Advanced Technology Boosts Water Industry Efficiency
Over the last decade, new regulatory pressures and shifting environmental concerns have made business as usual tougher for the water industry. At the same time, facilities are dealing with aging infrastructure, workforce retirements, increased demands for water distribution and wastewater collection, and the need for asset management strategies that optimize the total cost of ownership.
To keep up, utilities and labs have adopted new technologies to enhance efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reliability. From customer relationship management (CRM) to advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), advances play essential roles in transforming drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities and water test labs.
Emerging Technologies for Water Utilities and Labs
New technologies support greater accuracy, efficiency, and sustainability as water utilities and labs treat and test drinking and wastewater.
Customer Relationship Management
CRM platforms consolidate data on customer interactions and service history to improve satisfaction and loyalty. With the right data, you can see usage patterns, target communications for different customer types, address issues like leaks and their impact on bills early, and deliver timely and relevant information.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure
AMI combined with smart meters lets water utilities gather and analyze water consumption data remotely and in real time. With detailed, up-to-date information, utilities and customers can more effectively monitor and manage water use.
Internet of Things (IoT)
Smart sensors can collect data on water pressure, flow, quality, and other parameters and send the information in real time to monitor and manage water usage, quality, efficiency, and infrastructure. Utilities can use IoT technology to adjust water flow, detect leaks, and respond quickly to prevent water loss.
Digital Twins
Combining customer usage and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) information enables the development of a digital twin, a virtual copy of your real-world treatment plant and its behavior. You can use this to model the network, run what-if simulations, and gather insights for informed decisions. The digital twin lets you try new ideas or make changes without disturbing your real-world facilities, minimizing risk, time, and cost.
Data Analytics
Data analytics, including ML and AI, support advanced analysis of historical and real-time utility data to identify usage patterns, detect infrastructure issues, fine-tune operations, minimize water loss, and predict maintenance needs. By helping utilities move from a reactive to a proactive approach, ML and AI can help you better manage the system and reduce downtime. In addition, forecasting based on long-term data, weather patterns, and demographic trends can help you predict future water demand and make capital improvements and resource plans to meet needs. By modeling different scenarios, you can prioritize infrastructure maintenance and replacement, extending the lifespan of assets and reducing operating costs.
Labs can use analytical tools and software to sort through large volumes of data and identify patterns in water quality. With AI algorithms, you can detect emerging contaminants early, assess risks more effectively, and make decisions proactively. For example, data-driven recommendations can help a plant determine how to modify treatment to reduce the formation of harmful byproducts. Continuous monitoring can spur prompt action when sensors detect anomalies, preventing water quality deterioration.
Automation
Operating drinking water and wastewater treatment plants remotely and autonomously contributes to more efficient management by reducing manual labor and limiting human error. Knowing key parameters like pH, dissolved oxygen, and flow rate supports precise control of treatment processes. This leads to better water quality, less chemical use, lower energy consumption, and improved compliance with environmental regulations.
In most labs today, automated lab information management systems help automate workflows, integrate instruments, and manage samples and associated information during water tests. The result: better data analysis, faster reporting, fewer errors, and greater efficiency.
On-Site Rapid Testing
Field technicians and environmental professionals can conduct water quality testing anywhere and everywhere using portable devices equipped with electrochemical sensors and isothermal amplification. This helps teams identify water quality issues and respond to them quickly. For example, on-site testing in remote areas eliminates the transit time needed to fly samples to a distant lab for tests. If analysis uncovers a disease-causing pathogen, regulators can act quickly to protect human and ecosystem health.
Advanced Contaminant Detection
Advanced sensors, nanotechnology, and spectroscopy enable highly sensitive and specific detection of contaminants, including emerging pollutants like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, microplastics, and trace contaminants.
Whether you manage a utility or a lab, the key to reaping the rewards of advanced technologies in the water industry is starting with an assessment of your operations and the benefits your organization could reap. Figure out where the gaps lie and how technology can help you reach your goals quickly. Then, create a roadmap to implement the technologies that will help you produce the greatest impact.
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