Water, one of nature's most valuable resources, is essential to all forms of life and trade. But the difficulties in monitoring and managing water resources have become more complex due to factors including growing demand, deteriorating infrastructure, and the rising effects of climate change. However, digital solutions have emerged as potent capabilities for addressing these issues and can guarantee the effective and sustainable management of water resources in an era of rapid technological advancements.

Digitisation

Our understanding of water management is being completely altered by digital technologies including data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and smart metres. These technologies make it possible to optimise water distribution systems, detect leaks and inefficiencies promptly, and monitor water usage in real time. While digitisation has been an inherent feature across operations for many years, companies still lack a comprehensive and integrated view of their systems to effectively shift operations from reactive to predictive mode. This can only be accomplished through the curation of actionable strategies that accelerate digital adoption. 

Actionable Insights and Predictive Operations

While an integrated platform represents an important advancement, it is not enough. Stakeholders, including governments, municipalities, and the general public, are putting pressure on water utilities to reduce operating expenses and maximise operational effectiveness, while also guaranteeing environmental sustainability and raising customer satisfaction levels. There is a growing shortage of human resources to accomplish these targets. This is where digital solutions come into play, such as digital twins. Given the increasing momentum surrounding digital twin adoption in the water utility sector, we have the perfect opportunity to assess recent industry initiatives to standardise the definition of digital twins and evaluate the advantages that the technology brings to water utilities.

Digital Twin Solutions 

Based on all the data they process, digital twins give water utilities new and useful insights, in addition to acting as a single point that unifies various systems and data types. They enable the transition from preventive to predictive maintenance and operations, as well as provide stakeholders with the ability to identify problems before they arise. In addition to providing new insights, the technology helps in significantly reducing non-revenue water, improving energy efficiency, boosting customer service and network resilience, and assuring the best capital planning decisions. Moreover, digital twin solutions are simple to use, implement, and configure, with new data accessible in just a few clicks.

Digital Twins in Action 

Digital twins guarantee that all users, from directors and engineers to operators, have constant access to the relevant information, irrespective of their academic background. The aim is not to substitute current systems but to integrate them, delivering the most accurate information automatically and immediately to a unified platform that teams can utilise. For example, AEGEA, one of Brazil’s largest private water and sanitation companies, needed to improve the quality of water services and asset management options in Manaus, the capital and largest city in the state of Amazonas. The utility required a solution that was capable of remotely monitoring and analysing Manaus’ water systems. 

The company employed OpenFlows to create and curate a digital twin that integrated SCADA, GIS, hydraulic modelling, and customer data into a connected data environment. The twin successfully enabled cost-effective operations and preventative maintenance in real time. OpenFlows serves as a great example of how smart technologies can be used to achieve sustainability goals. The solution also assists utilities in mitigating risks, initiating prompt responses, and effectively meeting sustainability targets.

Ultimately, we believe that the adoption of digital solutions has the potential to significantly alter the way water infrastructure is managed and to promote sustainable water practices. By adopting these technologies, market leaders and organisations can ensure the long-term resilience of their water management systems, improve water efficiency, and overcome the challenges posed by water scarcity.