Flood Alert and Monitoring system

The recent flooding in Singapore on 5 June 2011 and last year around this time has cause a lot of distress and millions of dollars of property damage to home and businesses around Singapore and also death of 1 person. How then can we prevent the flood water from entering our home and businesses, the answer is no. No man can stop what nature is going to create disaster, however we can use technology to alert us of the coming storm and water rising. Flood gate. Flood barrier and even simple modification to our home can keep the water entering our home and business premises to the minimum. This give the home owner and businesses enough time to remove valuable from the ground floor to higher ground.

In a flood situation. The way water enter the premises is away the same for the same premises. The water comes in from the same place. The only different is how fast the water enter the premises. Two factor determines this.

1: How heavy is the rain and 2: how much debris is carry by the rain water into the drain which clogged up the drain inlet where the water will enter into the main monsoon drainage system before the water back flows to the surface of the road.

Home owner has no way to stop flood water from entering their premises, but what they can do is to minimized the damage this can be done in a few ways.

1.    Install an early water rise alert system (SMS alert system c/w power back up unit).

2.    Install powerful / high capacity submersible pumps at the lowest point of the house. Can be in the basement. Garden etc. even inside the Koi pond if there is one (must have a small petrol emergency generator tie-in  can support up to 2 hrs power to the submersible pump).

3.    Install water rise alert system with automatic submersible pump start stop system.

4.    Construct a bricks wall around the perimeter of the house about 500 to 1000mm above the ground level. When designing and installing gate, try to install gate that has the lower part of the gate cover with Chengai wood, 500 to 1000mm. This will slow down the water entering the premises so giving enough time for the home owner to move their belonging to higher ground.

5.    Keep some sand bags at home. This is to seal the gap around the gate area.

6.    In very low lying area where when high tide or water gush into monsoon rain can find it's way into the small drain that leads into your house. This drain will have to be a covered drain with only a few drain cover. This drain cover has to be a solid cover with side opening only. During heavy rain this cover will have to be weigh down with sandbags to ensure very small amount of water enter into your yard area especially the wet kitchen area.

7.    People living in flood prone area must ensure that they do not put fixed fixture furniture on the first floor. All electrical item must be moveable and can be remove and bring upstairs.

8.    Finally as all our Incoming Electrical Meter box are always outside the gate post area. This meter box has to be as watertight as possible. In every estate there is a central transformer and switch room which we call electrical sub-station that distribute the power supply to the whole estate. This switch room has to be secured with flood prevention system. The switch room usually has underground cable drain and duct where all the high tension power cable enter from the power grid and leave to the individual home. This installation must be secured to ensure flood water must not enter this area to knock out the estate power supply (Securing this substation is the responsibility of the authority concern).

In the next topic we are going to educate the public on how to secured their:

a.    Main in coming power meter.

b.    What to do after a flood when the flood water enter the automatic gate system and cause the system to malfunction.

(If you want a copy of the parts of the conceal  automatic gate system document, please email to sales@securitex.com.sg indicate "Copy of the Concealed Systems Parts description")

c.    What to do after a flood when the flood water enter the intercom outdoor station and cause the system to malfunction.

d.    What to do when the remote control that operate the auto gate cannot work after the flooding.

Some home owner will ask how much will they need to spend for such system to secured their home and business against flood. The answer is from a low of few thousand dollars to tenths of thousand of dollars. Depend on how low lying is your home and what extend of flood prevention system you want to put in place to keep your premises dry in a flood condition.

For Condominiums. Apartment, office blocks and shopping malls that has basement Car parks the implementation of flood prevention system can go into millions of dollars, however the building owner are also protecting hundredths of million in assert and loss of businesses.

We cannot imagines if the whole shopping malls has to close down because the basement car parks are flooded or the power to the building is knock out because flood water enter the substation. We cannot imagines the massive loss if in the midst of the financial trading the office tower blocks power and communication is shut down because of the flood etc.

For Condominium, Apartment, Office towers and shopping malls that installed their substation in the basement car park. Getting this Substation Secured is the first thing the management has to do now, remember the switch room equipment like the switch gear, ELCB, MCB. BAS system and all the sophisticate equipment to control the building are very expensive and sometime the spare parts will take a long time to arrive when they are damage.

Let us all work together to to get ourselves prepare for the next flood. The Government has a bigger problem to look into when putting in place the flood prevention system like building more drainage, widening and deepening the monsoon drain and also building huge flood control infrastructure like the Marina Barrage to keep the flood condition under control.

However as home owners and business owner we can do our part by using simple technology to alert and warn us of the coming flood. Do not wait until the flood come and start thinking of what to do. "Remember when water rise from flood how much you loss depend on how prepared you are". Look at those super expensive cars that was park in the basement car park which was damage by the flood water. Its simple each of this cars cost between S$500K to S$1 million and those other brands between S$100K- S$350K. assume there is 100 cars averaging S$120K per car which was park at the basement the total assert in that car park is 12 millions. A good flood prevention and protection system will cost between 500K -1million to installed, but all this is worth it as the system will be in use for a long time. 

BE PREPARED FOR THE FLOOD AND YOU WILL BE SAFE

To design your own flood alert & pumping system please Click Here

4-20ma Water Level Sensor

What is 4-20ma Water level sensor?

A 4-20ma water level sensor is a water level probes that is designed for continuous water level measurement where a 4-20mA output is feed into a monitoring system that covert the signal to level. Usually this probes are temperature and barometric pressure compensated. Reverse and over voltage protection is usually included. Depend on the type of sensor this Water Level Probes can measure water level accurately to 6m.

Can we use the 4-20ma Water Level Sensor as water level monitoring for a flood monitoring System?

Yes. you can as this level sensor can continuously measure the level of the water rise and send this level signal to a flood monitoring system. The level capture can then be feed to a GSM-SMS device to send out specific water level SMS to the relevant user that need this reading to assist them to take counter measure.

Is the 4-20ma water level sensor better than the analogue float type sensor?

4-20ma water sensor is good for continuous level monitoring and reporting. But if this level is to be use in a GSM-SMS controller to sent out SMS to user, a float type water sensor is a better option, float type sensor act as an ON/OFF switch that trigger the input to sent out SMS message to user. As such even if the water level rise is very rapid and over shoot the float High, High High or High High High limit. the GSM-SMS controller input will receive this ON signal and SMS will be sent out. For a 4-20ma sensor condition, it depend on the system software that receive this signal and how fast these signal are process by the software before its sent to the SMS controller. If the water rise is so rapid that the software miss the preset HI or Hi-Hi and the SMS controller cannot capture this reading, then the SMS will not be sent out.

We understand that using float switch the SMS controller cannot sent the water level is it correct?

No. The SMS controller can still sent out the water level example message. "Adam Canal water level High 1.8M now" This kind of message can be preprogrammed into the SMS controller. The float type sensor level can be measured in advance. The information may not be as accurate as the continuous 4-20mA sensor but in flood monitoring Alert system what's important is that the user receive the level signal message and counter measure taken. Knowing the exact level rise is only important to the authority monitoring this level rise.

How reliable is the GSM-SMS controller system sending out the flood alert message?

In most case and in normal day the SMS sent out is very reliable, but as we all know that sometime during eve of very important Public Holiday like Christmas Eve, New Year Eve, Hari Raya Eve and Chinese Lunar New year eve when millions of greeting messages are sent at one go. Sometime the recipient will receive this message later (delay) The delay depend on how fast the SMS server can discharging all these SMS message.

In such case how can we further ensure that the message is receive by the user?

Certain important mobile number to sent priority SMS when this number is activate and the SMS server receive message from this mobile number. The SMS message will be push to the upper queue to be sent out first.

What is the correct water level to sent out the SMS alert to user?

For a good SMS alert system to work. The set off  of the flood alert is the Minimum Level by the time it reach maximum level its too late. Minimum Level set off SMS will give the receiver of the message enough time to decide what counter measure to take and at Middle level the authority must already dispatch emergency respond personnel to the affect area to render any form of assistant.

Mobile Submersible pumping station.

For building that have underground basement car park. Permanent submersible pump or even mobile submersible pump mounted on specially constructed trolley can be place at the basement car park. A few permanent water discharge outlet pipe can be installed in different location of the car park. When there is water entering this basement, these mobile pump mounted on trolley can be move to these discharge pipe location and with a simple coupling connect the discharge of the pump to the discharge pipe. Emergency generator should be on standby if the building electrical sub-station is at the basement just incase power outage these emergency pump can be powered from the generator.

Preventive maintenance

Preventive maintenance of flood monitoring and alert system must be periodically tested and maintain to ensure that the system is always in tip top condition and ready to use when there is a flood condition. If such system is installed in apartments or business premises, security personnel or residence MUST be TRAINED to operate such system.

Life Vest and Floatation device must be place a some location for emergency use.

As during a flood situation if the water rise is very rapid, the entire basement can be flooded within minutes especially if the basement is below the Road Level. In such case The life vest and flotation device can be use, if some one cannot swim and is trap in the basement.

Waterproof CCTV camera and waterproof directional signage

Waterproof CCTV camera and waterproof directional signage must be installed in all basement car park just incase the entire car park is flooded, people that is trap in this area can still find their way out by following this directional sign. The Waterproof camera will help the rescuer to look into these area for trap or distress person.

Waterproof emergency lighting

Marine vessel type of waterproof emergency lighting must be installed in some area of the basement car park and this lighting must be tie to an emergency power so that when the main lighting trips, these emergency lighting will turn on.

Securitex GSM SMS Monitoring Controller

Products - GSM Remote Monitoring, Control & Alarm System

Securitex_GSM-WT-9001 IP65- GSM Remote Control and Alarm System. Is designed under model: WT-9001, this controller will assist businesses that requires remotely monitoring any devices/ equipment status saving manpower time and cost. It can also be use to monitor abnormal water level rise around the business premises and sent out an alert SMS to the user.

Analogue float type water level sensor is use on all Securitex GSM-SMS flood monitoring system. 

The GSM-WT-9001 IP65-WD is design to cater for homes and business to detect water rising in enclose place, like basement car park. Sub station cable drain / duct and even homes to detect water rising due to flooding or even burst pipe. In all this instances the system can be integrated to a pumping system, thus that when the GSM-WT-9001 IP65-WD detect the water rise to a preset level, it can activate the pump to pump out the water. At the same time the system sent out SMS to the building owner to inform them of the flooding.

Built-in UPS c/w Rechargeable Battery

All our GSM-WT-9001 IP65-WD c/w built in rechargeable battery thus even if the main power supply is knock out by the flood water entering the electrical meter box, the SMS system will still operate (note: the pump system will need a small emergency generator to be on standby).

Multi-float sensor

We even recommend that multi-float type sensor be integrated in parallel to ensure that if 1 sensor fail the other sensor will continue to monitor the water level rise.

External Siren unit.

The system also have a built-in siren output to activate a water level alarm to alert the user around the surrounding.

Automatic and Manual operated Inputs and Outputs

The Securitex_GSM-WT-9001 IP65 also have 8 built-in input and 8 built-in output that can be programmed to activate automatically in an abnormal condition or this inputs and outputs can be manually activated by sending SMS to these inputs and outputs to carryout certain functions.

Solar powered

Securitex_GSM-WT-9001 IP65 can also be power from a solar power system, as the system uses very low power consumption due to under normal operation condition only the SMS controller user power. Even when during water level rise, the water level sensor do not need power to operate as the sensor is activate by the float.

Application 

MONITORING             - When WT-9001 detects triggered/ activation of sensors it will automatically send out SMS to the designated mobile phone numbers.

CONTROLLING          - WT-9001 is able to receive SMS instruction from a mobile phone to turn ON/ OFF or reset devices. Just type an SMS command and send to the SIM Card number in WT-9001. It is so easy and convenient; everything is at your finger tips.

REAL-TIME                 - WT-9001 provides detailed alarm messages, secure alarm acceptance, full alarm reporting and even remote process control. This allows user to rectify problems directly via their mobile phone within seconds of alarm occurring.

INTELLIGENT             - We design and provide complete wireless solution including hardware and software communication platforms, user-friendly interface and a variety of special sensors

Note: GSM-SMS Flood Monitoring system only act as an alert system that there is flood or water rises in some area during heavy rain. It is not a system to prevent flood. Implementer of the system must still install flood gate / or barrier and if need be water containment and pumps are needed to take care of the water if it gets into their premises. You cannot prevent flood, but you can take counter measure to minimized water ingress into your facility. 

To know more about the above system or if you have customized designed that you need us to provide for your project, please feel free to email us at sales@securitex.com.sg or you can call us at +65-67852171. Our sales and technical department will assist you on the right system.

We can also be reached at:

Securitex Electronic Systems Engineering | Block 9010 Tampines St 93 #04-145 Tampines Industrial Park A Singapore 528844 Tel: 67852171 Fax: 65850107 Web: http://www.securitex.com.sg email: sales@securitex.com.sg 

@1996 - 2014 (This page was updated on January 2014)