Potent Potable

Protecting America''s public water supply is a top priority for the Department of Homeland Security. Protecting Tennessee''s water supply is the job of the state''s largest rural water utility district. The Consolidated Utility District of Rutherford County (CUDRC) in Murfreesboro, Tenn., implemented a plan to monitor its water supply in realtime using state-of-the-art technology from RGB Spectrum, Alameda, Calif. At the center of the plan is a command center that continuously monitors the water reservoirs, pump stations, flow meters, pressure zones, storage tanks, and distribution lines.

Multi-Media Solutions in Alcoa, Tenn., designed and installed the AV display system in the new command center—a wall-sized display composed of three rear-projection screens. The left and right screens measure 7.5''x10''. The center screen is 9.5''x12''. Serving the images to the screens are RGB Spectrum''s Quadra multi-screen and QuadView multi-image display processors and Christie''s DS30 rear-projection DLP projectors.

The Quadra receives four high-resolution computer inputs from a matrix switcher connected to six computers and four video sources. It concurrently outputs these four images to four Christie rear-screen projectors that output in native 1280x1024 resolution on the center screen. The Quadra''s “wall” function is enabled to display a 2''x2'' array on the screen, creating a composite image. The center wall images consist of a system-wide map, topographic map, or flow chart depicting pumping stations. The most frequently used image is the system-wide map, which depicts every reservoir, distribution pipe, valve, pump station, pressure monitoring station, water meter, and service vehicle. The center''s computers receive live status data from transducers throughout the system and GPS transmissions from the service vehicles, which are fed into a computer program that generates the visuals.

The right screen is used to monitor live video surveillance. The system supports up to 32 IP-based video surveillance cameras positioned at critical perimeter detection points at the reservoirs and pump stations. The cameras'' signals are converted by MPEG PC-boards to RGB analog signals. The QuadView receives any four of these camera feeds at a time and outputs them to one Christie rear-screen projector.

The left screen displays feeds from weather stations and local television broadcasts. The QuadView processor is fed up to four live video signals from satellite and local cable television sources and sends them to the final Christie rear-screen projector for simultaneous display.

Command center operators select desired inputs, switch image feeds, and control the display configurations for all three screens using a simple preprogrammed touchscreen controller situated on the main console.