SEAPAL in Mexico
BACKGROUND
Producing safe water has become a great focus for the city and surrounding areas of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. In 1977, SEAPAL was established as an agency of the State of Jalisco with the fundamental mission to develop and manage a water system that provides safe drinking water and sewer services at an affordable cost to the community.
Over time, the system has grown to 71 separate facilities, 57 for drinking water and 14 for wastewater management and has become more automated as well. In January 2018, our local distributor Pumps-Supply in Guadalajara, Mexico, came to PRIMEX to see if we could help develop and install an automated system that would save money by reducing energy costs and protect the plant’s systems by reducing human errors.
LOCATION
Puerto Vallarta is a resort town on Mexico’s Pacific coast, in Jalisco state. It is known for its beaches, water sports and nightlife scene. With a population of almost 400,000 residents in the metropolitan area, it has become a mecca for tourists and retirees.
SCOPE
SEAPAL approached Pumps-Supply to see if they could meet the required specs and was clear that cost was a major concern. Pumps-Supply is a distributor that has curated their international manufacturers so they can best meet the objective of their clients and improve the environment by always striving to lower energy costs. They approached PRIMEX to assist in the rebuilding of the Norte II wastewater plant.
The project’s scope was broad and included mechanical parts (Archimedes screws, motors, belts, etc.), automation and controllers. A PRIMEX control panel was chosen. Two starters were replaced to control the speed of two sludge screws based on the data received from an ultrasonic sensor signal. This information was used to speed up or slow down the screws to meet the plant needs and removed the solids.
Possibly the biggest accomplishment of this project is the new plant used 30% less energy than the old plant and therefore had less effect on the environment. The new automation also allowed the plant management to reallocate its staff to manage the daily maintenance rather than run the old machines.
SPECIAL FEATURES
PRIMEX was able to add more technology and automation to the plant than the specifications called for and kept the project on budget. This occurred because of the partnership between Pumps-Supply and PRIMEX and the comprehensive understanding both partners had of the entire process. Ultimately, this has led to additional projects working together.
OWNER/CLIENT
SEAPAL
PARTNER NAME
Pumps-Supply
KEY CONTACT
Arturo Santiago
Phone: +52 333 810 0277
PROJECT START – END
Feb. 2, 2018 – March 2, 2018
KEY PERSONNEL
SJE Rhombus:
Rodrigo Erazo
Latin America Sales Manager
Jerome Sayans
Sales Engineer
SEAPAL:
Ramon Becerra Dueñas
SERVICES PROVIDED:
- Project Management
- Engineering
- VFD control panel
- Automation
- Installation
- Onsite configuration, testing, startup
- Training
- Calibration