Enlighten Energy Efficiency in Water and Wastewater Industry: Smart Water Management with Ellenex Wireless Tank Level Monitoring

ellenex team
Apr 14
9 min read

The total electricity consumption in water industries is approaching 1000 Terawatt hours (TWh) per annum

The energy consumptions of your water and wastewater operations are more critical than you think, elevate your monitoring system with remote IoT technologies

The Energy Battle in Water Utilities

With a coverage of 71% of the earth’s surface, water is one of the most common resources on the planet. Yet the scarcity of water resources is continuously rising given only 0.5% of earth’s water is fresh and available for human society. With an exponentially increasing global population and climate changes, the rising demand for water consumption is certainly inevitable.

Whether serving the purpose of industrial cooling technologies, agriculture irrigation or the basic drinking needs, the supplementation of water resources is an energy-intensive activity. With a global electricity consumption of 978.49 TWh per year, this figure is expected to rise by another 80% by 2040!

The most recent total electricity consumptions by water industrial processes (Water supply, Water distribution, Desalination, Re-use, Wastewater Treatment and Water Transfer)

The energy efficiency potential for Water Management

Slowly but surely the energy consumption across water utilities will be occupied by (as shown in the image below)

Desalination processes projected to consume more energy (dramatically over 520% by 2040) in the future due to rising demand for fresh water, energy-intensive techniques like reverse osmosis, and stricter environmental regulations.
Long distance water transmission is anticipated to require increased energy usage (50% by 2040) due to urbanisation, aging infrastructure, and climate change impacts, necessitating the transportation of water over longer distances.
Wastewater treatment services are expected to see higher energy consumption (42% by 2040) as a result of population growth, stricter regulations, and the adoption of advanced treatment methods to meet quality standards.

The Energy Efficiency of the future water industries lies on the processes such as Seawater Desalination, Long distance water transmission and wastewater treatment services

Despite this dramatic growth rate, water industries still have significant potential for energy savings, especially in reducing water losses and energy wastage across its water supply-chain systems and Wastewater Treatment Processes (WWTPs).

According to the insights from Transforma, the Internet of Things (IoT) technology is expected to save at least 8 times the energy they are consuming, saving 230 billion cubic meters of water with a net reduction of electricity consumption of 16,000 billion kWh by 2030. Targeting the traditional and energy-intensive sections of water process and delivery, the energy wasted can be reduced up to 25% through dynamic analytics and real-time monitoring IoT sensors.

Strategic Management of Tank Storage

Storage tanks and reservoirs serve as the "batteries" of the water distribution network. By allowing tank levels to fluctuate within a calculated range, operators can utilize the storage capacity to shift pumping loads away from peak energy periods.

Flexible Demand Response (DR): Water pumping sites are ideal for flexible demand response because they can store potential energy. Field tests have shown that station operators can reliably reduce power demand for extraction pumps by approximately 30% for up to four hours by utilizing the buffer provided by stored tank volumes.
Reducing Dynamic Head: Energy consumption is directly proportional to the total dynamic head (H) against which a pump must work. Keeping storage tanks less than full (while maintaining emergency reserves) reduces the head and thus the energy required for pumping.
Water Quality Trade-offs: While keeping levels low saves energy, it can lead to stagnant water and the depletion of disinfectant residuals. Smart monitoring allows for a balanced approach where tank levels are raised periodically to ensure water exchange and quality maintenance.

Submersible Level Sensor Applications in Water and Wastewater Industry

In the industrial water and wastewater sector, submersible pressure transmitters are the preferred technology for remote telemetry due to their rugged construction and ability to provide precise hydrostatic level measurements in deep or confined environments. Ellenex offers a range of submersible solutions tailored to seven critical infrastructure categories :

Water Tanks: Submersible transmitters like the PLS2 Series are used for continuous level tracking in distribution tanks and industrial reservoirs, preventing overflows and ensuring supply reliability.
Water Resources: The PLS3 Series features a floating transmitter head specifically designed for large-scale surface water bodies, such as dams, lakes, and reservoirs, where volume calculation is vital for drought preparedness.
Water Storm: Real-time monitoring of stormwater surges in rivers and underground waterways provides early flood warnings and protects urban infrastructure from extreme weather events.
Manhole Sludge: Strategically placed submersible sensors in sewer networks and manholes detect blockages and monitor sludge levels, enabling proactive maintenance that prevents environmental pollution.
Ground Water: Specialized high-accuracy sensors like the PLM2 Series are utilized in extraction wells and underground aquifers to monitor groundwater availability and prevent pump dry-running damage.
Wastewater Tanks: For corrosive environments containing acids or mineral-rich runoff, the PLC2 and PLC3 Series use chemical-resistant materials to monitor industrial effluent storage without sensor degradation.
Other Liquid Tanks: Submersible technology also extends to secondary industrial water processes, such as monitoring chemical additives used for coagulation and neutralization in treatment plants.

The Vital Role of Smart Wireless Tank Level Monitoring

One of the most common and important IoT applications is the smart monitoring of tank reservoir level in water supply & wastewater treatment procedures. The critical level measurements in water tank and wastewater tank level will significantly influence the energy efficiency of industrial pumping operation, safeguarding the global water and wastewater distribution system.

Elevate your water storage and wastewater tank monitoring in the water and wastewater industry, improve your energy bills with smart level monitoring and demand-based pumping and storage scheduling

With municipally operating public water and sewage utilities contributing to 30%~40% of a city’s total energy expenditures, the following IoT-enabled system monitoring has very promising benefits on reducing these industrial energy consumptions.

Demand-based Pumping operation: With real-time data receptions on the water and wastewater levels within tanks, water utilities can optimize their energy consumptions up to 50% by varying the pumping speed rather than relying on constant pumping speeds.
Demand Forecasting: Smart monitoring systems can analyze historical data and patterns to forecast water demand and minimum tank levels accurately. By predicting demand fluctuations, water utilities can adjust pumping schedules and save energy expenses by 17%.
Leak Detection and Prevention: IoT-based level monitoring can detect any leaks in a timely manner, prevent water loss and the need for excessive pumping to compensate for lost water. This not only reduces the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) but also reduces the energy required to pump and treat additional water.
Preventive Maintenance: Early detection of abnormal tank levels can help prevent reservoir and storage losses on treated water and wastewater that consume a significant amount of energy, avoiding expensive and reactive downtime maintenance.

Ellenex: Industrial yet simplified IoT application

Ellenex offers Various LPWAN technologies including NB IoT/ Cat M1 network technology, offers great solutions like Inventory management systems and Tank level monitoring, serving edge-cutting products and solutions to industries like Water and Wastewater industry

Sounds like what you seek in reducing your energy consumption? At Ellenex, we offer such edge-cutting and reliable IoT solution that will assist your water utility and wastewater treatment operations in a cost-effective manner.

Fuelled by our beliefs in the value of WATER resources and the 2030 visions of managing 300+ billion Litre of liquids at Ellenex, we are proud to offer energy efficient industrial solutions that come with technical simplicity and complete pre-configuration. With instant access to our user-friendly software platform and seamless data integration with your existing projects, you can confidently begin conserving energy through efficient water and wastewater tank monitoring.

As the pioneer in the integration of pressure and level sensors utilising LPWAN technologies, we specialise in meeting the demands of IoT applications in remote environments through our energy-efficient IoT devices. With the Wireless support of our Level Monitoring Product: PLS2-N | NB IoT - Cat-M1 Level Transmitter for Liquid Media, specifically designed for wireless tank level monitoring, can ensure real-time monitoring of your industrial tank levels with unparalleled accuracy and beyond:

Wide Coverage: NB-IoT operates in licensed spectrum, which provides better coverage compared to other IoT technologies like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. It can penetrate deep into buildings and underground structures, making it suitable for applications in urban, rural, and indoor environments.
Low Power Consumption: our NB-IoT devices are designed to operate with very low power consumption, with the capability of serving level monitoring up to 10+ years. Without the need for frequent battery replacements or recharging, your energy and costs on maintenance are kept to its minimum, especially advantageous for water storage or wastewater tanks that are located in remote or inaccessible locations.
High Scalability: NB-IoT supports a massive number of devices within a single cellular network, making your monitoring network highly scalable. This scalability is crucial for IoT deployments in Water & Wastewater industry that are operating across vast acres.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does wireless tank level monitoring improve industrial energy efficiency?
Wireless tank level monitoring enables a transition to demand-based pumping, which is one of the most effective ways to reduce industrial energy consumption. By providing real-time data on liquid levels, operators can utilize Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) to adjust pump speeds based on actual requirements rather than running them at constant, high-energy rates. According to the Pump Affinity Laws, a small reduction in pump speed can lead to a significant drop in power usage, often cutting pumping energy costs by as much as 50%.
Furthermore, smart level monitoring allows for strategic load shifting by treating storage tanks as "potential energy batteries". Utilities can fill tanks during off-peak periods when electricity tariffs are lower and allow the levels to fluctuate during peak demand hours. This demand-response approach has been shown to reduce site power demand by approximately 30% for several hours without affecting service continuity, ultimately lowering total energy expenses by an average of 17%.
What are the primary industrial applications for submersible level sensors?
Submersible level sensors are highly versatile and are utilized across seven core industrial categories: water tanks, water resources, stormwater management, manhole sludge, groundwater, wastewater tanks, and other process liquid tanks. These sensors are placed directly into the liquid and measure hydrostatic pressure to determine depth, making them ideal for deep-water environments like extraction wells or large reservoirs. For vast water bodies like dams or lakes, specialized floating transmitter heads are often employed to maintain continuous communication regardless of significant surface level changes.
In urban infrastructure, these sensors are critical for monitoring groundwater availability in aquifers and tracking sludge levels in sewer manholes. By providing visibility into underground assets, they help prevent pump dry-running damage and detect blockages before they lead to environmental spills. Additionally, the technology extends to secondary industrial processes, such as monitoring chemical additives or specialized liquid additives in manufacturing treatment plants.
Why are specialized sensors required for wastewater and corrosive media monitoring?
Monitoring wastewater and industrial effluent requires specialized hardware because these environments often contain aggressive chemicals, minerals, and fats that would destroy standard equipment. Sensors used in these applications, such as the Ellenex PLC2 Series, are constructed from chemically resistant materials like SS316 stainless steel or specialized diaphragms to resist corrosion. This rugged design ensures that the sensors provide accurate, near real-time data for years without the need for frequent manual cleaning or replacement.
In industrial settings, these sensors are vital for managing "Wastewater Tanks" that store corrosive acids or mineral-rich runoff from production processes. Continuous monitoring ensures that these hazardous materials are handled safely and that chemical dosing for neutralization or coagulation is applied at precise ratios. By automating the tracking of these corrosive liquids, facilities can ensure environmental compliance and significantly reduce the risk of toxic leaks or overflows.
What are the benefits of using NB-IoT for underground or remote tank monitoring over LoRaWAN?
Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) is the preferred communication standard for water infrastructure because it offers superior signal penetration in challenging environments where traditional Wi-Fi or cellular signals fail. Its link budget is approximately 20 dB better than standard LTE, allowing it to reach devices in deep basements, underground manholes, or inside heavy metal enclosures. This "deep penetration" capability makes it essential for monitoring buried pipes, underground wells, and urban sewer networks.
Economically, NB-IoT is optimized for ultra-low power consumption, which allows submersible sensors to operate on a single battery for over 10 years. Because it utilizes existing licensed cellular infrastructure, there is no need for organizations to install or maintain their own gateways, making it a highly scalable solution for thousands of connected devices across a city. This "set-and-forget" technology reduces maintenance labor costs and provides a carrier-grade security framework for mission-critical utility data.
How does real-time monitoring support industrial predictive maintenance?
Integrating real-time tank level data with AI analytics allows industrial operators to shift from reactive to predictive maintenance. By analyzing historical trends and identifying abnormal consumption or pressure patterns, the system can detect subtle anomalies that suggest equipment failure, such as a pump losing efficiency or a valve beginning to leak. It is estimated that up to 82% of industrial equipment failures are detectable through these condition monitoring techniques before a catastrophic failure occurs.
The ROI for this proactive strategy is significant, as it can reduce operations and maintenance (O&M) costs by up to 20%. When sensors detect performance issues, they can automatically trigger work orders or procurement actions within an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, ensuring that spare parts are available before a breakdown happens. This reduces unplanned downtime, which typically costs facilities thousands of dollars per hour, and extends the overall lifespan of expensive infrastructure assets.