What type of systems does Lee's utility most likely use to automate water flow control?

Lee's utility most likely uses Industrial Control Systems (ICS) to automate water flow control due to the nature of ICS being specifically designed for monitoring and controlling physical processes in industrial environments, such as utilities. ICS encompasses a wide range of control systems, including those utilized for various infrastructure processes like water distribution, where precise control over water flow is essential for operational efficiency, safety, and compliance with regulatory standards.

ICS systems are integral in providing real-time data, control of machinery, and ensuring automation of tasks that are critical to the function of providing water services. They are designed to interact directly with physical devices and machinery, maintaining operational stability and enhancing resource management.

While SCADA, which stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, is related and often overlaps with ICS by providing monitoring and control capabilities, it primarily serves as a high-level management and data analysis layer rather than the underlying control mechanism. IoT refers to the broader category involving connected devices, and while it can be involved in smart water systems, it is not specifically tailored for the deep control automation required in a utility context. A Local Area Network (LAN) simply refers to network infrastructure, which is also not specific to the control and monitoring tasks performed by control systems.