Our client, Hungary Hydro Plus Ltd., has been specializing in the sale of wastewater and drinking water circulation pumps, as well as the installation of complex water pumping systems, for over 15 years.
The company has extensive experience in water treatment and utility infrastructure and actively participates in various technical developments—particularly in the field of wastewater lift stations and water/wastewater control systems.
WM systems has been working in close cooperation with his partner in the utility services sector for many years, where our industrial routers have been reliably used to enable communication between PLCs.
Hungary Hydro Plus approached WM Systems with the task of modernizing an outdated process control system that spanned multiple locations and had to meet clearly defined technical specifications. The existing system included several legacy PLCs that were not capable of communicating with each other, making replacement unavoidable.
The modernization required the deployment of new, interoperable control units and the implementation of a state-of-the-art mobile communication infrastructure.
PLC – Programmable Logic Controller, used in industrial automation for controlling electrically operated processes
Our partner selected WM Systems because we were able to deliver an industrial communication solution that ensured both reliable data transmission and seamless installation in space-constrained environments.
The selected PLC-compatible router features low power consumption, mobile internet capability, and a design specifically tailored to industrial environments with limited installation space.
One key challenge was the system’s reliance on solar power, meaning that both the communication devices and water regulation components were powered solely by PV systems. Under these conditions, ensuring the router’s stable operation with minimal power draw was critical.
Following on-site assessments and technical consultations, we recommended the DIN Rail LTE Router from our product portfolio.
This device offered several advantages: a favorable price-to-performance ratio, rugged industrial design, compact 1U DIN housing (similar to a miniature circuit breaker), easy wiring, and reliable LTE connectivity.
The router’s form factor enabled smooth integration with existing field devices, while also supporting the technical execution of the complex system architecture. WM Systems’ technical team was actively involved in both system design and implementation.
The system was deployed across multiple locations with varying functional requirements. One of the core components was the installation of the DIN Rail LTE router, which provided a private APN-based mobile communication network. It was supported by an IO/RS485 data concentrator responsible for collecting signals from digital inputs and relay outputs.
A primary objective was to measure pressure loss in real time following the booster pump stations. In a closed system, pressure levels should remain constant; therefore, any drop in pressure could indicate water loss or equipment malfunction. The system was designed to instantly detect these anomalies and report them to the central monitoring center.
The pressure measurement setup consisted of an Advantech 4–20 mA transmitter connected via Ethernet to the router, while the IO/RS485 concentrator handled fault signal collection. Data communication was performed via Modbus TCP protocol, with transmission to the central monitoring system over the LTE network.
The system was capable of issuing alerts—for example, in the event of a power fault (e.g. depleted PV battery) or critically low pressure—enabling timely intervention by operators.
Example Use Case: In the event of a power failure (such as a discharged PV solar battery) or critically low pressure readings, the system automatically sends an alert to the central control unit.
The project also included the implementation of a solution that allows the water supply to be automatically switched between two separate water supply circuits using five valves. This function proved essential during service disruptions or planned maintenance.
Operation
Control was handled by a Schneider M200 PLC, which responded automatically to commands issued from the utility provider’s SCADA system.
With the deployment of the modern LTE routers and upgraded control system, a stable, fast, and future-proof infrastructure was established. Operational reliability in water service increased significantly: failure rates dropped, service interruptions were minimized, and automation levels improved.
The investment delivered a rapid return thanks to reduced maintenance costs and fewer operational errors.
All functional requirements were successfully met by deploying only 29pcs DIN Rail LTE Routers across the entire project.
The cooperation between Hungary Hydro Ltd. and WM Systems is a benchmark example of process control modernization and the application of smart water technologies in the public utility sector.
The infrastructure developed in this project also provides a strong foundation for future extensions, such as:
Integration of additional sensors (e.g. temperature, current consumption, ventilation)WM Systems’ devices already support all of these features.
