Washington Utility District Deploys IP Video Surveillance, Access Control

  • Jul 01, 2010

Following on from a recent security review, the Northshore Utility District in Washington has deployed an IndigoVision site-wide integrated IP video surveillance system using high-definition cameras to help combat terrorism and improve public and staff safety.

The integrated solution was designed and installed by IndigoVision’s partner, Reliable Security Sound & Data, who has also been the district’s designated security vendor of choice for many years.
 
Northshore Utility District is a special purpose water and sewer utility located at the Northeast end of Lake Washington in King County, Wash. The district encompasses more than 17 square miles and serves more than 65,000 people. With 263 miles of sewer pipe, 15 lift stations, 260 miles of water main, 3 water pumping stations and eight water storage facilities with a combined capacity of 29 million gallons, Northshore creates a demanding security environment. This requires a distributed solution that can stream high-quality surveillance video over large distances.
 
The new system replaced analog surveillance equipment that was end-of-life and delivered poor quality video.

“There were a number of instances where the old surveillance system caught perpetrators close up on camera, but we still couldn’t get a clear picture for identification,” said Stephen Schommer, P.E., the district’s information systems and technology director. “In contrast, the new IndigoVision HD cameras provide us with amazing video quality.”
 
A combination of 38 high-definition and standard-definition cameras have been installed at the main site HQ and at 5 remote pumping station/reservoir sites, the furthest being more than 5 miles away. Operators using ‘Control Center’, IndigoVision’s Security Management Software can view live and recorded video from any camera. Video is recorded on standalone RAID-5 NVRs.
 
IndigoVision’s distributed architecture allows any camera, video workstation or NVR to be located at any point on the network. Video from the HQ and each of the remote sites is recorded onto locally installed NVRs. Live and archived video from the remote sites is accessed over a standard broadband link by operators at the main site. The ability to deliver HD video across low bandwidth network links is made possible because of IndigoVision’s compression technology.
 
Another important system needed for homeland security is electronic access control. Alongside IP video, Reliable Security installed a Maxxess access control system, which has been seamlessly integrated with IndigoVision’s solution over the IP network.

This was achieved via an integration module in ‘Control Center’ and creates a more efficient and responsive operator environment. Through the advanced alarm handling facilities in ‘Control Center’, alarms from both security systems are consolidated into one universal operator interface. This allows alarms from one system to trigger events in the other. Cameras currently monitor all access control card readers and each card swipe is bookmarked with the recorded video, providing a complete visual audit of all people entering and leaving the various facilities.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.