Global Code Technology (GCT), an official partner of Arantec, in Costa Rica, begins the implementation of the project called “Smarty Water Management.” This project arises from the need to improve water management carried out by the Asociación Administradora del Acueducto Rural de Paquera Centro de Puntarenas (ASADA), which is responsible for supplying drinking water to approximately 1,000 users.
The project aims to install the necessary equipment and infrastructure to transform the potable water distribution system, in order to have real-time data that allows for the correct decision-making for proper water management and, consequently, avoid situations that result in economic losses and impact on water resource management.
To carry out the process of modernizing SmartyPlanet measurement devices, a proposal for “Smarty Water Management” has been established based on the following actions:
- Collection of background information such as studies conducted, existing photographs, topographic surveys, etc.
- Obtaining geographical coordinates of the main elements of the network where measurement devices will be placed.
- Taking photographs or collecting existing ones.
- Infrastructure analysis: assessing the condition of tanks, water wells, and strategic points of the network to determine if they have electricity, equipment installation booths, or mobile coverage, among other factors.
- SmartyPlanet proposal.
During the process of collecting background information, obtaining coordinates, and analyzing the infrastructure, it has been found that ASADA has a mixed water extraction system consisting of gravity and pumping.
The system, known as Paquera, is composed of nine sectors (neighborhoods or hamlets) and obtains water from the El Tigre stream through a 100 mm (4″) PVC pipe to the Guarial tank. From there, water is distributed by gravity through a 150 mm (6″) PVC pipe.
The storage and distribution tank has a capacity of 220 m3, is semi-buried, made of concrete, well-painted and labeled, and is located on private property.
In order to have knowledge of both the flow rates from the stream and the flow rates in and out of the Guarial tank, as well as the level variations, the following aspects have been monitored:
- Instantaneous flow rate in the 100 mm pipe entering the tank using a non-invasive flow meter.
- Level of the Guarial tank, with a height of 2.2 m and a section of 100 m2, measured using a level sensor.
Both sensors are connected to the datalogger, which collects flow and level data and sends it to the Cloud servers via GPRS provided by the Kolbi company, where the Smarty platform is hosted.
Therefore, through these sensors and the web platform, it is possible to have knowledge of the available water resources for ASADA and obtain economic benefits such as reducing overflows in the tank, optimizing chlorine dosages, improving the intake and distribution network, etc.
The following images show the real-time data displayed on the Smarty Planet platform.
Arantec thus begins its international expansion in Costa Rica through its Smarty Water solutions in a country that is 100% supplied with clean energy, such as Costa Rica.
Mario Losáñez Tejedor
Civil Engineer
