Floods have forever been a part of Australia’s climate, shaping the country’s natural landscape and challenging our ability to adapt in the face of disaster. But as rising global temperatures cause a shift in weather patterns, more frequent and severe flooding poses a growing threat to critical infrastructure. This is where advanced surveillance technologies come into play, offering significant benefits for flood management.

Flooding around critical infrastructure can have catastrophic consequences for utilities and the communities they serve, as well as the environment. A water treatment plant inundated by flooding, for instance, can disrupt operations and compromise water quality thus making it unsafe for consumption.

If electrical infrastructure is impacted by floods, it can result in electrical fires, equipment malfunctions and even electrocution hazards, posing a danger to public safety. Communities can be left without power, disrupting essential services and hampering emergency response. Beyond safety concerns, utilities must repair and replace flood-damaged infrastructure, with customers or taxpayers having to bear the cost.

Accurate flood detection

In the face of these challenges, keeping an extra eye on critical infrastructure is imperative. With robust and proven wireless and solar-powered surveillance and communication technology, Spectur systems are able to assist utilities even in the most challenging conditions.

In emergency situations, accurate, real-time data is essential for informing decision-making. Spectur’s high-res cameras offer utilities the ability to remotely detect flood levels and assess the extent of flooding without the use of a gauge.

Surveillance technology has also evolved significantly over time, with equipment such as advanced sensors, tags and vision-based artificial intelligence (AI) developed to the point where it can be used in disaster response.

Using a combination of cameras and AI, Spectur surveillance solutions can offer a better picture of a flood situation and can identify risks as they appear. AI can interpret images to identify risks and automatically sound an alarm, send out alerts or share information with first responders.

Disaster mitigation

When critical infrastructure is damaged or destroyed by extreme weather or floods, it has a ripple effect. Deploying a surveillance system that can adequately identify risks, function remotely and adapt to ever-changing conditions can help utilities implement preventive measures such as shutting down or isolating vulnerable components before flood waters reach critical levels. This, in turn, minimises the risk of catastrophic equipment failure, thus decreasing downtime and economic losses.

One risk of flooding is uprooted trees or floating debris, which can further damage critical assets and poses a hazard for utility workers. Autonomous surveillance can help identify fallen trees and locate debris, mitigating the challenges of post-flood recovery efforts.

Staying connected

Dealing with climate disasters like floods requires technology that can provide accurate data while working off-the-grid. As flood waters rise, critical infrastructure can be damaged or taken out entirely, so surveillance systems must be able to operate without wired electricity or internet.

Spectur’s systems are powered by solar, which means systems remain fully operational even if electricity supply has been disconnected.

A warning system that isn’t reliant on the grid can ensure utilities are better prepared to evacuate or mitigate damage throughout a wild weather event, without a lack of information or delays in communication getting in the way.

Spectur systems can help equip utilities to better respond to natural disasters, protecting critical assets when the next disaster strikes.