BGEN Delivers Advanced PLC Upgrade at East Ness Water Treatment Works

BGEN has successfully completed a major PLC upgrade at East Ness Water Treatment Works (WTW) for Yorkshire Water, delivering a modern, high-performance control system that enhances reliability, efficiency, and long-term operational resilience.

The project forms part of Yorkshire Water’s wider Main PLC replacement programme, targeting legacy infrastructure upgrades across critical water management assets. At East Ness WTW, BGEN replaced an ageing system with a state-of-the-art PLC platform, ensuring the site is equipped for future operational demands.

Modernising a Critical Water System

The East Ness facility plays a vital role in raw water management, including borehole pumping, reservoir control, and chlorine process validation. The existing PLC system had reached the end of its lifecycle, presenting increasing risks around maintainability and reliability.

Following an initial enquiry, BGEN undertook a comprehensive site survey to assess panel capacity, review wiring architecture, and identify operational constraints. From this, a detailed Functional Design Specification (FDS) was developed through reverse engineering of the existing PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems.

Intelligent Engineering Approach

To maximise efficiency and minimise disruption, BGEN utilised advanced conversion tools to migrate existing control logic from the legacy platform to the new environment. This significantly reduced engineering time while maintaining system integrity.

Enhancements included:

• Full migration to a new state-of-the-art PLC with high-speed processing and advanced networking capability
• Rewriting and upgrading the HMI to an advanced interface
• Implementation of OPC UA communications within the SCADA system
• Modernisation of inter-PLC communications using direct Ethernet architecture
• Integration with existing hardware for seamless operation

These upgrades provide improved visibility, data exchange, and system scalability, aligning with modern digital infrastructure requirements.

High-Quality Panel Build and Installation

The new control system was carefully engineered to minimise physical modifications to the existing installation. By utilising migration chassis and adapting prewired harnesses, BGEN significantly reduced panel rework while delivering a clean, efficient, and maintainable solution.

The completed panel (pictured) demonstrates precision engineering and attention to detail, with clearly labelled modules, structured cable routing, and high-density I/O configuration. This ensures ease of maintenance and supports future expansion if required.

Rigorous Testing and Seamless Delivery

Quality and reliability were central to the project approach. The system underwent extensive validation, including:

• Internal Factory Acceptance Testing (iFAT) with full process simulation
• Customer Factory Acceptance Testing (cFAT) to demonstrate full system integration
• Strict adherence to Yorkshire Water QA procedures and configuration control

This structured approach enabled BGEN to execute the final system cutover within a tightly constrained four-hour shutdown window, minimising operational impact while ensuring a smooth transition to the new platform.

Delivering Long-Term Value

The upgraded system provides a robust, future-ready automation solution, delivering:

• Enhanced reliability and reduced risk of failure
• Increased operational efficiency through improved control and monitoring
• Greater flexibility for future upgrades and expansion
• Long-term maintainability with current-generation hardware

A true testament to a project well managed by Martin Caldwell; technically delivered by the SI Team Chaitanya Chaulkar, Saichander Thirunagari, Rob Garratt and the LV Team Dom Oxley and Luke Gallimore. Ensuring scalability, relatability and longevity.

Supporting Critical Infrastructure

This project highlights BGEN’s expertise in delivering complex control system upgrades within live operational environments. From initial survey through to commissioning, BGEN continues to support clients across the water sector with end-to-end engineering solutions that drive performance and resilience.

For more information on BGEN’s control and automation capabilities, or to discuss your next upgrade project, contact the team today.