AWWA WQTC64099

This project evaluated options for improving the processes used in quality assurance and control of water quality data captured by sensors, transferred to supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and then processed into a data warehouse for wider use. As a result of this effort, complexities in the data and in the operations of a large multiple source utility were identified that limit the effective use of normal control ranges for performing quality control. The result of the project was the development of a tool that allows a knowledgeable technical person (the Quality Control Reviewer) to establish control limits for individual parameters and sensors during specific operational conditions. These can be stored and managed by the software for easy recall by the Quality Control Reviewer (QCR). In this process the quality control system is used as a screening tool to identify data records that may be of concern and need further review. The screens include control limits, operational limits, instrument detection limits and differences between adjacent measurements. The system successfully passes most of the data but flags data that need detailed review. The QCR can quickly review data and evaluate flagged data points, and then either fail or pass these data. No data points are deleted but failed data points are stored off line and are only accessible to a subset of the users. The system gives the QCR access to historical data which can be visualized or summarized to support decisions on quality control limits. Includes reference, tables, figures.