Drinking water is one of our most critical societal resources, yet many water networks remain vulnerable to disruptions and intrusions. With IoT and secure communication solutions, anomalies can be detected in time and addressed before they impact the public.
In October 2024, the municipality of Bollnäs, Sweden experienced a serious incident when an individual broke into one of the local water towers. Residents were warned not to drink the tap water without boiling it first – a stark reminder of how vulnerable water infrastructure can be, whether due to technical failure or external interference. Sweden has more than 1,500 water treatment facilities and around 1,000 water towers, many located in remote areas.
Aging systems and limited visibility
Today’s drinking water systems are complex and often rely on legacy SCADA systems and manual monitoring. In many cases, there is a lack of redundancy and insufficient capacity to quickly detect and isolate issues. This makes the systems susceptible to both technical failures and intentional sabotage.
The need for real-time data and secure alarm
To safeguard critical infrastructure such as water supply networks, a combination of modern monitoring technologies, reliable communication, and robust alarm systems is required. By deploying IoT sensors alongside secure communication channels, operators gain real-time insights into pressure changes, water quality, and flow rates – and can quickly detect anomalies indicating potential intrusions, sabotage, or contamination.
Solutions that work
With secure, encrypted communications that functions even during power outages, critical alarms and measurement data are guaranteed to reach operations centres in time. In Norrköping, Sweden, for example, this type of solution has already proven effective in improving preparedness and reducing response times during disruptions.
AddSecure’s solutions are compatible with existing SCADA environments and can be used to incrementally strengthen protection around sensitive parts of the water network – from treatment plants to water distribution. By analysing data in real time, it is also possible to identify early warning signs of potential issues before they escalate.
Digital resilience for tomorrow’s water supply
Protecting the water supply is no longer just a matter of maintenance – it’s about cyber security, resilience, and proactive monitoring. With the right technology in place, municipalities and water utilities can be better equipped to handle both future risks and existing threats.
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Safe water and waste handling in Norrköping, Sweden
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