Control- and Information System
for wastewater pumping and distributionin Berlin(LISA = Leit- und Informationssystem Abwasser)

Berliner Wasserbetriebe (BWB)
Division sewage-works
Cicerostraße 2410709 Berlin- 153 -Table of contents

1.

History

3

2.

Sewage-system of the BWB before LISA

4

2.1

System and operations

4

2.2

Existing operations-optimum

5

Central control of the sewage-system

6

3.1

Operations-concept

6

3.2

Advantages

7

3.

2

- 154 -

1.

History

The service and supervision of the Berlin wastewater pumping system has experienced
diverse changes in the last 40 years.
Since the 1960´s, a pumping-station-renewal-program was implemented in the westernpart of the city, that intended to automate 55 pumping stations until then operated
mainly by hand and to concentrate the control and operations in main pumping stations.
With the start of operations of the renewed pumping stations Bln IX in 1998 andWilmersdorf in 1999 the completion of the program and with it the concentration onseven main pumping stations occupied by personnel (Zhl, Stg, Chb, Wil, Spa, Wit andKrb) was reached.
The high stand of the automation-technology (programmable logic controller) as well asthe control- and supervision-technology (LSX) allowed for a continuously personnelminimization in the operation of the pumping stations, which was realized in 1996 with
the introduction of the new operation- and personnel-structure in the western part of thecity.
Parallel to this the wastewater pumping system as it was applied in the western part ofthe city was introduced also in the eastern part of the city after the consolidation of theVEB WAB Berlin with the BWB. The pumping stations of the eastern part were in extremely bad structural and technical conditions and were operated also mainly by hand.
Differently to the western part of the city only a few pumping stations were fully renewed
and the operation concept changed to inflow operation with deep set intakes and pumps
with little astringencies.
In order to reduce nevertheless the high costs for personnel a number of pumping stations (e.g. Ros, Buh, Fhg, Hdf, Kht I) have been automated and equipped with telecontrol using the existing buildings and pumps, knowing that this would mean a higher rateof faults and failures.
In the eastern part of the city six main pumping stations with their associated pumpingstations (Bri, Köp, Lbg, Mit, Mar and Pan) were formed. The mounting of the controland supervision-technology into the main pumping stations was finished with the realisation of the main pumping station Mitte (completion 2000). This included the supervision and telecontrolling of the affiliated automatically working pumping stations. Analogously to the western part of the city a new operations- and personnel-structure wasintroduced in the eastern part by 01.04.01, which led to a reduction of workplaces.
Seven pumping stations (Bln IV, XI, XII, Grü, Joh at, Hgt, Hsch) were left for operationby hand until the renewal, still equipped with old pumping systems.
The age-structure of the employees in connection with early retirement plans and partial
retirement led to the problem that necessary positions could not be reoccupied with regard to the remaining staff. Unforeseen departures still reinforced this problem.

3- 155 -2.

Sewage-system of the BWB before LISAThe operation of the sewage-system was as follows:
Under Äsewage-system ³the entire system for the sewage disposal is understood. It includes the following components:

Sewage-system =2.1

Sewer-network incl. storm water tanks
Wastewater pumping stations
Pressure mains system
Wastewater treatment plants
Discharge system of wastewater treatment plants

System and operations

The present operations and the current plans can be described as follows: Sewer-network
A management of the sewer-network doesn't take place normally for lack of available
controls that can be operated. In addition to the existing weir Seestraße it is planned
however to build more control-appliances.
Because of the lacking sewer management, the sewer-maintenance can be enforced
largely independently of the operation of pumping stations, sewer mains network or
wastewater treatment plants.
Controls of storm water tanks, mainly for emptying and cleaning, are realized by thepumping station personnel.
 Wastewater pumping stations and pressure mains system
Basis of the sewage-distribution through the pumping stations are the controllable,maximum sewage-streams, which are following the demands of the wastewater treatment plants regarding the technical conditions and the treatment limits. For eachwastewater treatment plant exists a so called ³coordinating main pumping station´,
which ensures the wastewater streams for the treatment plant by close adjustment
with the other main pumping stations and the possibilities of the pressure mains system.
The fulfilling of the wastewater treatment plant demands is largely guaranteed by thefact, that many pumping stations are able to reach several destinations using different pressure mains.
The control of the pumps, that means turn on and turn off of the pumps as well as adjusting the flow of the bigger pumps where possible through speed-control, takes
place essentially only as Älong-distance-hand-control³ from the responsible main
pumping station, provided an intervention is necessary into the normally leveldependent automatic control.
For control and supervision are all pumping stations assigned to one of the 13 main
pumping stations run by personnel.
4- 156 -In addition data are made available also for the coordinating main pumping stations,so that these can fulfil their tasks of wastewater delivery to the wastewater treatment
plants. A comprehensive central control does not take place here, with exception of
the assigned pumping stations.
Some pumping stations, seven before the beginning of LISA, could be operated only
by hand in the station and were therefore, as already mentioned, still occupied.
The redistribution of the wastewater-streams partially takes place through valvechanges initialized by the personnel of the main pumping station, partially howeveralso through personnel of the pressure mains system on the spot in the streets.
To the operation-tasks belong beside the control and supervision (operation) also following tasks:- Inspection of the installations- Recording of operation data, which are not yet transferred to the main pumpingstation- Fault-elimination in the continuous shift work
- Cleaning of the suction-areas- Maintenance-tasks that are closely connected with pumping- Preparation of material- Inducement of maintenance of the equipment
For this, altogether 544 employees including running of the pressure mains systemand personnel of the headquarters were necessary after the alteration of the structure of the subdivision had taken place.
 Wastewater treatment plants
Concerning the treatment of wastewater, the wastewater treatment plants are operated independently of each other in accordance with the inflowing wastewater. The
operations are supported by automation-technology and control-systems, which aredifferently in the plants.
- Discharge system of wastewater treatment plants
Control-systems in the discharge system are normally not in the responsibility of theBWB, so that the operational activities include mainly the controls of the perfect condition of the discharge system.
2.2

Existing operations-optimum

With the existing applied information- and control-strategy in the sewage-system could
be reached the following:x

Sewage-distribution in accordance with the flow with restricted possibility of consideration of the current cleaning-capacity of the wastewater treatment plants.

x

Optimization of the operation efficiency of the single wastewater treatment plant andthe single main pumping station group.

5- 157 -x

3.

Observance of the critical values, especially of the wastewater quality, and optimization of the technical operation of the single wastewater treatment plant.

Central control of the sewage-system

A system that further minimizes the expenditure for operation, control and supervision
through automation must be found, in view of the decreasing financial resources.
In the past mainly the different, historically grown automation-systems prevented awide-range automation of the sewage-system. With the nowadays available systems
including the possibility of creating networks it became significantly easier to realize
such a project.
3.1

Operations-concept

The central control of the sewage-system means that the operational processes of thesystem are observed, supervised and operated by personnel in a central control room.
With a complex system as given, this can only be achieved for sure by using a processcontrol system, which communicates with the decentralized automation units. Then,
presumably such a system is installed; the tasks of the central control room consist essentially of the input of setpoint values for the central or local automation system, theinput of control settings and the handling of failure or disruption information.
Because of the complexity of the pumping system as well as the necessity to control
hundreds of measuring points (e.g. levels, flows, pressure) simultaneously it is not possible to gain synergy effects only by centralisation of controlling and supervising. Furthermore the changing requirements for the system due to reconstruction or damages ofmains, maintenance of the sewers or only weather conditions are a challenge for thecentral system. Therefore new process control schemes and functionalities of the control system for the general survey must be developed using only a limited number ofmonitors.
An integral approach of the sewage-system and the following premises form the basicsof the drafted operational concept:
x The control of the sewage-system takes place comprehensively regarding thetreatment-capacities of the various wastewater treatment plants.
x The central control remains limited at first to the sewer and pumping system.
The supervision and control of the sewage drainage and pumping system takes place ina central control room. This way the operational dependences of the single operationareas can be taken into account. The technical and operational structure of this central
control room depends on the available technical possibilities at present.
For the environmentally sound and economical operation of the entire sewage-system
the information of the current treatment capacities has to be available also. Within thecomplete wastewater system the treatment plants are viewed as almost independent
plants however and, like now, will be controlled by means of a local automation system.

6- 158 -Following principles exist regarding the control of the sewage-system:
x Superior control- and operation tasks for management of the sewage-system areexecuted without exception only in the central control room. The reason for this isthat all important data for the management of the sewage-system are available for
evaluation and assessment.
x Local automation-tasks are executed decentralized. This is absolutely necessary fortime or security-relevant processes. To the conditions of the outstations adapted, decentralized automation systems must be therefore present.
x Remote plant control by the central control room of the local automation system of awastewater treatment plant is to be ruled out.
x The availability of the control- and automation-system must be defined; it is to beviewed in context with the personnel-allocation.
x For the handling of the control-tasks suitable displays must be created for the pumping procedures, which minimize the previous diverse actions, relieve and shorten thedecision making, so that personnel-reduction is possible.
x Changes of the pressure mains, which are necessary for a save sewage-disposal, pumping and ±distribution should become telecontrolled from the central control
room also.
Another important task of the central control system is the qualified treatment of malfunctions with a ranked alarm-concept respecting the single installations and the centralcontrol room. The fault clearing groups and maintenance workers are working in thesingle installation of any given pumping station directly. Accordingly, elaborate information of the current conditions of the single installation must be available or accessible on
the spot.
Advisably the personnel of the central control room prepare the information for reporting,documentation, archiving as well as administration and accounting of the sewagesystem altogether also. In addition the exchange of information with the supervising authority may be necessary. The availability of current weather-data (precipitation-heights,weather-radar-pictures) on the other hand admits improved prognoses respecting theforthcoming sewage-flows and enables interventions in the sewer- and pressurenetwork in advance, especially with locally restricted precipitation-events.
Because of the complexity of the sewage-system, the staff should be supported in hisdecisions for the sewage-distribution by a model-supported prognosis-system, on the
one hand in a technical sense, but on the other hand also concerning the economical
operation of the system. This model-supported prognosis-system should only be realized in the second step, however.
3.2

Advantages

After the implementation of this program, the following advantages are anticipated:x

The sewage discharge and wastewater pumping can be operated in an economicaloptimum.
7- 159 -x

Savings regarding energy-use are to be expected.

x

Decrease of mixed sewage outlets of the sewer system into surface-waters throughcomprehensive control of the sewage-system and optimal utilization of the existing
capacities as well as through extensive and readily available data like e.g. radarweather-pictures and levels in the sewer-network.

x

Diminution of the investment-expenses for spare capacities through flexible usage ofplants and refined control-systems.

x

Improvement of the information-preparation.

x

Essential reduction of the personnel costs.

8- 160 -- 161 -Wastewater treatment plants(incl. 2 operated by contract)

Force mains network

Pumping stations

Sewer network
80% separated sewerage
20% combined sewerage

1 213 000 m³/d Maximum treatment

652 800 m³/d Average treatment

6

1 109 km147

9 330 km

Wastewater Works

Dr. Carin Sieker
Berliner Wasserbetriebe
09. October 2006

Central managementof Berlin waste waters

Seite 3Ruhleben

Havelkanal

Wansdorf

Stahnsdorf

510 000 inhabitants

Wastewater treatment for

Waßmannsdorf

Schönerlinde

94 000 inhabitants

386

5 210

3 390 000

889 km²

Land Brandenburg
Drinking water supply for

Trainees

Employees at BWB

Inhabitants

Area of the city

For Berlin and Brandenburg:
Berliner Wasserbetriebe

Seite 4

Münchehofe

Seite 2

- 162 Stormwater tanks

1109 km Pressure mains
22147

Wastewater Pumping System

Pumping stations

bathing water

Seite 7

Seite 5bank filtration (water supply)

Berlins

Bathing Water and Bank Filtration Areas

Wansdorf

Stahnsdorf

Ruhleben< 10 m3/s

Inflow Brandenburg:

2,30,5

Münchehofe

Distribution ofWastewater

Waßmannsdorf

Schönerlinde

7,2 m3/s

2,6

1,2Treated Wastewater:

0,62-3during dry weather in Summer

Inflow and Emissions [m3/s]

Seite 8

Seite 66-7

- 163 Seite 11¾ Reduction of personnel costs¾ Improvement of provision of information¾ Reduction of stormwater overflows¾ Economical use of energy

following components:

Targets

Implementation
Implementation 2002
2002 -- 20082008¾ Total optimum for wastewater system- Control system- Optimisation system- Information system

Seite 10Seite 12Control and Information System Wastewaterand treatment system in Berlin withfor the operation of the wastewater pumping

Implementation of a control and information system

Board decision 0kt. 2001

Seite 9Control- and Information System for
wastewater pumping and distribution
in Berlin

Leit- und Informationssystem Abwasser

LISA

- 164 -13 executive pumping stations
with on-site personal organised
in shifts

146 pumping stations

Starting pointcontrolorder

Maintenanceone central control roomensuring remote action¾Seite 15Repair service

full automationof the 13 exec. stations

Pressurepipes¾

Pumpingstation

Centralcontrolroom

Water authority

upgrading and automationof 44 pumping stations
Criteria: daily dry weather
flow > 6000 m³/d ormax. flow > 100 l/s

SewersRain tanks

BWB-digital-network

realisation

WWTP

information

River,
effluent

Meteorological service

Future control of wastewater system¾

LISA programme

Ongoing Measures
Increasing the Operational Efficiency

the operating engineers. It includes model- New automatic system(water level-flow-control)

Seite 13

An expert system is implemented which supports- Super ordinate and centralised control unit

simulation and forecast-data, e.g. weather forecast.

Components of optimisation

Components of the control system

Seite 16

Seite 14

- 165 -zzzz

Operation and Control Centre

APw nz

APw n

HPw 13
APw 1z

BWB WANLSX

Archiving and logging(Protokollierung)

APw 1

HPw 1

LISA- workstations

Future process control system

Seite 19

Seite 17

HPW HPW HPW
Lbg
Stg
Zhl

HPW HPW HPW
Chb I Spa I Bln II

Seite 18

Pumping target
Main-WWTP Ruhleben(WWTP Wan)

Regional centre
HPw Chb I

Seite 20

Super ordinate and centralised control unit

HPW HPW HPW
Wil Mar I
Bri

Pumping target
Main-WWTP Waßmannsdorf(WWTP Stdf)

Pumping target
Main-WWTP Schönerlinde(WWTP Mhf)

HPW HPW HPW HPWBln V Köp I Kar
Wit

Regional centre
HPw Wil

Regional
Regional centre
centreHPw Bln V

central control room LISAStructure of the central control room- 166 -• The personal moved in January 2005.

¾ Upgrading / expansion of the measure and control
technics in the wastewater system

23• Operational problems existed with the new pumps withvariable speed drive units (partial load operation)• 12 pumping stations are still in the planning phase.

• Failure of temporary/provisional arranged devices, e.g.
pumps during the reconstruction phase have an immediateinfluence on the discharge situation• Difficulties occurred during the implementation of the newsoftware for the primary control system• New requirements and gained experience often changed theproject contents and working process• The documents and information used for planning differedfrom the on-site situation• Changes in organisation and infrastructure took place during
full operation• 21 pumping stations presently are under reconstruction,• 8 of the former 13 pumping station groups are connected toand controlled by the central control centre,

Since Mai 2006

Project status (2)¾ Hard- and software for the superior
process control system

Problems and challenges• The control centre and the head quarter for theoperation department of the pumping stations andpressure main network were implemented in thebuilding of the main pumping station Bln V,
Holzmarktstraße.

¾ Electrification of shut-off valves in roads(in wastewater force mains network)

Seite 21

• In the central control unit the operational test periodbegan in November 2004.

¾ Reconstruction of machines and electro-technics

in selected adapter and main pumping stations

Project status (1)Measures / Investments

24

22

- 167 -Thank you for your attention.

25