Napa Valley Wineries and Camps Get Smart About Water with the help of Heritage Systems, Inc.

Smart water management systems using IoT can be used for efficient and compliant water management to boost safety and regulatory compliance.

Water is life, especially in California’s drought-prone Napa Valley. Efficient and compliant water management is crucial for wineries and youth camps in this region, and increasingly, that means leveraging the power of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to create smart water management systems using IoT. IoT-enabled water management solutions, powered by edge computing, collect and analyze real-time data from sensors and devices across water systems. This allows for proactive monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automated reporting, addressing both operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. Heritage Systems, a leader in water and wastewater solutions, recognized the growing need for these advanced capabilities and partnered with ClearBlade to create the CloudHSI portal, revolutionizing how their clients manage this precious resource.

Previously, Heritage Systems relied on manual data collection and a somewhat basic online platform. This meant frequent, costly “truck rolls” to client sites for monitoring and reporting, which became unsustainable with evolving regulations demanding 15-minute interval reporting to the state. Natural disasters and the need for 24/7 monitoring of critical systems, like fire suppression linked to water tanks at Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind, highlighted the urgent need for a more automated approach. According to the EPA, aging water infrastructure is a nationwide challenge, with many systems struggling to meet both demand and regulatory requirements. This makes innovative solutions like CloudHSI, leveraging the power of IoT and edge computing, all the more critical.

ClearBlade’s IoT, Edge, and connected Digital Twin software provided the backbone for the CloudHSI portal. Now, with a single application, Heritage Systems and their clients have access to a wealth of real-time data, from chlorine residual and tank levels to pH and flow rates. The system automatically monitors for critical events, like low tank levels or low pH, and triggers alerts via email or SMS, enabling proactive intervention and preventing potentially catastrophic situations. 

The CloudHSI portal has also significantly streamlined regulatory compliance. What once took hours or days of manual effort is now fully automated, with reports seamlessly sent to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board. Even in areas with limited cell coverage or when power outages occur, ClearBlade’s edge computing ensures data capture and processing, ensuring continuous monitoring.

With over 40 clients onboard, Heritage Systems’ vision of automated water management is a reality. The CloudHSI portal not only provides invaluable real-time insights and control but has also become a key driver of business growth for Heritage Systems. They continue to innovate with ClearBlade, working to enable even more self-service capabilities and expanding the platform’s alarm and monitoring functionalities.

Want to learn more about how Heritage Systems and ClearBlade are using IoT and edge technology to transform water management in Napa Valley? Download the full case study here: https://www.clearblade.com/iot-and-water-management-heritage-systems-boosts-safety-regulatory-compliance/