Water treatment plants rely on the coordination of many moving parts to maintain successful operation, and cable choice is particularly important because of the uniquely harsh environment. The main use of optical fiber in a wastewater treatment plant is for the interconnection of the distributed control units back to a central control room.
Traditionally, distributed control systems (DCS) have synchronized the varying wastewater in-flow rate with the rest of the plant. Although the recent introduction of optical fiber cabling to the DCS infrastructure has made it more reliable, the need for even more effective and affordable solutions is expanding. A fully integrated and centralized system is called a supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA). SCADA systems can benefit greatly from the use of fiber optic cables.
Perimeter control and security is also a growing concern that can be easily supported by robust fiber optic infrastructure.
