Town of Crestone Announces Completion of Water System SCADA Project
The Town of Crestone is pleased to announce that, following approximately one year of planning, coordination, and implementation, our new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system has been installed and is now operational.
This represents an important investment in the Town’s water infrastructure and a significant step forward in how our Public Works Department monitors and manages the municipal water system.
What is SCADA?
SCADA stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. It is a technology system that allows certified water operators to monitor equipment and conditions throughout the water system remotely.
Using sensors, controllers, and communications technology, SCADA provides information about essential water system operations, including water storage levels, well pump activity, pressure, flow, and equipment status.
Previously, many of these checks required operators to visit facilities in person. With SCADA, operators can access information remotely, receive alerts when equipment or operating conditions need attention, and respond more efficiently.
What Does This Mean for Crestone?
The new system provides several important benefits:
- Improved monitoring: Critical water infrastructure can be monitored around the clock.
- Faster response: Automated alerts help operators identify potential problems sooner.
- Greater efficiency: Fewer routine trips to water facilities allow Public Works staff to focus their time on maintenance, repairs, and other priorities.
- Better long-term planning: Historical operating data will help the Town identify trends, evaluate system performance, and plan future improvements.
- More reliable operations: Improved visibility into water storage, pumping, and system conditions supports consistent water service for residents and businesses.
While SCADA adds valuable monitoring and automation capabilities, it does not replace our water operators. Certified personnel remain responsible for operating, maintaining, inspecting, and repairing the Town’s water infrastructure, conducting required water quality testing, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
SCADA is another tool that helps our people do their jobs more effectively.
Protecting Our Water Infrastructure
As part of the Town’s responsibility to safeguard essential public infrastructure, access to the SCADA system, its equipment, and its operational interfaces is restricted to authorized personnel.
The Town will not offer public tours, demonstrations of the operational system, or direct inspections of SCADA equipment. These precautions help protect the security and integrity of the Town’s water infrastructure.
However, we recognize the importance of transparency and public understanding of Town investments. We welcome questions about the project, its purpose, its benefits, and how the technology works.
General project information, including public Board records and financial information, remains available through the Town’s usual public information channels, subject to applicable law.
Have Questions? We’re Happy to Answer.
We’ve prepared a two-page informational guide, SCADA at a Glance, to help residents understand how this technology works and why it matters for Crestone.
Residents are encouraged to review the guide and contact Town Hall with questions.
Email: crestonetownoffice@gmail.com\ Voicemail: (719) 256-4313
We appreciate the work and coordination that went into bringing this project into operation and look forward to the improvements it will provide to Crestone’s water system for years to come.
