Protecting sensitive sites : Focus on the water sector

Drinking water distribution: uniquely exposed

Ensuring that all water treatment facilities are secure is a major challenge – they include wells, reservoirs, water towers and distribution platforms, often with outdoor access, located a long distance from each other and sometimes occupying protected Heritage estate.

LOCKEN has already installed its wireless access control system in major water distribution sites, gaining unrivalled experience so it can respond appropriately to the main expectations of the sector:

complying with the regulatory framework in terms of counter-terrorism
protecting against vandalism and theft to optimise the service provided to the public and to consumers
guaranteeing secure access in all situations and at all times
resisiting to adverse environmental and weather conditions

Case study: Châlons-en-Champagne

LOCKEN’s customers already include some of the major water authorities in large cities. Smaller local authorities are now following their example, like Châlons-en-Champagne, which has deployed the LOCKEN solution.

Audrey Varoquier, project manager for Châlons-en-Champagne, says: ” … The project was characterised by effective collaboration, flexibility in meeting the needs of our organisation and targeted monitoring. This enabled us to strengthen access control and access security at all the community’s drinking water sites while keeping management straightforward and flexible …As a result we were able to meet the project targets we initially set for ourselves.”

Now that the solution is installed, the water authority is enjoying the obvious benefits: users only need a single key to access all the areas they are authorised to enter. Access rights to the various sites are assigned in an efficient and secure way. For example, contractors are only allowed to access outdoor areas and the rights stored in the LOCKEN key allow them to get where they need to go.

All access points (doors, fences, hatch covers, etc.) are now completely secure all the way from production to storage including reservoirs, water towers and catchment areas.

The water authority not only has a security solution which is effective, robust and suitable for all weather conditions, but it also enjoys the benefits of a rationalised access management tool. It is able to manage all its sites using a straightforward software solution which logs and stores all events and operations in a database.