6 design principles for modernizing motor control systems in water and wastewater facilities

Water and wastewater infrastructure is aging rapidly while uptime demands intensify. OEMs can deliver practical solutions that improve reliability, reduce outages, and extend system life by applying proven design principles to motor control modernization.

North American water and wastewater facilities are feeling the strain of rising demand, aging assets, strict uptime expectations, and tightening regulatory scrutiny. For electrical OEMs, that strain presents a clear opportunity as many water utilities rely on motor control systems that are decades old.

These water utilities are looking for practical upgrade paths that raise reliability while maximizing the use of existing equipment and systems. By following a few core design principles, electrical OEMs can give their water industry customers a clear roadmap for modernizing aging systems while minimizing disruption, costs, and risk.

Critical systems, aging assets

The water and wastewater sector is recognized as one of the United States’ critical infrastructure sectors. Yet it has never been under greater pressure. Demand is rising, treatment is energy-intensive, and operators are expected to maintain continuous service. For electrical OEMs, that creates an opportunity to deliver new, more advanced systems and modernize installed infrastructure built for a different era and performance requirements.

The electrical backbone in many facilities may be sound, but the motor control layer is often overdue for an upgrade. Many of these systems were installed 10, 20, even 30 or more years ago. In harsh environments with constant exposure to moisture, dust, salt, aggressive chemicals, and temperature swings, the risk of failure rises over time. When water systems fail, the consequences can include equipment damage, service disruption, water quality impacts, regulatory exposure, and average downtime losses estimated at nearly $100,000 per hour.

For OEMs, the question is no longer whether clients need to modernize, but how to minimize disruption in the process. The following six design principles can help your clients’ motor control systems meet the needs of high-demand environments, now and for many years to come.

Design principle #1: Engineer for harsh environments

Beyond outdoor exposure, equipment must be able to withstand aggressive process chemicals and corrosive gases that can degrade electronics, connections, and component markings over time. When a motor control device fails, the impact goes beyond maintenance, disrupting critical processes and putting both water quality and regulatory compliance at risk. Conformal coatings in softstarters, drives, and motor controllers help electronics withstand corrosive environments, while contactors with advanced electronic coil technology can improve heat dissipation.

Design principle #2: Make protection standard

In water and wastewater applications, uptime and process quality are tightly linked. A motor control issue that interrupts pumping, aeration, or sludge handling can quickly cascade into process instability, service concerns, and compliance risk. Modern motor control hardware offers protections that older systems often lacked. Integrated temperature monitoring for motors and switchgear can detect overheating early, while softstarters with features like torque control can help reduce water hammering and pressure surges, detect dry run conditions, and respond to clogging events before they damage equipment or disrupt flows.

Design principle #3: Match the component to the application

Water and wastewater facilities use different types of pumps—from high-pressure booster pumps and submersible sewage pumps to sludge pumps and circulation pumps—each with distinct operating characteristics and protection requirements. Matching motor control features to specific pump types ensures both mechanical and electrical protection and process reliability.

Design principle #4: Maximize existing infrastructure

Utilities rarely want modernization projects that require tearing out entire lineups of usable metalwork. Often, existing cabinets may be able to be retained by replacing the control layer with more compact, coordinated components.

Compact motor-starting components, modular control architectures, and push-in expansion options make it easier to add protection, communications, or future functionality without redesigning everything from scratch. Push-in connection technology can also improve build efficiency by reducing wiring time, lowering the chance of installation mistakes, and minimizing loosening during shipping or vibration in service.

Design principle #5: Upgrade diagnostics 

Lack of visibility is one of the biggest limitations in older motor control systems. Many legacy installations do not provide meaningful diagnostics until after a trip, fault, or visible process problem has already occurred. OEMs can deliver greater value by adding diagnostics, alarms, status data, and communications that support predictive or condition-based maintenance, allowing water utilities to make informed decisions and respond proactively.

Design principle #6: Build in cybersecurity

As water and wastewater facilities transition to more digital, connected motor control architectures, protecting critical systems from cybersecurity threats becomes just as important as protecting them from electrical faults. Remote access, cloud connectivity, and increased data sharing can all expand the attack surface if security is not addressed by design. OEMs can help utilities stay ahead of these risks by specifying motor control and protection devices that comply with the latest IEC/IEEE cybersecurity standards, rather than relying on legacy equipment that was never engineered for today’s threat landscape.

Partnering for the future

For electrical OEMs, upgrading motor starting and control in aging plants is one of the most practical ways to help water utilities improve resilience without overextending project scope. When solid principles guide design, modernization becomes not just about replacing equipment, but also about extending the useful life, performance, and confidence of the entire operation—while reducing energy consumption and lowering operating costs. At ABB, our goal is to help utilities make future-ready motor control decisions that support uptime, efficiency, maintainability, and long-term water reliability.

Authors

 

Jeff Leslie, Product Marketing Specialist • ABB Electrification Business

Jeff is a seasoned Product Marketing Specialist at ABB with nearly 24 years of dedicated experience in machine safety. Throughout his tenure, he has designed safety circuits, bills of materials, electrical drawings, and safety PLC programs, and has supported on‑site installations. He holds an Electrical Technician diploma from St. Clair College and is certified as a Machinery Safety Expert (CMSE).

Brian McDonald, Business Development Manager • ABB Electrification Business

Brian McDonald serves as the Business Development Manager for ABB Electrification. A seasoned expert in the field, Brian brings nearly two decades of deep-rooted technical sales experience in automation and controls. He is dedicated to bridging the gap between highly innovative technology and everyday people needing automation applications solved. Brian’s priority is ensuring ABB clients stay ahead of the curve in our ever-evolving industrial market.