City Distribution Network Management

Transforming Urban Water Infrastructure Through Smart Technology

As India's metropolitan cities expand, the demand for sustainable, responsive water infrastructure has never been greater. In Kolkata, Shanta Colibri is pioneering a bold step forward in utility transformation by implementing a smart, scalable City Distribution Network Management System powered by advanced SCADA.

With 5 water treatment plants handling a massive 465 MGD (million gallons per day) capacity, the goal was simple: build a real-time, data driven, and automated water supply framework capable of meeting 21st-century urban challenges.

Photo by Tom Fisk

Challenges

Kolkata, like many fast-growing Indian cities, is experiencing a surge in population that puts unprecedented pressure on its water infrastructure. The existing distribution network—built for a smaller, less dynamic urban landscape—was struggling to keep pace with:

Rapidly increasing demand due to urban population growth

High non-revenue water due to undetected leaks and pressure issues

Uneven water pressure across zones

Manual interventions delaying response to breakdowns

Fragmented data and poor visibility across critical network points

Public dissatisfaction due to inconsistent supply and delayed redressal

The system urgently needed a shift from reactive maintenance to smart, real-time management that could scale with the city's growth.

Core Components:

SCADA Integration Across 5 WTPs: Centralized automation of pumping, valve control, and operations across five water treatment plants.
IoT Sensor Ecosystem: The IoT sensor ecosystem integrates 76 flow meters for zone-wise tracking, 81 pressure transmitters providing live pressure analytics, and 85 RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) for precision control. These interconnected devices enable real-time data collection, monitoring, and automation across zones, forming a robust network for efficient operations and analytics.
Real-Time Monitoring Dashboard: A central command center aggregates all live data for network visibility and alert generation.
Smart Metering Infrastructure: Infrastructure for intelligent metering, leakage identification, and demand forecasting.

Shanta Colibri implemented a comprehensive City Distribution Network Management System tailored for high-density urban areas, designed specifically for Kolkata’s scale and complexity.

Solution

Impacts and Benefits

Automated valves and pumps optimize water distribution and reduce human intervention

Faster response times and predictive maintenance using real-time alerts

Significant reduction in water losses across critical supply routes.

Data analytics predict equipment failures, reducing downtime and maintenance costs

Future Ready Vision

This initiative positions Kolkata as a frontrunner in smart urban water governance. By adopting smart technologies and automation, urban centers can ensure sustainable, efficient, and equitable water distribution for future generations. With the backbone of digital water management in place, the next phase will explore:

Digital twins for pressure simulation and demand balancing

Integration with climate resilience dashboards for future-proof planning

AMI rollouts and smart billing