialised Remote Control and Monitoring System (RCMS) designed for the high-integrity demands of the Air Traffic industry.

The Technical Imperative for Integrated Monitoring

Modern airport facilities generate a significant volume of telemetry data every second. For engineering teams, the primary challenge lies in the extraction of actionable intelligence from this noise. A standard airfield might utilise primary and secondary surveillance radars, meteorological sensors, navigation aids, air ground radios, and emergency radios, each governed by unique proprietary software. Without a centralised integration layer, technical personnel are forced to interface with multiple workstations, increasing the risk of delayed fault detection and prolonged Mean Time To Repair (MTTR).

The Sitewatch™ RCMS addresses this fragmentation by aggregating data into a unified, high-resolution interface. By standardising data streams from diverse subsystems, the platform allows for a cohesive operational view. This integration extends beyond simple status monitoring to include comprehensive telemetry and monitoring of signal flows, power paths, and environmental conditions at each asset location.

The Pyramid of Graphics: A Hierarchical Approach to Situational Awareness

To manage the inherent complexity of airfield systems, Sitewatch™ employs a structured visualisation strategy that presents information in a tiered, hierarchical manner. This design is engineered to provide immediate situational awareness to different levels of airport personnel, from duty managers to diagnostic engineers.

Level 1: The High-Level Overview

At the apex of the hierarchy sits the Level 1 dashboard. This view is designed for rapid assessment by operational staff and is typically displayed on the Engineering Control Room's video wall for continuous live review. A primary example is the "Runway CAT Status" indicator. Through a simplified traffic-light protocol, the system provides a binary or tertiary status of the airfield's operational capability. A green indicator denotes full Category III operational status, while amber or red signals a degradation in category due to a system failure. This level of abstraction allows non-technical managers to understand the operational impact of technical faults without needing to interpret raw telemetry.

Level 2: The Drill-Down

When an alert is triggered at Level 1, operators can descend to Level 2 to identify the specific subsystem causing the degradation. This level categorises assets into functional blocks, such as MET (Meteorology), Radar, or Communications. By isolating the fault to a specific system, response teams can be dispatched with higher precision, ensuring that the appropriate specialised technician is assigned to the task.

Level 3: Technical Telemetry

The foundation of this hierarchical structure is Level 3, which provides exhaustive engineering diagnostics. This level is utilised by senior engineers to monitor real-time signal flows and sensor-level data. It includes detailed schematics of the internal components of a specific asset, such as a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) beacon or a Transponder, showing voltages, temperature readings, and bit-error rates. This granular visibility is critical for root-cause analysis and identifying intermittent faults that might not yet have triggered a Level 1 alarm.

Architectural Resilience: Engineering the "Always-On" Environment

The critical nature of airport operations necessitates a system architecture that is immune to single points of failure. Sitewatch™ is built on a foundation of high-availability hardware and redundant networking protocols.

Redundant RCMS Servers

Reliability is ensured through the deployment of redundant server pairs. These servers operate in a high-availability configuration, where data is mirrored in real-time across primary and secondary nodes. In the event of a hardware malfunction on the primary server, the system executes an automated failover to the secondary server. This transition is designed to be seamless, ensuring that remote control and monitoring functions remain active and that historical data logging is never interrupted. It is also straightforward to introduce further layers of redundancy with additional servers where required, particularly when the system is distributed across multiple airfields.

Inter-Site Connectivity and Global Control

For airports with multiple sites or distributed infrastructure, Sitewatch™ leverages redundant network links to maintain inter-site connectivity. This distributed architecture allows for global monitoring from a centralised Network Operations Centre (NOC) while maintaining local autonomy at specific airfield locations. If a primary communication link is severed, whether due to physical damage or network congestion, the system automatically reroutes traffic through secondary paths, such as dedicated fibre links or secure wireless backhaul.

Precision Synchronisation

Accurate event logging is a regulatory requirement in aviation. To maintain an immutable audit trail, all components within the Sitewatch™ network are synchronised to UTC Master Clocks. This high-precision time-stamping ensures that events occurring across different parts of the airport, such as an alarm on a Radar unit followed by a status change in an ILS, are recorded with sub-millisecond accuracy. This temporal precision is essential for post-incident investigations and performance auditing.

Convergence of RCMS and CMMS: Driving Proactive Maintenance

Historically, monitoring systems (RCMS) and maintenance management systems (CMMS) operated as independent entities. Sitewatch™ can bridge this gap by integrating a full Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) suite directly with the monitoring platform. In this context, the CMMS should be regarded as a value-added option for tighter operational integration rather than a core necessity for every deployment.

Users have indicated that the integration of real-time monitoring with maintenance workflow supports a more proactive operational posture, with developing faults identified earlier and maintenance priorities aligned more closely to live asset condition.

Seamless Workflow Integration

When a technical fault is detected by the RCMS, the integrated CMMS can automatically trigger a workflow. This includes the generation of a digital job card, the notification of the relevant engineering team, and the association of the fault with specific asset records. This automation eliminates the administrative lag that often occurs between the detection of a fault and the commencement of repair work.

Strategic Asset Management

The CMMS suite provides a centralised repository for all airfield assets. Every sensor, transmitter, and module is tracked throughout its lifecycle. Technical teams can access historical performance data, previous maintenance logs, and spare parts inventories directly from the monitoring interface. By correlating real-time telemetry with historical failure rates, Sitewatch™ enables predictive maintenance strategies, allowing components to be replaced based on actual wear and performance degradation rather than arbitrary schedules.

Application Focus: Navigation Aids and Surveillance Interfaces

The versatility of the Sitewatch™ interface is best demonstrated through its application in monitoring critical Navigation Aids (Nav Aids), Surveillance assets, air ground radios, and emergency radios.

Navigation Aid Monitoring

For critical assets such as the DME (Distance Measuring Equipment) Beacon, the HMI provides a comprehensive overview of the unit's health. Engineers can monitor the status of online transponders, verify power source stability (AC/DC), and ensure that communication paths are redundant and active.

Surveillance and MET Interface

In the surveillance domain, the telemetry flow for radar systems is presented through detailed schematics. Screens are often developed to mimic OEM monitoring solutions so that they remain familiar to engineers, while still maintaining a simple and intuitive interface. The system monitors the signal quality of Primary and Secondary Surveillance Radars (PSR/MSSR), antenna rotation speeds, and transmitter health. By visualising the signal flow from the antenna to the processor, engineers can quickly identify where a signal loss or degradation is occurring within the chain.

Interoperability

For organisations requiring broader systems integration, the Sitewatch™ RCMS can export data to third-party platforms and can also permit third-party systems to query the RCMS for live status information for ongoing analysis. This interoperability supports integration with wider operational technology environments without compromising the centralised monitoring function.

The LEE-DICKENS Standard in Airport Infrastructure

The implementation of an integrated RCMS and CMMS solution represents a significant advancement in the management of complex industrial environments. By providing a structured hierarchy of visibility, architectural resilience, and automated maintenance workflows, Sitewatch™ ensures that airport infrastructure remains robust, compliant, and efficient.

Since 1962, Lee-Dickens Ltd. has specialised in the design, prototyping, and manufacture of high-integrity industrial and military process monitoring and control systems. Our core expertise in Process Instrumentation and SCADA systems has established Sitewatch™ as a leading platform for critical infrastructure worldwide. With a track record of high-reliability performance in the most demanding environments, we provide fully bespoke engineering solutions tailored to the specific requirements of our global client base. From water management to military aviation, LEE-DICKENS continues to expand the boundaries of telemetry through our SitewatchAnywhere service, ensuring that our partners are proactive, informed, and always operational.

15 April 2026
Monitoring the ‘Unreachable’: How the Mini RTU Solves the Off-Grid Puzzle
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:
1. 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.
2. Health and Safety: Before remotely activating a pump or sluice gate, operators can visually confirm that the area is clear of personnel or livestock.
3. Lone Worker Support: Providing a safety ‘eye’ for technicians performing installation and commissioning or routine maintenance in isolated areas.
4. 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.
14 April 2026