Roberts Rules Cheat Sheet for LD4 Precinct Commiteemen
Hoboken Proposal For Cs Onet Monitoring System Rev Aug 2009
1. Proposal for a CSOnet® Monitoring System
For the City of Hoboken, NJ’s Collection System
Prepared for
The City of Hoboken
94 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030
Aug. 17, 2009
The information in this proposal may not be disclosed outside of the City of Hoboken, and may not be
duplicated, used or disclosed in whole or in part for any purpose other than to evaluate the proposal,
provided that if a contract is awarded to EmNet, LLC as a result of or in connection with the
submission of this proposal, The City of Hoboken will have the right to duplicate, use or disclose the
information to the extent provided by the contract. This restriction does not limit the right of the City of
Hoboken to use information contained in this proposal if it is obtained from another source without
restriction. EmNet, LLC retains ownership of this proposal. This proposal is valid for 30 days from the
date above.
EmNet, LLC
12441 Beckley St., Suite 6
Granger, IN 46530
(574) 855-1012
3. 1. Overview and Approach
1.1. Proposal Overview
The southwest portion of Hoboken, NJ is prone to flooding when rain events occur
during high tide. The Hoboken sewer system is a combined sewer system, which means that
the same system of pipes carries both municipal wastewater and stormwater runoff. To
prevent the system from flooding during wet weather, relief points called outfalls are built
into the sewer. These points are supposed to allow excess sewer flow to overflow into the
Hudson River rather than having it flood streets and basements. During high tide, the
southern outfalls, as well as many portions of southwestern and western Hoboken, lie below
the river levels. This means that these outfalls are not able to release the excess sewer flows
into the river. Instead, all of this water stays in the sewer system, and the sewage levels
throughout the sewer system keep rising until either the sewage level is higher than the tide
level or street flooding begins. The most flood prone areas are shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. A map of the Hoboken sewer system. The red areas are the lowest lying areas and are
therefore the most prone to flooding.
The Hoboken sewer system is set up to be a grid, with larger east-west main pipes each
collecting wastewater from a portion of town (called a drainage area) These east-west pipes
then carry the wastewater to two lift stations located along the Hudson River, which then
pump all of the wastewater flow to the wastewater treatment plant. Throughout the sewer
system, there are several smaller north-south pipes that connect each of the drainage areas.
This means that flows from one drainage area can enter a different drainage area through any
4. of these pipes. The grid approach to sewer systems means that the water throughout the
sewer system will all have the same head (“head” refers the elevation of the water surface).
What this means in reality is that when flooding occurs in one area, water from other areas
will contribute to this flooding.
The proposed solution to Hoboken’s flooding problem is to install four large pumps
along the shoreline, which will pump excess water out of the sewer system and into the
Hudson River in order to prevent flooding. EmNet proposes utilizing an extensive near real
time monitoring system to provide the data necessary to possibly reduce the number of pumps
that are needed to address this problem. It will allow the key parties to thoroughly study each
part of the sewer system in detail so that an efficient, less expensive, tailor-made solution for
each section of Hoboken can be developed. This will be especially necessary as the City of
Hoboken transitions from a focus only on flood prevention to a focus that also includes CSO
reduction. The monitoring system proposed here utilizes the CSOnet® system.
1.2. CSOnet® Overview
CSOnet® is a unique real time control and monitoring system that seeks to maximize the
potential of a municipality’s existing collection system and thereby minimize the need for
further construction. The CSOnet® monitoring system enables municipalities to accurately
characterize and study the collection system and how it operates under a variety of real
weather conditions, rather than under only simplified, modeled conditions. This data can
then be used to determine any current inefficiencies of the system and the most effective and
cost efficient means to address them. The low cost and ease of installation of this system
enables a municipality to have many more monitoring locations than other approaches,
providing the municipality with a wealth of information. The data from the CSOnet® system
can also be used to improve the preventative maintenance of the collection system and
automatically notify municipal employees with e-mails and text messages in the event of an
overflow or sewer problem. The CSOnet® system is perfectly scalable, and the same
equipment that is used for monitoring can also be used to implement real time control within
the collection system.
1.3. CSOnet® Equipment
Figure 2. A CSOnet® Logicover™. Figure 3. A CSOnet® Gateway.
5. The fundamental component of the CSOnet® monitoring system is the Logicover™
(see figure 2). The Logicover™ is a computerized, composite fiberglass manhole cover that
is able to collect and broadcast data from sensors mounted in the sewer line. It can interface
with almost any existing depth, flow, or water quality sensor and can accept up to four sensor
analog inputs and one digital input.
The Logicover™ is able to function in two modes: data logging mode or real time mode.
In data logging mode, the Logicover™ collects the sensor data at 5 minute intervals and
uploads the logged data to a secure website once a day via a cellular connection. In the event
that a sensor measure rises above a pre-determined threshold (e.g., the depth at a manhole
indicts the possibility of flooding), the Logicover™ will immediately upload any logged data
and send an email or text message to the appropriate personnel. Because this unit is a
completely self-contained and stand-alone unit, the name for the Logicover™ in this mode is
the Logicover-SA™, which is short for Logicover Stand Alone™. The Logicover-SA™ is
completely battery powered with an expected battery life of 1 year and is well suited for
gaining background data for collection system studies, monitoring very remote areas,
temporary monitoring projects, and event notification systems. Because these units are self
contained, they can be easily moved from location to location to fulfill a variety of
monitoring needs.
In real time mode, the Logicover™ collects the sensor data and then immediately
broadcasts it to a nearby data aggregation point, called a Gateway (see figure 3). The
Gateway is continuously connected to the Internet via a cellular connection and uploads the
sensor data to a secure website immediately. Because this Logicover™ is part of a large real
time system, it is named the Logicover-RT™, which is short for Logicover™ Real Time.
The expected battery life for this unit is 2-3 years. However, since the constant Internet
connection consumes more power than can be provided by batteries, the Gateway must be
connected to an external power source (either 110VAC or solar panels). One Gateway can
accept data from numerous Logicovers™ and can be directly connected to up to four analog
sensor inputs and two digital inputs. The Gateway can also analyze the data, make control
decisions, and operate automated valves and pumps. The Logicover-RT™ is well suited for
real time control systems, preventative maintenance programs, and the expansion of SCADA
systems.
Should the monitoring needs of the municipality change over time, the Logicover-SA™
can be converted into a Logicover-RT™ and vice-versa.
Since this proposed monitoring system will be used primarily to gather data for later
analysis, it is recommended that the Logicover-SA™ be used.
2. Monitoring Locations
2.1. Monitoring Site Selection
The proposed monitoring system will:
• Provide baseline data from which sewer improvements can be measured.
• Provide necessary data in order to apply for grants and funding assistance.
• Determine the effectiveness of the pumps in reducing flooding, especially as the pumps
are incrementally installed.
6. • Confirm/validate the selection of pump sizes for the pumps that will be installed at a later
date
• Aid the City and NHSA in the detection of problem spots in the sewer areas before they
become significant problems
• Explore alternative control strategies to reduce the flooding problem and to reduce the
amount of CSO overflows (especially after the NJDEP becomes more strict in enforcing the
EPA CSO mandates)
• Provide data for the further calibration of the City’s computer model of the sewer system.
• Characterize flows into and out of the flood prone areas, providing the data necessary to
minimize flows into these areas during wet weather.
• Determine how much overflow occurs during each storm and how effective different
control measures are in reducing this amount over time. This will particularly important as
the City and NJDEP transition into developing a CSO reduction plan.
• Coordinate the operation of the pumps with actual conditions in the flood-prone areas of
Hoboken rather than basing control on conditions in the areas of the pumps (which tend not
to flood).
• Reduce the amount of overflowed sewage and the operation and maintenance costs of the
pumps by only having the pumps on when necessary to prevent flooding.
Each of these sites will be monitored using a Logicover-SA™ and a pressure sensor or
flow meter.
2.2. Proposed Monitoring Locations
We propose installing monitoring points at the following locations:
• Key sewer pipes that connect each drainage area with the rest of the sewer system (6
locations). This will help determine how flows from other drainage areas are entering the
flood-prone areas during storm events.
• Sections of the city that are the most prone to flooding (3 locations). This will help study
the flooding patterns, determine the effectiveness of the pumps, provide an early detection
system for flooding, and enable the pumps to be coordinated with actual conditions in the
flood prone areas.
• The CSO outfalls (9 locations). These are the areas where the overflows occur. These
monitoring points will provide data on current overflow volumes, which will be necessary as
the City and the NHSA transition into a CSO abatement strategy, and also provide data on
the overflow reductions that occur as the strategy is implemented.
Please note that the North Hudson Sewerage Authority only lists eight outfalls in
Hoboken, but the sewer map shows nine overflow points. The reason for this discrepancy is
that the NHSA does not include the H0 outfall as part of the Hoboken sewer system, even
though the overflow line is on the map. Hence, the number of CSO monitoring points may
need to be reduced to eight.
The proposed locations of the monitoring points, their purpose, and recommended sensor
type are listed in Table 1.
7. Table 1. Proposed Monitoring Sites for Hoboken, NJ
Location Monitoring Purpose Sensor Type
Marshall and 1st Flood Prone Area Depth
Willow and Newark Flood Prone Area Depth
Willow and 2nd Drainage Area Interconnection Flow Meter
Park and Observer CSO Outfall Depth
Court and Observer CSO Outfall Depth
Newark and River CSO Outfall/Drainage Area Flow Meter
Interconnection
3rd and River CSO Outfall Depth
th
4 and River CSO Outfall Depth
5th and Hoboken Shore Rd. CSO Outfall Depth
th
Madison and 7 Drainage Area Interconnection Flow Meter
Willow and 7th Drainage Area Interconnection Flow Meter
th
Madison and 10 Drainage Area Interconnection/ Flood Flow Meter
Prone Area
Hudson and 11th CSO Outfall Depth
th
Hudson and 14 CSO Outfall Depth
Hudson and 15th CSO Outfall Depth
th
Madison and 13 Drainage Area Interconnection Flow Meter
Maps of the proposed monitoring locations and of the most flood prone areas are shown
in Figure 4.
(a) (b)
Figure 4. (a) Map of the proposed monitoring locations and flood prone areas. (b) Map of
the proposed monitoring locations and flood prone areas, with drainage area boundaries
8. shown. Green triangles show locations where only depth will be monitored, yellow triangles
show locations where flow will be monitored.
3. Monitoring System Costs and Terms
3.1. Equipment Costs
The cost and quantity required for each type of equipment is listed below. Prices shown
assume the Premium level of service is selected, which earns a 50% equipment discount. The
number of units represents EmNet’s best estimate and may vary slightly after further
analysis.
Price Quantity Total
Logicover-SA™ $ 2,714 16 $43,424
Flow Meter* $5,000 6 $30,000
Pressure Sensor* $910 10 $9,100
Total Cost $82,524
*Approximate cost. The City can either purchase the sensors through EmNet or directly from the manufacturer.
3.2. Subscription Options
Monthly subscription fees are determined by service level, with two available options.
The features of each are outlined below. Equipment discounts accompany the Premium
service level.
Intermediate Premium
Cost per Logicover™ per month $125 $225
Data access P P
Raw data storage and backup P P
Website P P
Engineer phone assistance P P
In house service training P P
In house maintenance P P
Initial onsite consult P P
Installation oversight / set up P
Regular onsite maintenance P
Email / phone alerts P
Equipment discount P
A sample of the CSOnet® website is shown in figure 5. This secure website enables the
City to view the current and archived data from all of the monitoring points in the collection
system in a clear and intuitive way using any internet connection. All of the monitoring data
can be downloaded from this website into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and then analyzed.
9. Figure 5. The CSOnet® website.
3.3. Cellular Fees
This fee varies based on cellular costs, approximately $40 per month per monitoring
location. The City can either choose to contract directly with the cellular service provider for
this service or to do so through EmNet, LLC.
3.4. Installation Costs
The installation of the sensors and CSOnet® equipment can be done in a variety of ways.
The installation of each Logicover™ is a matter of removing the old cover, mounting the
sensor, connecting the sensor cable to the equipment, and placing the Logicover™ over the
manhole. This work can be done in-house, using a local sewer contractor, or through EmNet,
LLC. The estimated cost of installation is $50,000.
3.5. Terms and Conditions
The following terms and conditions apply to the CSOnet® monitoring system:
• The purchase of the CSOnet® system requires a one year subscription contract. After that
point the contract can be renewed annually with the consent of both parties.
• The equipment costs listed in
section 3.1 Equipment Costs represent the full purchase price of the equipment. Should
the City complete the monitoring project or decide not to renewal the subscription
contract with EmNet, the CSOnet® equipment will remain the property of the City.
• The subscription cost of the CSOnet® system listed in section 3.2 Subscription Options
does not include the calibration of the sensors, only the CSOnet® equipment. The City
can choose to either do this in-house or through EmNet, LLC under a separate contract.
10. Signatures
This SOW identified below is the complete agreement between EmNet and the City of
Hoboken, NJ regarding Services, and replace any prior oral or written communications
between us.
Each party accepts the terms of this SOW by signing this SOW by hand or, where recognized
by law, electronically. By such acceptance each party agrees that no modifications have been
made to this SOW.
Once accepted, please return a copy of this document to the EmNet address shown below.
Any reproduction of this SOW made by reliable means (for example, photocopy, electronic
scan or facsimile) is considered an original and all Services ordered under this SOW are
subject to it.
Agreed to: Agreed to:
The City of Hoboken, NJ EmNet, LLC
12441 Beckley Street, Granger, IN 46530
By: By:
Authorized signature Authorized signature
Name (type or print): Name (type or print):
Date: Date:
®
Project Name: CSOnet Monitoring System for The
City of Hoboken, NJ’s Combined Sewer System
Estimated Start Date:
Estimated End Date: