Unlocking utility efficiency with Xylem: Journey from digital transformation to AI integration

During the event, attendees will delve into cutting-edge technologies and methodologies reshaping water management practices. Furthermore, they will gain invaluable insights into the profound impact real-time data analytics can have on enhancing the precision and efficiency of water-loss detection and proactive management strategies, and learn about real-life examples where these approaches have already been applied.

In this interview, SWM had the chance to speak with Xylem and Idrica about their vision for the digitalization of the water industry, as well as learn a bit more about the online seminar. 

How can water utilities and businesses effectively evaluate their current digital capabilities before embracing digitalization? 

Water utilities have made a lot of progress in the adoption of new technologies in the last 10-15 years

Water utilities have made a lot of progress in the adoption of new technologies in the last 10-15 years. Nowadays most utilities are using SCADA systems for the monitoring, control and maintenance of critical assets, have their assets in a digital format (GIS, CMMs, etc.), and have even started deploying additional sensing assets to monitor critical points of their production and distribution systems. 

However, many utilities made these investments in a siloed way. This means that all this data is underutilized in their journey to becoming proactive in the way they allocate their budgets, respond to events, and become operationally more efficient. To solve this challenge, we typically recommend starting by comparing their capabilities across the following key dimensions: strategic organization & culture, customer centricity, data governance, smart operations and IT architecture. By benchmarking these capabilities vs. other water utilities of similar characteristics, organizations can understand where they are in their journey and identify their priorities to determine how far they want to go. 

How do utilities ensure that their digital journey aligns with their overall business goals and objectives?

This is one of the key considerations that any digital transformation effort needs to align with. Whereas water utilities have many commonalities, every one of them also has a great number of particularities that make them unique. Whereas a water utility may have a labour shortage, another one could have a compliance issue related to water quality, and another one probably has financial pressure to keep their CIP and OPEX under control. This is why water executives need to build their digital plans both, top-down but also bottom up, with the view of their teams and understanding what particularities they have as a utility that digital may help them unlock.

What strategies or frameworks can water utilities use to identify and prioritize areas for improvement in their digital journey?

As mentioned before, it all depends on the operational and management priorities set up by the organization. With this in mind, and if we focus on the technical aspects of the question, once utilities have identified their areas of focus, we always recommend utilities to follow the “3 I framework”: information, integration and innovation. 

As said before, utilities have already invested in a large amount of technology, but they might not be getting the full benefit of these investments. Looking for improvements in existing systems – training, updates, upgrades, etc. should be the first step to getting all the information on these individual technologies.

Once this step has been taken, utility managers and operators should focus on how to use all the utility data at their disposal. This is where establishing and executing a data platform and a data integration path in line with the operational and management priorities is key. 

Last, throughout this process the teams will normally identify gaps in their technology and process base. This is where embarking into innovation makes sense: focus on the gaps that align with the priorities established by the organization and invest in resources and technology that fill these gaps. 

Controlling water loss is a priority for water utilities around the world. How can the integration of digital technologies assist water utilities worldwide in effectively managing and reducing water loss?

The first step before becoming proactive in detecting, locating and remediating water loss is always to understand the current baseline that the utility overall, and each group of assets is starting from

Water utilities have a great number of information sources, systems, and technologies generating all types of real-time data – SCADA systems, flow/pressure sensors, GIS, work order systems, Advanced Metering Infrastructure, etc. The first step before becoming proactive in detecting, locating and remediating water loss is always to understand the current baseline that the utility overall, and each group of assets is starting from. 

The integration of digital technologies turns out very relevant in identifying what is this starting point, as well as subdividing the water distribution system into smaller segments (district-metered areas, pressure zones, etc.) and measuring non-revenue water in real-time across areas. For example, by comparing water production and input with water usage by subarea, utilities can start identifying what are their water loss levels in near real-time (instead of waiting for their annual water loss reports). 

Once this baseline is established, monitored in real-time, and controlled, the utility can start taking advantage of the digital integration to become proactive in the management of water loss by reducing the time of repair to hours or days, establishing a predictive pressure modulation program by zone, detecting leak locations in the water distribution system, and prioritize actions by relevance and/or ROI.

Finally, on Wednesday, May 8th, Xylem is organizing a webinar on leveraging real-time data analytics for water loss reduction. Why is this webinar interesting for the water sector?

This webinar is interesting because it will walk utilities through the process of data and digital integration from the initial stages of digital transformation to a more advanced stage in which even real-time modelling and AI and machine learning can be used for the reduction of water loss.

The webinar will also showcase some global utilities that are applying these technologies towards the monitoring and reduction of water loss with physical and virtual DMAs.