Inland Empire Utilities Agency Delivers Real-Time Protection for its Collection System

Presentation Description: The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA), a regional wastewater treatment and water agency encompassing 242 square miles in western San Bernardino County and servicing approximately 935,000 people, provides sewage utility services to seven sewer collection agencies and wholesale imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to regional retail agencies.
In 2019, IEUA first deployed two satellite sewer monitoring units to provide real-time, low-cost monitoring at sites that historically had encountered blockage issues across the collection system. The data collected allowed IEUA to identify potential blockages before an overflow occurred. IEUA has since expanded their satellite sewer monitoring program to 25 units which have saved at least four spills; thereby protecting public health and the environment, preserving overall authority resources, and preventing asset degradation.
Due to current conservation measures in southern California and the recent change in water usage put into effect from Senate Bill 1157 (2022), GPCD (gallons per capita per day) is being reduced from 55 to 42 by 2030. With the reduction of flow and ongoing population growth, there has been an increase in solids in the system and unpleasant odors from increased hydrogen sulfide (H2S). IEUA will be deploying two more units which will provide real-time, low-cost H2S monitoring at sites experiencing issues across the collection system.
Additionally, a fats, oils, and grease (FOG) build-up was identified at one of the monitored sites which allowed IEUA to run a successful marketing campaign to the area residents educating them about the importance of disposing FOG into the trash rather than down the drain. IEUA is also able to monitor industrial flows into the system utilizing the sewer monitoring units.