MM Spa – 350 SOFREL LT-US data loggers monitor Milan’s wastewater collection system
Smart Water
MM Spa is a public engineering company owned by the municipality of Milan. Internationally renowned, MM is involved in the design and modernization of urban ecosystems. Originally established in 1955 by the municipality of Milan to design and build the city’s first metro lines, the company has since participated in the development and management of Milan’s major infrastructures.
As such, the company oversees the entire water cycle in the city. For drinking water, MM manages production plants and the supply network for 2 million users. Regarding wastewater, the company manages the 1,500 km drainage network, the wastewater collection system, and the city’s three treatment plants. Each year, 290 million cubic meters of water flow into the sewer system, necessitating constant monitoring.
MM is committed to the city’s hydraulic defense
Due to its geographical location, Milan is particularly prone to flooding risks. The Seveso stream ends in the heart of the city and must flow through underground canals. During heavy rains, large volumes of water need to be drained. Therefore, the city must rely on an efficient and continuously monitored drainage system to prevent surface flooding and alert the hydraulic civil protection teams. Aware of the major challenges to address, Milan is part of the 100 Resilient Cities program initiated by the Rockefeller Foundation.
The need to convert the historic sewer network into a smart and connected system
Milan’s extensive sewer network is remotely managed using 350 SOFREL LT-US data loggers that continuously monitor flow rates and levels, alerting in case of critical issues in the collection system. Data is regularly sent to the SOFREL WEB LS web server, which centralizes information from all data loggers and allows for analysis of the network’s behavior.
We are working to convert all our networks, aqueducts and sewers, into smart networks. They are capable of self-diagnosis and provide operational data 24/7. Thanks to alert systems, potential problems can be anticipated.
Andrea Aliscioni
Director of Water Services
Testimonial
Fabio Marelli Director of Aqueducts and Wastewater Collection Systems
Antonio Romeo Head of the Water Services Program Department
Fernando Castelluci Head of Plants and Remote Control
What benefits do the data loggers deployed in your wastewater network provide?
A. R : The LT-US data loggers are equipped with ultrasonic level sensors. They automatically transmit recorded data to a remote server, enabling us to obtain real-time data on the inflows into the sewer network.
F. M : We can monitor the outflows from major contributors like the Sforza Castle and neighboring users while tracking canal levels.
A. R : The data sent to the WEB LS remote server is analyzed to produce water reports for different districts of Milan’s sanitation network. We can also detect abnormal flows, illegal discharges, or other unusual situations.
How do you utilize the WEB LS platform?
F. C : With the map markers, we can quickly visualize all the data loggers. Clicking on a data logger displays information such as internal temperature, flow rate, collector level, and flow in m³/h. Data is recorded on the server, allowing for daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly reports.
Milan is part of the 100 Resilient Cities project initiated by the Rockefeller Foundation. Does this apply to the sewer system?
A. R : Resilience also applies to the sewer network, in its ability to withstand stressful events like sudden downpours or flow variations. The project to install 350 measurement points makes sewer flow monitoring intelligent and technologically advanced. This allows us to react quickly and check flows towards different treatment plants, enabling early warnings to be issued.
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