CASE STUDY
Mountaintop Area Joint Sewer Authority
Industry
Wastewater
Sector
Municipality
Application
Primary Operations
Project Type
SCADA Deployment
01
Background
The Mountaintop Area Joint Sewer Authority in Luzerne County, PA serves over 12,000 residents. The treatment system consists of one 8-million gallon per day wastewater treatment facility and multiple pumping stations located throughout the region.
As the population expands, so did the requirements put upon the SCADA system. New pumping stations were added; PA DEP required additional reports, and concerns mounted over the system’s cybersecurity.
02
Problem
After many years of service, the Mountaintop JSA realized their aging SCADA system could no longer keep pace with operational demands—either functionally or economically.
Daily reporting requirements had grown overwhelming, yet the system lacked the flexibility to customize reports as needed. The administrative burden became so severe that the JSA struggled to retain existing employees and attract new hires.
Board members also raised serious concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities. They felt current protections were inadequate against evolving cyber threats.
Integrating new pump stations created additional challenges—not only in setup but also in collecting the required data for customized reports.
Faced with these compounding obstacles, the Mountaintop JSA needed a solution that would address current problems while remaining flexible and cost-effective enough to adapt to future requirements.
03
Solution
03
Results
CoStream delivered a complete, turnkey solution in just 8 weeks—with virutally zero downtime to existing operations. The implementation ran in two parallel tracks: hardware provisioning and installation (8 weeks total), while the services team simultaneously migrated all sites onto the platform. The project concluded with comprehensive on-site training for the JSA team.
Immediate Operational Impact:
Reporting time reduced by 75% Tasks that previously consumed 20+ hours per week now take less than 5 hours, with automated report generation meeting all PA DEP requirements
Staffing crisis resolved Within six months, the JSA successfully hired and retained two new operators, citing the modernized system as a key attraction for candidates
Rapid expansion capability The JSA added three new pump stations in the first year—a process that previously would have taken months and now requires just days of configuration
Enhanced security posture Site-level network segmentation and real-time threat monitoring earned approval from both the board and the JSA's engineering firm
The CoStream platform delivered a lower total cost of ownership compared to upgrading their legacy system. [If you have numbers: "The JSA realized a 30% reduction in annual SCADA-related costs through decreased vendor support fees, eliminated custom programming charges, and reduced overtime hours."]
Client Perspective:
[Insert actual quote from superintendent, lead operator, or board member if available, or Jeff telling us how we are geniuses]
The JSA leadership embraced a continuous improvement mindset, recognizing that the CoStream platform could evolve with their needs rather than requiring costly replacements every decade. As one board member noted, "This is what modern utility management should look like."