A technician works on the antenna of the Scada which will receive signals from pump stations.


File photo of pumps in action at the station.

SIBU: The supervisory control and data acquisition system (Scada) costing RM1.44 million, which is under phase 2 of Sibu Flood-mitigation Project, will be commissioned soon.

According to the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) Sibu divisional engineer Ting Sing Kwong, the communication system utilising high frequency WiFi to monitor the running of the five pump stations here on real-time had been tested and found to be functioning.

He said the negotiation on the space rental for installation of antennas had delayed its commissioning.

“We are finalising the rental issues as we wish to get the more competitive rate (on rental) for the government.

“Under this system, we are using 5.4Ghz high frequency WiFi, where the antenna will directly receive signals from the pump station.

“It is on a point-to-point basis, meaning one antenna per pump station.

“So, there will be five antennas to be erected at the balcony of the seventh floor of Sanyan Building.

“Through the data transmitted to our (DID) office here, we will be able to tell if the pumps are functioning properly,” Ting told The Borneo Post when contacted yesterday.

He said without the installation of antennas, it was not possible to receive signals from the pump stations.

He also clarified that Scada would not measure water level directly.

“We know the water level of the pump station from Scada, which measures it through another system in the pump house, and then transmit the data to our office.”

On another matter, Ting revealed that the king tide here had started since last Sunday.

“It will be at the highest at about 10pm tomorrow (tonight). The highest level will be at 1.7m.

“The (king tide) period will end on Dec 2.”

He figured that coupled with heavy rain, the kingtide could cause flooding in some low-lying areas.