Total Recall Provides Comprehensive Perimeter Security for Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission

As one of the largest wastewater treatment plants in the United States, the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) is responsible for processing 25 percent of the wastewater and sludge in New Jersey and 17 percent of the waste and sludge in New York. The PVSC has a stated mission of enhancing the viability and environmental health and security of 1.5 million residents in 48 municipalities—an important task that requires maximum security and operations at all times.

The commission operates and maintains an infrastructure, which includes the Newark Bay Treatment Plant and its 22-mile interceptor sewer line, which enables the processing of over 300 million gallons of wastewater every day. They also administer and operate monitoring and compliance programs to identify organic and inorganic pollutants to prevent them from entering the waterways of the Passaic River and its tributaries. The PVSC improves the recreational and economic uses of Newark Bay, the Passaic River, and its tributaries by removing debris and other pollutants from shorelines and waterways through in-house and community-based river restoration programs.

With significant responsibility for such a vast area, it’s essential to have an all-encompassing security system that can provide a complete solution which includes video surveillance, visitor management, access control, and alarm management.

PVSC’s original security solution relied upon a pieced-together system of analog cameras for video surveillance. Hurricane Sandy had destroyed PVSC’s security infrastructure in 2012, at which point leadership took the opportunity to replace, upgrade, and expand their security solution. The ability to rebuild after the hurricane was an opportunity to implement a single interactive, state-of-the-art system that they could build upon through the future, according to PVSC Director of Security & Safety Christopher O’Shea.

To design their new security system, PVSC called upon New York-based Total Recall Corporation, a Convergint Technologies company. Total Recall is a video-centric security technology provider specializing in video surveillance solutions, including citywide and campus-wide surveillance, safe cities initiatives, complex wireless networks, enterprise-level video management systems, and command centers. Headquartered in New York, Total Recall has been providing municipal governments, businesses, and organizations–both large and small–with surveillance solutions for over 30 years.

Total Recall’s main objective was to deliver a digital, IP-based, all-inclusive security solution for PVSC, which would be capable of streamlining all the security processes, including video surveillance, access control, alarm management, and visitor management.

First Total Recall designed a dedicated fiber optic network that was separate from all other networks. The new network not only strengthened data security but also provided the necessary bandwidth without overloading the existing PVSC networks.

As the next step, the original analog cameras were replaced with a new HD video network, which helped to significantly boost video quality and thus provided more usable details. Additionally, new Axis HDTV cameras were installed to increase coverage of the plant and the 22-mile pipeline.

To effectively manage PVSC’s security operations as well as to enable future system growth, Total Recall selected Genetec’s Security Center, a unified security platform that blends IP security systems within a single intuitive interface to simplify all operations.

Security Center’s Omnicast TM Video Management System was installed to manage the video cameras and feeds. While supporting a wide range of industry-leading cameras, this VMS allows for gradual scaling and the ability to add more cameras as needed.

Because PVSC includes a significant amount of land acreage and has multiple entry and exit points, they had a specific need for an unconventional access control system. This system had to monitor the multiple doors to PVSC’s premises, as well as vehicle gate access to the property. Total Recall developed an IP access control solution for managing doors and vehicle gates. To speed up and simplify employee gate access, employee vehicles were equipped with hands-free bar code scanners on car windows. If an employee is not in a company vehicle, he or she can open the gate with a personal access card. Another option is to contact the command center by using an integrated intercom installed at each gate to request permission.

PVSC manages security from an in-house monitoring station that oversees all operations. The security building control room was equipped with an array of 55-inch monitors across one wall and additional 26-inch monitors on a console, where team members can easily monitor door and gate activities, video surveillance, ID badging, and more

For enhanced security coverage of PVSC’s property, the command center has been additionally equipped with motion detection analytics, which immediately alerts operators to events that occur throughout the vast complex and perimeter.

To help PVSC speed up the launch of the new system and provide immediate benefits from its advanced security features, the Total Recall team also developed customized training solutions for PVSC security employees.

“We like to provide training in phases to smaller groups so that we can give them more detailed instruction,” said Jordan Heilweil, Total Recall President of Sales. “We use training to help them learn all aspects, so they can maximize their usage and take full advantage of the advanced security technology the solution provides.”

Working from a new unified security platform, PVSC security operators are able to streamline processes, save time, and easily respond to events from multiple systems within one intuitive solution.

O’Shea said PVSC employees have been very impressed with the comprehensive system that Total Recall has put in place.

“One of the real benefits of Total Recall’s system is that it is sophisticated but still very easy to use and manage,” O’Shea said. “I can have limited staff in to monitor it without impacting the level of service, which is the very best use of our resources.”

Because PVSC has more than 200 acres that back up to the Newark Bay, it’s a broad area to cover, added O’Shea. “With Total Recall Corporation’s vision and execution, we were able to achieve a superior security system.”

Heilweil said Total Recall is grateful to have helped PVSC improve their security solution, and the team looks forward to offering PVSC additional help as their security needs grow.

“We have been happy to help PVSC develop a technologically-advanced, unified security solution, as well as to continue building upon that system,” said Heilweil.