“Out in the middle of nowhere, no one hears your alarm,” according to Danny Farine, Water Services Superintendent for Siloam Springs, Arkansas. He recalls the old way of handling overflow incidents—a system that relied on a chain of phone calls and placards instructing residents to call police dispatch. “There were huge time delays before you could get over there,” Farine explains. Those delays often meant costly cleanups and repairs.
Siloam Springs, known for its scenic beauty and historic springs, is experiencing rapid growth. Farine expects the next census to reveal a significant population increase, adding pressure to municipal services like water management. For a department already short-staffed—nine employees instead of fourteen with only five qualified for major repairs—the challenge is daunting. “Opportunities offered by contracting companies can pay more than the city can right now,” Farine says. “It’s hard.”
Mission’s SCADA Monitoring On One Lift Station Delivers Immediate Impact
Bertrem Products, Inc., a Mission distributor, stepped in and offered a ‘Try and Buy.’ Eddie Stewart, Mission’s Midwest Regional Sales Manager, suggesting installing a MyDro remote terminal unit (RTU) at a problematic site for 30 days. The results were immediate. “We installed it on a Thursday, came back Monday, and saw Pump 1 was running more than Pump 2,” a representative from Bertrem Products, Inc. says. The team investigated and discovered Pump 2 was completely clogged. Fixing it saved the city from a $10,000 pump replacement—an impressive return on a system that cost only a few thousand dollars.
The Results: Efficiency, Proactive Maintenance, and Growth
Encouraged by the success, Siloam Springs expanded the system to all lift stations. Now, alarms go directly to technicians’ phones, eliminating delays and reducing overflow risks. Reports like the Daily Runtime Report, delivered right into the staff’s email inbox, help customize maintenance schedules so that the team can focus on proactive work instead of constant emergency calls. “Our biggest benefit right now is time,” Farine says. “If we don’t have to pull off jobs to check a pump station, it saves us time doing everything else.”
The Mission system has transformed operations. What once depended on an observant neighbor and a series of phone calls is now an automated, data-driven process. “Relying on flashy lights to avoid system failure just won’t work,” Farine emphasizes. “You need a remote monitoring system like Mission. We use it. We enjoy it. It’s helped us a tremendous amount.”
For growing communities like Siloam Springs, doing more with less isn’t just a goal—it’s a necessity. Mission Communications makes it possible. To learn how the Mission’s low-cost SDADA system can help your utility, contact sales@123mc.com or visit 123mc.com.