WIPAC Monthly August 2021

WIPAC MONTHLY
The Monthly Update from Water Industry Process Automation & Control
www.wipac.org.uk Issue 8/2021- August 2021

In this Issue
WIPAC Monthly is a publication of the Water Industry Process Automation & Control Group. It is produced by the group
manager and WIPAC Monthly Editor, Oliver Grievson. This is a free publication for the benefit of the Water Industry and please feel
free to distribute to any who you may feel benefit. However due to the ongoing costs of WIPAC Monthly a donation website has
been set up to allow readers to contribute to the running of WIPAC & WIPAC Monthly, For those wishing to donate then please visit
https://www.patreon.com/Wipac all donations will be used solely for the benefit and development of WIPAC.
All enquires about WIPAC Monthly, including those who want to publish news or articles within these pages, should be directed
to the publications editor, Oliver Grievson at olivergrievson@hotmail.com
From the editor............................................................................................................. 3
Industry news..............................................................................................................
Highlights of the news of the month from the global water industry centred around the successes of a few
of the companies in the global market.
4 - 11
Old City of Jerusalem poses some leak detection challenges.........................................
In this case study by TaKaDU we look at some of the challenges that are faced by water authorities when dealing
with historic cities and landmarks. In this situations its important to manage using systems to pinpoint leaks in
a refined manner in order to protect important buildings and cities. This is where Central Event Management is
important and we see in this case study what happens in Jerusalem.
12 - 13
Driving Smarter Decisions with your water data..........................................................
In this thought piece originally published by Water Finance & Management and data company OSIsoft we look at
the source of data commonly used within the water industry and how these combined to provide informational
insight.
14 - 17
Instrumentation and the factory approach....................................................................
In a revisit to this article we have a look at, considering the race to net zero, the role that instrumentation has
to play in the factory approach towards water & wastewater treatment and how the aspirations of the water
companies to reach net zero are going to need more monitoring as we adopt the approach more wholly
18 - 20
Workshops, conferences & seminars............................................................................
The highlights of the conferences and workshops in the coming months. 21 - 22

From the Editor

One of my favourite exhibitions in the calendar is the Water, Wastewater & Environmental Monitoring Conference. It
gets everyone together and allows us to release our inner geeks as we wander the halls and look at all of the latest
developments in instrumentation in real life. Sometimes these are instruments that we've heard are coming but it gets
released at WWEM. Of course with the tail end of the current pandemic still around this is still quite possible especially in
large numbers so this year we're are going to have to do things from the comfort of our office chairs. Great in someways
but not quite the same in others. Of course I usually take myself to the level of geekness that even surprises myself as
I get people together for a "chat." For the past few WWEMs I've organised part of the conference and this time is no
different and we are going to see a repeat of things such as the Flow Forum where all of those in wastewater flow get
together discuss the issue and discuss the technologies and how we can apply them to the challenges that we face.
This time though, as always, we are going that little bit further with the Pollution Forum and some roundtable discussions
on Net Zero and Wastewater Based Epidemiology. The whole theme this year is "measurement to manage" and it is
a theme that we've seen alot of. Of course it is a well-used adage that works on the production factory that is the
water industry. One of the questions we are going to ask is "why do we manage?" My take is that it gives us situational
awareness quite literally it helps us understand a complex system but of course it comes at a price. We saw that the price of monitoring in some is worth it
in some situations with the use of wastewater-based epidemiology helping to manage and control the virus in some areas with a 7-day early warning system
helping to curb outbreaks. Its a subject that we'll discuss in quite some detail at WWEM as to why in the UK specifically it is a technique that we haven't used
more of. Is it a case of poor awareness of the techniques and what they can do that are available or is it a case of not being able to deliver the technique more
widely due to the operational model of the water industry. Its an interesting question that I hope that we will get to the bottom of.
Of course once we know what the situation is how do we manage it and this is where the modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine
Learning come in but of course there are simpler techniques. One of the organisations that we have speaking is the National Rivers Trust and I have asked
them to speak about "Visualising the State of Our Rivers and CSOs" of course this is going to feature the CSO map that the trust produces. Of course the map
has been one of the key information sources around the current pollution scandal making the public more and more aware. My slight regret is that of course
we don't have the level of data that will help inform everyone fully. How many spills are due to wet weather? How many spills are illegal discharges? and how
much of a problem does the industry face moving forward? Its where I think its not only a case of having the data but having the right data too.
What is sure is that the Forums and Roundtables that we have are certainly going to open up a debate
Have a good month and of course stay safe,
Oliver

Morrison Data Services secures Business Stream metering services
contract extension
Morrison Data Services, a part of M Group Services, has secured a four-year contract extension to provide nationwide automated and visual meter reading, and
meter data management services on behalf of Edinburgh based water retailer, Business Stream.
Beginning in April 2021, the contract includes the option to extend for an additional two years. The services delivered by Morrison Data Services will represent over
60 per cent of the Business Stream customer portfolio, equating to almost 400,000 customer visits each year.
The award extends the scope of Morrison Data Services’ existing contract with Business Stream, with meter reading services across its large scale, non-domestic
customer portfolio in the Southern Water region now included.
Douglas McLaren, Chief Operating Officer, Business Stream, commented:
“We’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with Morrison Data Services. The provision of automated and visual meter reading services is an essential part
of our service, helping to ensure our customers receive accurate bills, based on the water they actually use. We’re looking forward to working with the team to
ensure we can continue to enhance our meter reading capabilities, delivering direct benefits to our customers”.
Matthew Hardcastle‍, Data Collection Director, Morrison Data Services, said:
“We are delighted to secure this contract extension with Business Stream, one of the largest retailers operating in the UK non-household water deregulated
market. Our expertise in meter reading and meter data management services means we are the provider of choice to deliver high quality readings and services for
Business Stream customers and this contract award cements our long-standing relationship as one of its largest and most trusted service providers.”
Virtual WWEM set to see another exciting conference programme
next month
For the first time the Water, Wastewater & Environmental Monitoring Conference is set to be virtual this year when it returns to the conference calendar next
month. Being virtual has its advantages and disadvantages but the team at WWEM having been setting up a virtual event to be remembered and the conference
calendar for the event is set to give a plethora of opportunities for the industry to stay informed about new technologies and learn about what is happening with
the current trends with the industry.
The Water Industry Process Automation & Control Group is set to host 4 events over the 2 days of the conference with the general theme of "The need to
measure to manage", this will include:
Flow Forum - featuring discussions on Flow to Full Treatment, data management and a technology focus and include speakers from the Environment Agency.
Thames Water. Southern Water and the supply chain including Vega Control Systems and Fluenta
Pollution Forum - featuring speakers from the Environment Agency, South West Water, Yorkshire Water, StormHarvester and The Rivers Trust
Wastewater Based Epidemiology Roundtable - featuring speakers from Idrica, the Joint Biosecurity Centre, Hach and KWR amongst others
Net Zero Roundtable - featuring speakers from Severn Trent Water, Unisense, University of Exeter, Stantec and Hach
The virtual platform will also feature a resource library where attendees can check out training videos, product demonstrations and a wealth of other content
from around the world. Being virtual brings the huge benefit that visitors can literally attend from their studies from anywhere in the world. One of the key
things will be to register as all of the content that will be produced will be recorded but will only be available for free for those that register for the event.
So, come join us for free at Virtual WWEM on 13th - 14th October 2021. The registration link is https://avolio.swapcard.com/WWEM/registrations/Start
Page 4
Industry News

New Vodafone IoT solution enables utilities to integrate new and
legacy water assets on single data management platform
Vodafone has launched a new IoT-based smart platform – the unique technology will help
water companies to integrate old and new sensors in one system, dramatically increasing
operational efficiency. The solution will make it easier for water companies to reduce
wastage and improve efficiency by bringing applications such as smart metering and leak
detection together on a single platform.
Anne Sheehan, Business Director, Vodafone UK said:
“There is growing demand on the UK water companies to increase efficiency and reduce
wastage. We’ve worked closely with the water industry to identify a common problem
and develop a simple solution. The platform has been designed with simplicity in mind –
you do not have to be a connectivity expert to benefit from IoT. We are making it as easy
as possible to ensure water companies can benefit from cutting edge technology and
connectivity to meet important regulatory and environmental standards.”
Vodafone’s unique IoT offering looks set to accelerate change in the UK water sector and
improve monitoring and detection systems, increase efficiency, reduce wastage and meet
regulatory requirements.
One of the major challenges for the water industry is the need to prolong the life of legacy monitoring systems installed over the last 30 years, while becoming
more efficient and meeting new targets.
After years of market consolidation, data is often trapped on separate systems that do not talk to each other and often have incompatible technical standards.
This has resulted in the water industry facing significant overheads and operational inefficiencies, due to the increasing cost of managing disparate technologies
that are too expensive and disruptive to replace with modern equivalents.
The new Vodafone solution offers a single data management platform that integrates old and new sensors in one system to dramatically increase operational
efficiency. The solution will make it easier for water companies to reduce wastage and improve efficiency by bringing applications such as smart metering and
leak detection together on a single platform
Both device and technology agnostic, the solution can bring together any device in a network. The new capability frees water companies from being locked in
to purchasing from just one supplier i.e. they can choose the devices that best meet their needs and those of their customers.
Vodafone gives water companies every element of an Internet of Things (IoT) solution, including devices, connectivity, data management and ongoing service:
• Devices: Vodafone will procure new devices and sensors, including smart meters and data loggers, as well as integrate existing devices into
a single management platform
• Connectivity: Vodafone’s narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) coverage now reaches 98% of the UK geography
• Data management: There is a single platform that allows the user to manage all devices, both new and legacy, and integrate all data sets.
Data from all devices is securely acquired, orchestrated, stored, analysed and visualised
• Service: Ongoing advice and collaboration is provided to ensure customers get the greatest value from their IoT deployment, and the
quickest possible return on their investment
The technology is simple to deploy and manage, allowing water companies to increase the level of surveillance and telemetry on networks to meet important
regulatory and environmental standards, while ensuring greater efficiency and reduced wastage.
Damian Crawford, Head of Smart Networks and Leakage at Stantec commented:
“Vodafone’s smart water proposition is a game-changer for the water industry. While there is ample variety of water network telemetry equipment on the
market, Vodafone can be unique in providing the water industry with one full end-to-end secure solution that is device agnostic, removing supplier lock-in and
maximising existing assets. Vodafone’s innovative solution has set a benchmark for the UK water industry, with the aim to deliver excellent service for water
companies and their customers.”
The new solution for the water industry follows the completion of a project to double the amount of NB-IoT sites. For those areas that are not covered by the
NB- IoT network today, Vodafone will work with customers to upgrade and add infrastructure on a case-by-case basis.
NB-IoT is designed for use cases which require devices with long-life batteries and in locations that might be difficult for traditional mobile connectivity to reach,
such as underground water pipes.
Page 5

Schneider Electric partners with Thames Water on SCADA system
upgrade for London water supply
Schneider Electric, a market- leading company in digital transformation, has partnered with
Thames Water to upgrade and unify the complex computer system controlling London’s
water supply. The project involved moving from a 25-year-old system, composed of multiple
legacy and obsolete sub-systems to a new, universal SCADA platform, all while maintaining
water supply across the capital. The all-new SCADA computer system will enable Thames
Water to collect, process and distribute data faster and at a higher level than ever before,
improving efficiency, durability and flexibility while reducing operational costs.
Carly Bradburn, Thames Water’s head of digital operations, commented:
“The computer system oversees the production, treatment and delivery of up to 2.2 billion
litres of drinking water every day. Replacing it has been a very complex and challenging
project. The old system was over 25 years old and software updates were no longer
available. Replacing it needed the engagement of multiple stakeholder groups, external
suppliers and companies, and has been a vast undertaking.
“The commissioning of the new system included checking and validating more than 700,000
data points, and around 100,000 functional, mimic, alarm and user tests to ensure minimal
operational disruption and risk. This has been a monumental achievement. What once seemed impossible has been done.”
One of the largest water systems in the world, the new technology provides Thames Water with an open interface system. This means data can be collated and
processed from over 4,000 outstations and delivered instantly to the company’s departments, leading to new levels of insight and autonomy over energy usage.
TheunifiedsystemwillenableThamesWatertomakeoperationalsavings,throughimprovingthetotallifespanofthesystemscomponents,reducingmaintenance
and the level of control required, while improving resilience and efficiency. Its open, yet secure nature mean that it can easily integrate with third party software
and products easily, meaning enhanced flexibility for users.
Mark Grimshaw, Thames Water’s head of London water production, said:
“Investing in resilient systems and assets is one of our key priorities. There can’t be many more important projects than updating the technology that ensures
a reliable water supply for one of the world’s major cities. Keeping the old system up and running while launching the new system alongside it has been a
monumental effort by everyone involved – a great example of teamwork at its very best.”
“The project set a number of unique challenges. The facilities operate 24/7, meaning that the team had to make the changes as quickly as possible, and with
practically no disruption to the service. I’m extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve – from design, specification and procurement to installation,
integration, testing and finally operation, this project has involved collaboration from countless parties. The system in place will help to create a more efficient,
resilient and usable water network for the whole of London.”
Andrew Ballard, Schneider Electric VP Process Automation commented:
"We are proud to have worked with Thames Water on such a critical and challenging project and we are looking forward to supporting them on managing their
aging infrastructure and with their next steps on the Digital Transformation Journey."
£4m trial to provide broadband and mobile services across UK via
water pipes will also help “radically reduce” leakage
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has launched a £4 million competition aimed at accelerating the rollout of broadband and mobile services
via drinking water mains, together with helping to reduce leakage from the public water supply. Fibre broadband cables could be fed through the country’s
water pipes as part of the government’s plan to speed up the nationwide roll out of lightning-fast broadband and mobile coverage in rural areas.
Fibre in Water is an open competition which will allocate up to £4 million of R&D funding to projects that develop and build a pilot or pilots to facilitate delivery
of advanced broadband and mobile services via drinking water mains to connect the hardest to reach areas of the UK with advanced fixed and mobile telecoms
services - and also reduce water leakage from potable water pipes. The project - Fibre in Water: Improving Access to Advanced Broadband and Mobile Services
via Drinking Water Mains (FiW) - is being run by DCMS from HM Treasury’s Shared Outcomes Fund and is supported by DEFRA, BEIS and Cabinet Office. According
to DCMS, FiW will enable innovative technologies in the water industry and ‘future proof’ water and telecommunications infrastructure including de-risking the
PSTN switch-off between 2021 and 2025.
A statement issued by DCMS said:
“The project will also enable the water industry to radically reduce the current 20% clean water leakage and resulting carbon emissions, passing on benefits to
consumers through lower bills. This is part of a wider industry effort as well as Ofwat which has a 50% reduction target on leakage.”
The funding will be available for cutting-edge innovators to trial what could be a quicker and more cost-effective way of connecting fibre optic cables to homes,
businesses and mobile masts, without the disruption caused by digging up roads and land. Civil works, in particular installing new ducts and poles, can make up
as much as four fifths of the costs to industry of building new gigabit-capable broadband networks.
Page 6

Freewave Technologies' Joint Venture With Modusense To
Accelerate Connected Solutions To The Unconnected
To transform geographically disperse industrial operations, you need visibility to intelligent data at the edge — as well as the ability to pro-actively manipulate
it and make it actionable. FreeWave Technologies and New Zealand-based ModuSense have executed a joint venture that will make global innovation, turn-key
industrial IOT edge solutions a reality, quickly and cost-effectively.
Today, FreeWave delivers an ecosystem of edge intelligent radios and solutions, manufactured in the U.S., to optimize the extreme edge of remote industrial
operations and create a more connected enterprise. Its existing offering enables high-fidelity data capture, analysis, control, and automation via a scalable IIoT
platform. ModuSense complements FreeWave’s portfolio adding proven full-stack, off-the-shelf SaaS solutions and more flexible, agile gateway sensing solution.
The combination of both companies’ strengths stands to deliver on accelerating global hardware and software IIoT development capabilities in a meaningful and
immediately measurable way.
“The ModuSense joint venture expands our portfolio and accelerates our ability to bring fully integrated, game-changing IIoT solutions to market quickly,”
says FreeWave Technologies CEO Kirk Byles. “Their entrepreneurial model will ultimately provide us access to a flexible, agile innovation centre allowing us to
respond to both customer and market needs faster with both off-the-shelf and fully customized IIoT solutions. We are energized by the possibilities and work
has already begun on our integrated solution roadmap.”
For the last four years, ModuSense has been focused on developing an IIoT platform that powers IoT solutions from large enterprises to innovative start-ups and
all companies in between. The ModuSense solutions platforms includes a modular sensor ecosystem with industry-leading communications including Satellite,
LTE, BLE and more. Today, they have developed infrastructure solutions for real-time asset tracking and resource monitoring across both agriculture, water
and transportation industries. Their satellite-connected sensors are helping beekeepers determine the health of hives in New Zealand as well as identifying
environmental threats in real-time. These environmental sensors will be utilized in 1000’s of applications where connectivity has been a challenge but is no
longer based on low-cost satellite coverage.
“Geographically dispersed, remote operations pose real challenges across a number of industries,” says ModuSense CEO Bruce Trevarthen. “Our combined
portfolio delivers a super powerhouse of capabilities to customers who are hungry for integrated solutions designed to make industrial remote operations more
efficient, make critical data more intelligent and help save money to make money. FreeWave brings decades of manufacturing discipline, governance and due-
diligence to our agile innovation process. We make a formidable team in the industrial IoT market and look forward to developing out of the box solutions that
will have immediate market impact.”
Detectronic Launches Dynamic Sewer Network Management
System
Aging infrastructure, urban growth and incidences of extreme weather are escalating the problems experienced by already strained wastewater networks. To
deliver an intelligent, effective and economical, solution, Detectronic, long-time specialists in sewer & wastewater network monitoring and management, have
introduced the LIDoTT Smart System. This new LIDoTT-based system provides everything needed to deliver a truly smart sewer network solution which can be
quickly deployed either in specific (problem) catchments or throughout the entire network.
The LIDoTT Smart System uses the specially designed LIDoTT Smart data-logger to send sewer data collected by the multi-technology LIDoTT level sensor to the
DetecAnalytics visualisation and predictive analytics platform, to deliver a fully integrated smart sewer network monitoring solution.
Explains Steve Woods, managing director of Detectronic: “Enabling water companies to intervene early to actually prevent blockages and spills before they
happen is something we’ve been doing for the last 10 years. This latest development incorporates our previous decades of experience and knowledge of global
sewer network monitoring.”
• Superior visibility. LIDoTT Smart System delivers real time sewer performance monitoring using LIDoTT Sensor’s millimetric accuracy to
enable DetecAnalytics’ AI machine-learning technology to detect minor changes in the network and predict operational issues with far
more certainty.
• More time to react. Abnormalities in wastewater levels which might be caused by a partial blockage are shown on a visual dashboard with
three alarm states giving teams more time to react to blockages before they become real problems.
• Low maintenance and high performance. Built with no moving parts, the LIDoTT multi-technology sensor is an intrinsically safe, maintenance
free device with a battery life of up to 7 years which delivers high quality data in challenging environments.
• Cost savings. LIDoTT Smart System has been designed for long-term, low-cost monitoring with lower whole-life costs than other level
monitoring solutions.
Continues Steve: “A smart sewer network is one that consistently performs with zero major blockages, and without the spills or pollutions that can cost water
companies millions to resolve. Using real-time wastewater level and rainfall data combined with AI machine-learning techniques, the aim of a truly smart sewer
network monitoring solution is to accurately predict wastewater behaviour for every sewer asset in real time and in both wet and dry weather conditions.”
“What makes the LIDoTT Smart System stand out, is its accuracy. The LIDoTT Sensor delivers incredibly high-quality data with none of the data spikes or
‘noise’ traditionally associated with conventional ultrasonic level monitors. Consequently, when fed into DetecAnalytics or any other AI analytical system, the
predictions will be more accurate and more reliable for operational decision making. In turn, this fuels more efficient sewer management and maintenance
programmes, surpasses regulatory requirements, ODI targets, exceeds customer expectations and delivers valuable operational cost-savings.”
Concludes Steve: “The benefits of deploying the LIDoTT Smart System in any wastewater network are many and varied, aside from the fact that it is extremely
cost-effective, easy to implement and delivers optimum performance. LIDoTT Smart System is an important step towards complete real time network visibility
and forecasting and achieving zero spills and pollutions.”
Page 7

Welsh Water trials innovative radar sensor to help prevent
flooding and pollution incidents
Welsh Water has successfully tested an innovative radar sensor that identifies network issues – helping to prevent internal sewer flooding or pollution incidents.
The innovation, the Vega radar sensor, has been through rigorous testing and was found to still perform even when contending with rags, grease and other
items that can cause major problems within the network and in worst cases can lead to flooding and pollution incidents. The radar is the next evolution in level
monitoring and will be available for all future developments and improvement works. The radar sensor is innovative as it provides accurate readings despite the
conditions in the sewer - 2/3 of sewer blockages are caused by things that shouldn’t be there in the first place and can lead to catastrophic flooding in people’s
homes.. Managing a network of 30,000km of sewers to over 3 million people and businesses is a 24/7 operation. Sensors are key to identifying network issues
and are vital to the delivery of Welsh Water’s essential services.
Through the accurate identification of incidents, the company can pro-actively attend areas that are known to have problems whilst utilising resources more
efficiently.
Mike Loyns, Wastewater Asset Engineer said:
“The Vega sensor is an excellent example of how innovation seeks to continuously improve how we carry out essential services, using the latest digital and
technological advances. Providing real time, accurate data, the new solution can improve our reaction time, making unnecessary call-outs and false readings a
thing of the past.
“We also need customers to play their part too and help stop the block. Just a single wet wipe is enough to start a blockage in your sewer pipe and risks causing
catastrophic flooding in your home.”
Sean Gregory, Research and Innovation Manager added:
“Innovation is at the heart of Welsh Water’s plans for the future, ensuring that we continue to work towards our environmental targets and continue to provide
an effective, resilient and affordable service for decades to come. As such, the company has set aside a record budget of over £80 million for research and
innovation to transform water and wastewater services over the next five years.”
Climate Change, COVID-19 Pandemic Underscore Water Sector's
Need For Broader View Of Resilience, Data Use
2021 Strategic Directions Report highlights role of digital water solutions as pandemic, climate change stress systems
The U.S. water industry is embracing innovation, sustainability and technology, including data, analytics and other “digital water” tools along with resource
recovery processes. Combined, this continued progress helps to meet a host of challenges headlined by aging infrastructure, climate-related impacts and
uncertainties from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a newly released report from Black & Veatch.
The company’s Strategic Directions: 2021 Water Report features expert analysis of survey responses from more than 200 U.S. water industry stakeholders.
It shows a sector discovering new ways of doing business by embracing digital water and leveraging integrated approaches to both planning and delivering
strategic, financial and operational resilience.
“The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the industry’s remarkable agility and adaptability in delivering its essential services,” said Cindy Wallis-Lage, president of
Black & Veatch’s water business. “Given all of the challenges, including COVID-19, the water sector is transforming. This evolution features continued progress for
wider use of data technology, advancements in innovative solutions that drive resilience, and is stimulating meaningful, long-term investment. More than ever,
these times validate a holistic, collaborative approach to addressing the industry’s complexities and ensuring a lasting, dependable water ecosystem.”
While it continues to evolve, many issues facing the industry are familiar. A total of 75 percent of survey respondents listed aging infrastructure as their foremost
challenge. Other issues include making the case for capital improvement programs (34 percent), system resilience (30 percent) and managing capital costs (26
percent). Utility managers understand that data-related technologies can optimize their systems for greater sustainability and resilience, as roughly two-thirds
categorize their data management practice as robust and strengthening though not fully integrated. This represents a slight uptick from Black & Veatch’s 2020
report.
Page 8

The First Real Snapshot Of Algal Bloom Toxins In Lake Erie
Remote-sensing technology produces detailed images of the size and density of the harmful algal bloom (HAB) in Lake Erie’s western basin each year, but
determining the bloom’s toxicity relies on research that – literally – tests the waters. An initiative called the “HABS Grab,” conducted by an international team of
researchers, has provided the most accurate estimates to date of where and how much of the liver toxin microcystin might be present during a seasonal bloom.
The 100 and 172 water samples “grabbed” in one-day outings a year apart suggested there were about 12 tons of microcystins – the toxins that can be produced
by cyanobacteria– in the lake on a single day in 2018, and over 30 tons in the western basin on one day in 2019. Beyond reaching those estimates, the team
found that the concentration of the toxins fluctuated over short distances, and less than a quarter of all of the Microcystis, the most common cyanobacteria
genus in Lake Erie, were actually capable of toxin production. In addition, findings suggested using chlorophyll as a proxy measure for the presence of microcystin
may not be as reliable as previously thought.
“Those issues can only be overcome with more frequent data collection,” said Justin Chaffin, senior researcher and research coordinator at The Ohio State
University’s Stone Laboratory and lead author of the study.
“We have good biomass data from satellites, so we can see where the bloom is and how thick it is, but there’s never a direct link between bloom biomass and
how much toxin there is in the water. To measure the toxin you have to be out on a boat grabbing a sample.”
The research is published online in the journal Harmful Algae. The HABS Grab principal funder, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
annually forecasts the summer harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie, basing predictions on data derived from high-quality satellite imagery. Microcystis is the main
type of cyanobacteria that compose the HAB in Lake Erie, and it can produce high amounts of microcystins, which can pose risks to human and wildlife health.
A dangerously high concentration of the toxin overwhelmed a Lake Erie water treatment plant in 2014, leading to the three-day Toledo drinking water crisis.
Lake Erie supplies drinking water to an estimated 11 million people in the United States and Canada – and for that reason alone, not to mention the lake’s
recreational uses and economic benefits – it’s important to have a better handle on the toxicity of the annual bloom, Chaffin said.
“Obviously, we don’t want toxins in there,” he said. “Stepping further away, we’re understanding how blooms occur in lakes and their spatial distribution, and
the physiology that causes cyanobacteria to produce microcystins.
“We wanted to take the HABS Grab approach to quantify microcystins in a way that might help us eventually estimate its concentrations from day to day or week
to week.”
The two grabs took place on Aug. 9, 2018, and Aug. 7, 2019. On each of those days, 40 or so scientists – a U.S. team in 2018 and a joint U.S.-Canadian effort in
2019 – boarded boats to collect water samples across the western basin, covering roughly 880 square miles. Back in their labs, researchers analysed the samples’
contents for nutrients, toxins, pigments and cyanobacterial DNA. In 2018, the highest detected microcystin concentrations of between 2 to 5 micrograms per
litre were found in water hugging the Ohio shoreline and surrounding the Bass Islands. In contrast, the highest concentrations of between 15 and 50 micrograms
per litre were measured in Maumee Bay in 2019 – but in the same year, microcystins were below detectable levels near the Detroit River outflow and around
the Bass Islands.
According to Ohio Environmental Protection Agency standards, treated drinking water should contain no more than 1.6 micrograms of microcystin per litre for
adults and 0.3 micrograms per litre of the toxin for children. Water treatment plants monitor for microcystins, but Chaffin said that in an ideal scenario, scientists
could tell plant operators when and at what concentration microcystins will be present in advance of the bloom reaching their intake. The authors noted that
the 12- and 30-ton biomass estimates of toxins in the blooms are largely a function of how big the western basin is. They estimated the basin-wide average
concentration of microcystins at 0.52 and 1.38 micrograms per litre in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and noted that the concentrations detected in the HABS Grab
samples varied by nearly two orders of magnitude over very short distances.
Less helpful was the finding that the microcystin-to-chlorophyll ratio varied widely throughout the western basin, indicating that incorrect water treatment
decisions could be made if they rely solely on chlorophyll. There are even potential bright spots, Chaffin said: The location of the toxins aligned with water
currents, indicating that water currents can be used to forecast where those toxins will be transported, and the microcystin-to-chlorophyll ratio increased with
nitrogen concentrations, suggesting nitrogen affects how much toxin a cyanobacteria cell can produce.
“We really needed a high-spatial-resolution toxin dataset so we can compare it to the satellites and see, within one day, what the relationship is between toxins
and bloom biomass,” Chaffin said. “What we found is that the relationship between toxins and biomass even on one day is not consistent across the lake.”
The HABS Grab was an enormous undertaking and hasn’t been repeated since 2019. But the team hopes this study lays the groundwork for future data collection
to broaden understanding of how toxins circulate during the annual harmful algal bloom and to bolster work to reduce related health risks.
“In order to be sure we implement the right strategies to protect the public and ecosystem health, we need to know as much information as we can, and one
of the key pieces of information comes from this kind of sampling,” said Felix Martinez, a program manager for the NOAA National Centres for Coastal Ocean
Science. “If a really comprehensive dataset could be developed, taking a snapshot at different points in time over the bloom season, that might give us a better
idea of how to predict conditions for a given year.”
In the meantime, the researchers are continuing to analyse the samples for purposes ranging from characterizing microbial communities in the water to
ecosystem modelling. Co-authors on the study include Halli Bair (now a graduate student at Ohio University) and Keara Stanislawczyk of Ohio State, and
scientists from multiple universities and environmental agencies in the United States, Canada and China.
In addition to funding from NOAA’s National Centres for Coastal Ocean Science, the work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health,
National Science Foundation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Great Lakes Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Page 9

BlackBerry launches first-of-its-kind flood risk and clean water
monitoring solution
BlackBerry Limited has announced a first-of-its-kind flood risk and clean water monitoring solution.
Based on BlackBerry® AtHoc®, a critical event management platform, the innovative technology provides autonomous year-round monitoring and an intelligent
early warning system, collecting and processing large amounts of sensor data, and generating alerts based on the data insights.
BlackBerry has partnered with the University of Windsor to deploy the solution in Canada, where Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately impacted by these
issues. Its proven benefits include its ability to identify seasonal and unseasonal water related risks, and generate significant cost savings for governments, utility
companies and local communities. Using the solution, local municipalities could each save up to $1,000,000 or more annually in operating expenses, in addition
to the environmental, safety, health, and other benefits of early warning flood mitigation and clean water.
“BlackBerry is pleased to deliver this critical innovation, based on BlackBerry AtHoc, as the climate change crisis escalates. Climate change is one of the most
pressing threats to our everyday lives, and tackling it requires the urgent and combined effort of governments, organisations, and individuals,” said Neelam
Sandhu, Senior Vice President & Chief Elite Customer Success Officer. “BlackBerry is committed to delivering advanced technologies, that turn real-time data
into intelligence and leverage our leadership in communications, to enable the safety and security of people around the world. Furthermore, we are on-track
to be carbon neutral this year.”
“Globally, societies must increasingly rely on the autonomous monitoring of air and water to inform our understanding of the environment and to alert us to
impending danger. The BlackBerry solution announced today delivers on this need,” said Mike McKay, Executive Director, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental
Research, University of Windsor. “Autonomous early-warnings and real-time monitoring are critical to provide enough time to address the risks communities
around the world are currently facing. We are proud to have partnered with BlackBerry on this important and unique technology.”
EPA releases tools to address nutrient pollution
Inarecentannouncement,theEPAshareditsnewnutrientcriteriadocument,technicalsupportdocumentandArcGISCyanoHABStoryMap.TheU.S.Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) released three new resources to help the agency’s partners address adverse effects of nutrient pollution, including freshwater harmful
algal blooms (HAB). The three resources include the agency’s Final Recommended Nutrient Criteria for Lakes and Reservoirs, a web-based tool with information
and tracking of HABs, and a Technical Support Document to aid implementation of certain HABs criteria.
EPA published revised recommended ambient water quality criteria under the Clean Water Act to help address nutrient pollution in lakes and reservoirs. As the
first update to EPA’s nutrient criteria in 20 years, these recommendations represent a significant advancement in the scientific understanding of the impacts of
nitrogen and phosphorus in our waters. The new recommendations are based on statistical stressor-response relationships developed from data collected in
approximately 1,800 lakes nationwide and incorporated into national models. The national models are designed so that states, territories, and authorized Tribes
can incorporate local data into the models to account for unique local conditions. The agency will also be able to help partners use new models through its
Nutrient Scientific Technical Exchange Partnership & Support (N-STEPS) program.
States, territories and authorized Tribes can consider adopting the recommended criteria into their water quality standards, but are not compelled to revise
existing EPA-approved criteria or total maximum daily load (TMDL) targets. EPA also published a new ArcGIS StoryMap that will allow the public to learn about and
track reported cyanobacterial HABs (cyanoHABs) in freshwaters across the country. There is scientific consensus that the incidence of cyanoHABs has increased
in the nation's freshwater systems in recent years, in part due to climate change. EPA’s Tracking CyanoHABs story map creates a single online resource for
information about cyanoHAB events across the U.S. It consolidates freshwater advisory and closure information from state environmental and health agencies
into user-friendly, interactive maps.
In addition, the story map includes links to information on freshwater HABs causes and effects; several EPA tools on HABs preparedness and response; and state
and local HAB resources such as the laboratories that perform analysis of water samples for cyanotoxins. To help states, territories and authorized Tribes protect
swimmers from two cyanobacterial toxins (cyanotoxins) produced by cyanoHABs, EPA has also published its Final Technical Support Document: Implementing the
2019 Recommended Recreational Water Quality Criteria or Swimming Advisories for Microcystins and Cylindrospermopsin. This document explains how states,
territories, and authorized Tribes may adopt EPA’s 2019 recommended criteria for the two cyanotoxins into their water quality standards or use the criteria in
swimming advisory programs.
The document also addresses implementation of the 2019 criteria recommendations through other Clean Water Act programs including identifying and listing of
impaired waters, and TMDL development.
Page 10

Advanced forecasting strengthens So. Cal.'s water retention
As drought persists in the state of California, the need to increase water supply reliability is an essential issue facing water managers.
A new report evaluating a pilot program to use advanced weather and streamflow forecasts to enhance water storage capabilities at a Riverside County,
California, dam found that enough water could be conserved to supply an additional 60,000 people per year.
The pilot program, called Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO), led by research meteorologists from the Centre for Western Weather and Water
Extremes at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, found that 7,000 acre-feet per year of storm-water could potentially be added to groundwater
recharge in Orange County. One acre-foot is equivalent to about 325,000 gallons. The program was supported by a combination of funds from the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE), Orange County Water District, and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).
“We are excited to partner with Scripps and the USACE on this project, which increases water supply and reliability for the region,” said Orange County Water
District President Steve Sheldon. “Local storm-water capture is important because it lessens demand on imported water supplies, which are more costly and
less reliable than groundwater.”
The district manages the Orange County Groundwater Basin, which provides 77 percent of the water supply to 2.5 million people in north and central Orange
County. It also manages a six-mile stretch of the Santa Ana River between Prado Dam and its recharge basins in Anaheim.
“The Prado Dam FIRO project is an example of the continued partnerships between state, federal and local agencies. The FIRO program has shown that by
better utilizing emerging technologies in observations and forecasts to create an adaptive strategy, we can improve water management, not only during the wet
years, but during drought conditions as well,” said Kris Tjernell, DWR’s Deputy Director for Integrated Watershed Management. “This type of project perfectly
aligns with the goals described in the Governor’s Water Resilience Portfolio and is also the type of multi-benefit project that uses common sense approaches,
combined with the latest science, to embrace innovation and new technologies, and increase resilience to climate change.”
Prado Dam was constructed in 1941 by USACE for flood risk management, with a secondary benefit of storm-water capture for water supply. Many dams in
the west, including Prado Dam, are regulated by USACE-issued water control manuals, which do not take advantage of modern precipitation and stream-flow
forecasting capabilities.
FIRO is a research and operations partnership that uses data from watershed monitoring, and modern weather and hydrologic forecasting, specifically the study
of atmospheric rivers, to help water managers selectively retain or release water from reservoirs in a manner that reflects current and forecasted conditions.
“Atmospheric river storms cause 25 to 50 percent of annual precipitation in key parts of the west, which can replenish water supply, but can also lead to
hazardous and costly flooding,” said research meteorologist Marty Ralph, director of the Centre for Western Weather and Water Extremes. “When atmospheric
rivers make landfall, they can release a staggering amount of rain and snow; however, their absence can lead to drought.”
The science of forecasting atmospheric rivers has continued to advance. Research conducted by Scripps Oceanography includes atmospheric and soil moisture
observations; data collection over the Pacific Ocean, including measurements from buoys and dropsonde deployments into approaching storms; and advanced
modelling that allows for better assessment of uncertainty in forecasts.
Using models to simulate reservoir operations under FIRO
conditions, the assessment found that temporarily storing
water to higher elevations can enhance groundwater
recharge. The improvements in atmospheric river forecasts
show high reliability at up to five days’ lead time, which
allows dam operators to make timely water releases and
could enhance flood-risk management.
“Completion of the preliminary viability assessment for
Prado Dam is an important milestone for the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers as it builds our understanding of how
to safely and effectively implement this important policy
change across the agency,” said Cary A. Talbot, a division
chief at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Centre and FIRO program manager for the Corps. “FIRO pilot sites like Prado Dam add to our agency’s
ability to find a better balance between flood-risk management, water supply and ecological benefits, and makes us more resilient for the challenges of a
changing climate.”
The USACE’s Los Angeles District, which maintains Prado Dam, agreed with the potential for FIRO to enhance operations.
“For several decades, Prado Dam has served its purpose well,” said David Van Dorpe, deputy district engineer for USACE Los Angeles District. “The dam has
reduced the flood risk for Orange County, while also balancing water conservation, ecological and recreational benefits. FIRO provides an opportunity to further
enhance our operations to meet all of these needs.”
The report comes on the heels of the successful final viability assessment at Lake Mendocino earlier this year, with FIRO operations that resulted in 20 percent
increased water. USACE and the Centre for Western Weather and Water Extremes also are actively assessing FIRO opportunities in other watersheds where
atmospheric rivers are dominant, including New Bullards Bar Reservoir in Yuba County, California, Lake Oroville in Butte County, California, as well as the Howard
Hanson Dam near Seattle, Washington.
Page 11

Article:
Old City of Jerusalem Presents some
Unique Challenges for Leak Detection
Every single TaKaDu customer has a unique story – varied types of service areas, different regulatory environments, and specific challenges. But perhaps one of
the most unique is the story of Hagihon, the water and wastewater utility for the Jerusalem area of Israel.
Some water utilities cover historical areas, where there are protected structures that may be several hundred years old. Managing a water network in such
a place can be challenging. But imagine what it’s like managing water infrastructure in a city where every single inch of ground is historical, where there are
structures that are thousands of years old and sacred sites for several religions, and where the buildings are so densely packed that no heavy machinery can be
brought in.
That’s what Hagihon has to deal with, and it makes for some very challenging situations. In this article, we describe a few examples that demonstrate the unique
challenges facing Hagihon when it comes to detecting and fixing leaks in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The Old City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is divided into the Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Armenian quarters. At any time, Hagihon could find itself
having to deal with a leak under the Temple Mount, the most holy place for the Jewish world; or under the third-holiest place for Islam, the Al Aqsa Compound;
or beneath the two of the most holy sites to Christianity, the Golgotha and Jesus's empty tomb.
A small section in a huge water network
Each day Hagihon provides more than 220,000 cubic meters of drinking water, through
a total pipeline length of 1,300 km (808 miles) that runs throughout Jerusalem and
surrounding areas. The utility serves around a million people, about 10% of the Israel’s
population. The Old City is a small part of Hagihon’s service area, but it is the most
complex. A 0.9 km2 (0.35 mi2) walled area in the middle of the modern city, it is home
to some 40,000 residents, and is very crowded, with houses and other buildings built
around very narrow alleys. Water is delivered to the Old City through pipelines that
pass through four of the nine open entrance gates in the Old City wall. These are also
the entrances to the four DMAs (district metered areas) that the Old City is divided
into. A fifth pipeline has been laid through another gateway and will be metered soon.
Complex leak detection and repair
Most of the pipeline under the Old City was laid during the 1970s and is made of
either galvanized iron or steel. The water loss in the Old City DMAs ranges from 9.5%
to 19 % depending on the DMA.
The Old City of Jerusalem was conquered, destroyed, and rebuilt many times in its
history, creating soil made of layers of ruins built up over the course of 3,000 years.
As a result, water from leaks infiltrates through the layers for a very long time, and
across a long distance, before it reaches the surface. This means that leaks can last
a very long time before they are detected and it is very difficult to locate the source.
For Hagihon, the biggest threat is not non-revenue-water, but rather that an ongoing leak could seriously damage old buildings, which have no iron foundations,
or worse, cause them to collapse.
But, using fixed acoustic meters to detect the location of the leak is possible only on a very small scale, as there is strong resistance from residents, who don’t
like seeing suspicious equipment within the walls of the Old City– there are many politically and religiously sensitive issues.
Even once leaks have been discovered, repairing them can be very difficult. Due to the density of the Old City, and the small alleys, it is impossible to bring in
heavy machinery. All repairs must be done manually.
Hagihon faces many other operational complexities in the Old City. For example, if a new pipeline needs to be constructed to replace an old one, the utility must
first place a temporary line aboveground because there is simply no space to put a new permanent pipe next to the old one. Only then can Hagihon remove the
old pipeline and install a new one.
With the many historical and religiously important sites in the Old City, Hagihon must act with extra sensitivity when construction, maintenance or repair work
is needed. In addition to obtaining permission from the police and city council, Hagihon must also get authorization from many other organizations before
moving even a single stone in the Old City – among them, the Israel Antiquities Authority, the East Jerusalem Development Company, and the Committee for
the Preservation of Gravesites.
Due to these unique challenges, leaks typically run for a long time before they are fixed and faulty connections are replaced less frequently. As a result, the water
network within the Old City is older than in the rest of the city.
Figure 1:Old City Water Network
Page 12

A chance event uncovers a major leak
A good case study to demonstrate some of the challenges Hagihon faces is
this leak event from April 2018.
Broken paving stones reveal the leak. Over the previous few months,
Hagihon’s water loss engineer and the TaKaDu software had both identified
an increase in water loss, but had no way to determine the exact source.
Then, water that penetrated the floor of one of the houses in the Muslim
quarter was reported by the homeowners, initiating a suspected-leak event
in the area close to the Damascus Gate in the Old City walls.
With no acoustic loggers in the area, and all the other challenges noted
above, it was impossible to properly investigate to locate the source of the
leak, and it could have continued for a long time.
But soon after, a police jeep driving in the area accidently broke a paving
stone, and by chance that small accident revealed the location of the leak.
A team from the water loss contractor that happened to be scanning the
area arrived and began marking and repairing the leak.
Based on TaKaDu monitoring, Hagihon estimated that about 2,325 m3 of
water was lost due to the leak.
Early leak detection helps major customer
Elsewhere in Jerusalem, where the water utility can use modern equipment and processes, the TaKaDu system is able to do far more than identify the existence
and extent of a leak. For example, in one case, the system alerted Hagihon about a sudden flow increase event that began on the evening of September 8. The
water loss was measured at about 11 m3/hr. Hagihon was able to quickly find the source of the leak in one of the service pipes and by 9:00 a.m. on September
11 it was fixed. The total estimated water that was lost was about 600 m3.
The early detection saved a lot of money for the customer, a large consumer, that, had not been detected so quickly, would have ended up paying for far more
water than it actually consumed.
Figure 2: The night line during the event.
Figure 3:The sudden flow increase graph shows the difference between the predicted flow (green) and actual flow (blue). After the leak is fixed, the flow returns to normal, as shown
where the predicted flow and actual flow graph lines overlap
Page 13

Article:
Driving Smarter Decisions
with Y
our Water Data
The Digital Transformation of the water industry is a trend that has been building for the last ten years or more. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, reports
were pointing to this tech trend continuing. Spending for digital water solutions in the United States and Canada is forecasted to grow 6.5 percent annually
over the next decade, according to a report in 2020 from water market research firm Bluefield Research. The report, Water Industry 4.0: U.S. & Canada Digital
Water Market Forecast, 2019-2030, adds that annual capital expenditures for digital water will rise from $5.4 billion (USD) in 2019 to $10.8 billion by 2030,
suggesting advanced monitoring and management technologies could represent the bulk of that spending. The report also notes that utility spending on
connected hardware, software solutions and digitally enabled professional services will reach a combined $92.6 billion over the next 12 years.
Much of this projected investment has been spurred by a wave of new technology solutions, which has increased customer expectations and utility leaders’
reliance on data to tackle mounting financial and environmental pressures. “Data continues to play an integral role in business strategies and the water industry
is no exception,” says Eric Bindler, research director for digital water at Bluefield. “We expect that digital water adoption will become increasingly mainstream,
as utilities of all sizes recognize the value of data for improving network performance, customer relationships, and infrastructure investment decisions.”
When it comes to any kind of smart water network or software implementation, adoption due to cost has always been a huge consideration. In the water
sector, the value proposition for technology has been complex for generally risk-averse water utilities.
“There is a lack of innovation in our field, and it’s historic,” former DC Water CEO and General Manager George Hawkins said in 2011 while speaking at an
IBM conference. He went on to describe the implementation of automation and IoT solutions at DC Water as a game changer that the industry could look to
replicate. “We have to transform, fundamentally,” he said. “The analytics and the IT solutions we’re using has allowed us to do it. It’s not what we’re using
analytics for now, it’s what aren’t we using it for.”
So as water sector seems to be gradually increasing its adoption of new technology solutions, there is still a long way to go for the industry that Hawkins
described just 10 years ago as slow to innovate. A survey and report earlier this year from Dodge Data & Analytics and Bentley Systems showed that U.S. water
utilities are still in the early stages of digital transformation. The report concludes that water utilities clearly understand the value of data, and 87 percent
of respondents reported that they gather data digitally. But, only 50 percent of respondents said they believe they are gathering less than half of the data
available to them. In addition, two common issues prevent utilities from conducting their work efficiently across their organizations:
• 90 percent said that data is either isolated in disconnected IT systems, spreadsheets or paper records, which prevents effective operations
and maintenance at their organization on occasion (45 percent said frequently); and
• 68 percent reported that lack of visibility across stakeholders interferes with effective capital planning on occasion (43 percent said
frequently)
What Data Sources Do Water Utilities Have?
It’s clear challenges remain when it comes to water utilities optimizing new technology and making more informed decisions based on data. Throughout this
article, we’ll examine some of the primary challenges water utilities are having with data, as well as tools available to address those challenges. Before delving
into best practices and new solutions, let’s begin with examining the data sources that utilities do have.
Traditional Operational Data Sources
SCADA and Automation Systems – Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems collect and store data at intervals of fractions of a second.
Water and wastewater treatment plants generally use SCADA for this consistent, automated data about what is happening with various systems and
equipment in the plant. Personnel can see where problems are occurring in real time through various data logging points. SCADA implementation frequently
support strategic initiatives not focused on purely economic benefits. However, many utilities often look first to an economic return on investment analysis
to justify projects.
GIS – Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allow users to access data in a geographical or spatial context, like a map. This is especially important for utility
operations where assets are spread across large, mostly underground areas. It also assists users in understanding, spatially, how assets are related to each
other, as well as the history of each asset, their location and condition, such as pipes, valves, pumps, manholes, hydrants, etc.
Asset Management/CMMS – Asset management software systems can offer further context and meta data to assets. Computerized maintenance management
systems’ (CMMS) functionality includes an asset inventory, service requests and work orders, preventive maintenance tasks and schedules, inventory
management and purchasing, condition and risk criticality analysis, assessment and renewal planning, data analytics and KPI metrics, risk visualization,
reporting and documentation.
Metering/AMR/AMI – For a drinking water utility, meters represent a huge source of data that can be collected about the system. This is even truer for
systems that incorporate newer advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) solutions, which allow for remote collection of meter data for billing and maintenance
purposes. AMI is more accurate and efficient than automatic meter reading (AMR), drive-by, touch pad or one-way reading systems, allowing utilities to
Page 14

immediately become more profitable and reliable. AMI solutions are comprehensive, fully automating the meter reading, billing and data collection processes.
Bindler notes that metering often represents a utility’s first foray into digital water. “Metering is the meat and potatoes of the digital water sector, accounting
for 41 percent of projected investment,” he says. “Meters sit at the interface between the utility network and the customers, providing utilities with critical data
and insights on network infrastructure status and customer behaviour.
Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) are also commonly used by water and wastewater utilities to track water quality testing and sampling
data, including chlorine residuals, pH levels, etc.
Finance & Billing – Utility finance managers use budgeting or other financial management tools to assist with rate setting, capital planning or customer
affordability programs that may integrate data from other sources, such as AMI.
Customer Information – One of the top priorities for a utility is its customers. Improving overall customer experience involves both transparent engagement and
the delivery of cost-efficient, reliable services. Sharing data and data in sights with customers could help to build trust even if the utilities share information not
favourable to utility operations, such as outages or water quality issues. This can also help make customers more aware of the work of the local utility to provide
safe drinking water or environmentally safe collection services. Many utilities are using engagement tools to help improve the overall customer experience.
IoT Data Sources
The continued development of modern technologies for the water sector has given way to a new wave of monitoring devices that can report information on
system performance in real or near real time. Remote monitoring and control of processes can help to ensure critical infrastructure remains in service even when
staff are working remotely. This is done through remote sensors, separate from the traditional SCADA system, that are capable of reporting on the performance
of a distribution or collection system including areas like pressure, flow, leaks, and water quality data like chlorine levels, pH and temperature.
We’ll call these sources IoT data sources, and most of the data from these sensors and remote monitoring systems can be stored in the cloud. These digital
technologies that did not exist a decade ago can help utilities address major pain points and drive immediate economic and environmental improvements. The
challenge, however, can be managing the large amounts of data that utilities receive.
The Data Management Quandary
New technology is ultimately supposed to make life easier. The is also true for the water and wastewater utility industry, where it is becoming well known that
new tech can enhance operations and resilience. Remote monitoring, for example, can help utilities accurately track what is happening in a distribution or
collection system. These insights can be valuable for operators because it can inform better decision making about assets and potentially save ratepayer money.
But it’s not uncommon that organizations can become entrenched in legacy systems that can hinder progress – and we’ve already addressed how water utilities
have historically been slow to adopt new technologies and processes. While many organizations like utilities have been automating data collection in several
areas for some time, manufacturers are now looking for ways to help utilities examine data sources alongside one another to connect the dots and uncover new
insights.
For water systems, understanding the relationships between water data sources is important. It can unveil insights and offer correlations that can be used to test
new hypotheses about the cause and effect of different water system activity. For example, a water authority could detect a spike in water temperature from
one set of data and an increased level of chlorophyll in another set. Alone,these trends may not raise an alarm but when read together, they indicate signs of
agricultural runoff pollution that can cause harmful algal blooms in source water.
According to Gary Wong, Global Industry Principal, Infrastructure and Water at OSIsoft, now part of AVEVA, says the main data challenges for utilities include:
• Lack of ease of access to data;
• Lack of context behind the data;and
• Dealing with the volume of data.
“For a utility manager or engineer, just getting access to a SCADA system and the data is going to be different than accessing data from their asset management
system, or their metering system or their IoT data,” Wong says. He explains that accessing different systems to read data may require logging on to different
platforms (SCADA, GIS, AMI, asset management, etc.), and using different log-in information and different passwords. “They might also have different dashboards
and different presentations of that data,” he says. “They don’t have a mashup of the data integrated where they can start seeing multiple sets of data in one
place.”
The other challenge, regarding lack of context, he says, occurs when systems report data back to a utility operator that may lack certain information, such as
when exactly a pressure or water quality sample was taken, along with historical data that may help to explain why a device is giving a particular reading. “You
need a sense of context behind all that data to really make sense of it and see the big picture,” says Wong, who also serves as chairman of the Smart Water
Networks Forum (SWAN) Americas Alliance. He adds that the overall volume of data can present another challenge for utility systems. “There’s a lot of data
that utilities have. To be able to efficiently manipulate and analyse the data becomes very difficult,” he says, adding that for this reason the industry has seen
emerging technologies like machine learning gaining traction and others like digital twins advancing in their use as operational tools.
Page 15

Operational Resilience
As in other industries, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted new conversations around how utilities can better prepare for emergencies and crises in
the future. Writing for Water Finance & Management in 2020, Moonshot Missions, a non-profit devoted to helping utilities identify and implement strategies
to improve performance and reduce costs, notes operational resilience as a key theme that will help utilities reduce vulnerability to crises. Moonshot Missions,
which is led by former heads of major U.S. utility systems with the goal of assisting what it has described as non-networked utilities, recommended the following
to enhance operational resilience:
• Ensure that all remote locations, such as unmanned pumping stations, have both optimal annunciator capacity to report internal problems
and optimal telemetry to report such problems back to the main control centre.
• Improve telemetry and communications at manned facilities, such as the water treatment plant, so that more ground can be covered with
fewer staff.
• Installation of meters/monitors for critical process areas that report critical data back to the main control centre in real time.
• Installation of cameras in critical areas so, during manpower emergencies, those facilities can be monitored remotely.
• Optimization of remote, read only access for operators at home, so that they can help monitor process units remotely then communicate
instructions to on-site staff.
Such access should be read only in the event of outside hacking. Utilities are in fact beginning to see the value in adopting new IoT solutions. Of course, large
utility systems that serve greater populations with more customers are naturally going to drive greater revenues. As a result, those systems will have more funds
and resources to develop expansive capital improvement programs, as well as make investments in new technologies. But according to Wong, innovation and
strategic technology implementation can no doubt come from small and mid-sized utilities, as well.
“Utilities of all sizes are certainly using data effectively to a degree, but there is room for improvement,” he says. “I think the COVID-19 pandemic in a lot of ways
has accelerated this.” He explains that for some systems, data may be locked behind a firewall and could present ease of access challenges in an emergency
situation compared with a system that has remote monitoring capability. In the case of remote monitoring, an operator or engineer could be sitting in the office
or even at home and see exactly what is happening with the water or wastewater system without having to access the SCADA system.
“At a minimum, I think utilities should be, and want to be, resilient,” he says. “As part of that, the pandemic has shined a light on the benefits that utilities get
when they have remote monitoring capabilities of all their facilities and assets.”
A Nucleus of Data - How the Modern Water Utility Can Drive Better Decisions with a Data Core
We have already addressed how most data systems in utilities operate in departmental silos, which are designed, built and operated for their specific objective
with very little cross functional use of the data. Since specific platforms are developed or deployed to meet the needs of individual departments or users – like
customer information systems, SCADA, billing platforms, CMMS or GIS – easily
sharing data becomes difficult, resulting disparate and isolated data platforms. Rather, utilities should strive to have the capability to view various data sets in
relation to others with the right context. Enter what OSIsoft calls, the “data core,” which is what utilities can
create using OSIsoft’s PI System.
According to Wong, a data core is a platform that simplifies the collection, curation and analysis of data. It provides the benefits of consolidated data management,
maximizes the efficiency and efficacy of data and smooths the integration of data silos. Specifically, it creates a data infrastructure that:
• Provides a means to canonicalize various data, making it instantly useful;
• Provides real-time access to data;
• Provides context for that data in space and time;
• Provides a means of correlating disparate data sets: relationally, spatially or in time;
• Provides a scalable foundation for sharing data between systems, people, and companies, thus forging the way for autonomous decision
making; and
• Provides the means to analyse and present that data to provide meaningful, relevant operational and business input.
Wong says the development of a data core can represent a foundational element of any smart water initiative and can generate significant returns on investment,
deliver operational efficiency improvements and improve reliability. OSIsoft’s PI System has the ability to connect with more than 450 different hardware and
software systems. Once connected, users have the ability to handle more than 30 million streams (an individual data stream representing a unique parameter,
such a flow, pressure or level). “We can store, analyse, contextualize and visualize very large volumes of this data,” says Wong. “Access to a data core transforms
the business of water, driving informed decisions and liberating the workforce to pro-actively focus on critical issues.”
The following are some examples of water systems that have successfully implemented this approach.
Page 16

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has implemented a
data core to bring real-time access and context to all of its data, specifically to help
solve complex problems related to diversification of their water portfolio, improve
their understanding and management of critical infrastructure and preserve
public health and safety by optimizing the quality of their water. LADWP’s Water
Information Network (WIN) maximizes the concept of a data core by integrating:
• Time Series Data (SCADA – GEProficy; Data Historian – OSIsoft PI)
• Relational Data (CMMS – Maximo; CIS – Oracle CC&B; LIMS)
• Spatial Data (GIS)
• File Data (Microsoft Office)
Through this platform – developed with the PI System as it’s foundational element –
LADWP has created a single point of access to data that has effectively democratized
data and data analytics tools. By combining and offering integrated data, LADWP can now unify business operations that historically have intersected multiple data
silos. For example, response to infrastructure failure can be tracked from inception (SCADA), to identification (analytics), to dispatch (work force management
and CMMS), to repair (access to as-builts, GIS system information), and finally to close out (financial and hours reporting) – all through a “single pane of glass”
user experience.
To date, LADWP has developed more than 120 use cases related to goals designed to improve infrastructure management, disaster preparedness, water
reliability and safety. In one example, LADWP is using the PI Systems data core capabilities to collect data about the ground water level underneath two dams at
the Bouquet Reservoir. In the past, this data was only available to field personnel at the site requiring a multi-step, multi-person process whenever managers in
the home office wanted to understand current conditions. Now with the PI System, all authorized LADWP personnel have direct access to this information 24/7,
from anywhere that they can connect to the internet.
This democratization of data and analytics has not only increased the use of data across the utility estate, but it has increased LADWP’s situational awareness.
Through real-time analysis and notifications, LADWP has been able to use the Data Core to address compliance response and reporting, reaction to natural
disasters, asset condition monitoring and management, and sustainability and efficiency of water supply.
White House Utility District
The White House Utility District (WHUD) just north of Nashville, Tennessee, has used the power of combining and analysing disparate data sets from numerous
systems to drill down into non-revenue water. Using data from district metered areas (DMAs), SCADA and GIS, WHUD was able to identify, locate and repair a
significant unknown leak in their transmission system. Not only was WHUD able to stop the unintentional loss of water – but that was immediately parlayed into
$15 – $20 million CAPEX savings as new production, treatment and distribution infrastructure was deferred by this “found capacity.”
Riverside Public Utilities
Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) in Riverside, California is managing electric and
water outages, lab data, asset management, radio communications, SCADA and
reporting in a unified ecosystem that allows access to data and reports at real-
time speeds across 30 systems. The introduction of integrated data access has
allowed RPU to eliminate the consumption of four manhours every day that was
used in generating water operations reports. The operational efficiencies in direct
manpower savings alone have exceeded $820,000 annually – that’s excluding the
benefits of ensuring timely and correct compliance reporting (avoiding fines and
violations) and the ability to implement condition-based maintenance programs
that identifies incipient failures or operational anomalies before an emergency
call out is required. As an added benefit, rather than being employed as manual
data miners, people can now be used for tasks that require uniquely human traits:
critically evaluating and interpreting conditions.
Figure 2:The introduction of integrated data access has allowed Riverside to eliminate the
consumption of four man-hours every day used in generating water operations reports.
The efficiencies in direct manpower savings alone have exceeded $820,000 annually.
Figure 1:System for Bouquet Wells for LADWP
Page 17

Article:
Instrumentation &
the factory approach?
Introduction
The Water Industry is constantly being pushed to do more for less, provide a better value for money for the customer and generally make things cheaper. More
and more the Water Companies are being told to be more efficient in the way that they operate their businesses and it is the core part of the business, the
operational environment that often bears the brunt of this pressure. In 2010 the Dutch research organisation produced the Wastewater Treatment Plant of
2030 in which the factory approach was raised. We are now six years down the line and this article will look at where we are getting things right and where
more development needs to be undertaken.
To come back to the principles though we have two ways of making wastewater treatment works more efficient. The first is of course to limit the amount of
resource that is consumed, the second is to actually produce resources. In both of these areas instrumentation has a key role to play although in reality this is
only going to be on the larger wastewater treatment works which have the potential to actually work as a “resource factory.”
Resource reduction
The most important thing on any wastewater treatment works is that “Compliance is king,” whatever happens the environmental permit must be met. In
the wastewater network of course it is protect the customer first and then protect the environment. Outside of this the next most important thing is where
possible reduce the cost of operation.
The problem is of course quite often where the operational costs are being spent simply aren’t known and so the standard methods of operating the treatment
works are taken. The majority of money is spent on aeration of the activated sludge plant. In which case limit the aeration, put DO control in place. Often the
obvious efficiencies are made without the full appreciation of the real picture and what the industry ends up with is something that is “partially optimised” but
not delivering its potential full benefit.
This is of course, on the larger plants, where instrumentation, process automation & control systems will help, however this is also shutting the potentials
of the wastewater network out of the picture. In reality the industry should be looking at how the different elements of the collection network and the
receiving wastewater treatment works are working together. This way, as was found out last year as the result of various studies, the industry can treat to a
higher standard for a lower cost. A Win-Win situation.
So in terms of the philosophy what can we do as industry, on large treatment works to reduce the amount of resource that operationally we consume:
An Intelligent Controlled Wastewater Collection Network - This may seem to contain an element of “pie in the sky” thinking but actively controlling the
wastewater collection network is starting to happen within the UK. It is certainly not common but it is growing more in popularity due to the benefits it has the
potential to deliver.
What the actually look like in terms of monitoring and control is simple sewer level monitoring, rain gauges and weather radar as the dynamic inputs into a op-
erational predictive based catchment based model. The potential benefits, which haven’t completely been realised yet, although certainly have been thought
of is that flows can be balanced within the system as far as the capacity allows to smooth peaks of flow and load that is passed onto the treatment works balanc-
ing this against protection of the customers due to potential sudden inundation of a full sewer, the potential for encouraging septicity and of course protecting
the environment by ensuring that levels don’t rise high enough to cause illegal discharges from overflows from the sewer environment. The side benefit that
has been used in the systems that have been built is that keeping the sewer relatively full, when it can be, has limited the prevalence of infiltration.
Instrumentation is of course key to this without the level based monitoring it would be impossible to track how full the sewer is to ensure protection of both
customer and environment. :Level monitors within the CSOs can also ensure there are no illegal discharges to the environment. By preventing these it can
help to improve the river environment towards the elusive “good status” that is the target enabling environmental permitting the potential to stay still and not
tighten to ever lower standards
An Intelligent Wastewater Treatment Works - Process Control has been within the Water Industry since the 1970s although the modern advanced process
controllers started to be installed in and around 2010. They have been adopted in the UK at a handful of wastewater treatment works but not to the potential
that exists. Unfortunately the benefits of these systems are not truly understood and the case studies do not fully exist to justify the expenditure in putting the
control systems in place.
Although the systems that are commercially available do not fully rely on instrumentation they do rely on monitoring of the situation of what is happening on
the treatment works itself. The commercially available controllers that are available include several different applications on the treatment works from simple
Sludge Age as a part of nitrification control, to chemical dosing control to controllers for sludge applications. The more holistic control systems look at the state
of the different element of the treatment works to assess the process state of the works and control it to achieve the best possible potential outcome. This is
multivariate process control at its best and is based upon modelling of the treatment works itself.
System Modelling
In reality what this takes is that there are operational models for both the network and the wastewater treatment works, each distinctly different, but working
Page 18

together.
Even within the wastewater treatment works there is the potential to run distinct process based sections of a control system but within a wider based
multi-variate process based, instrument fed, control system. The concepts of doing this on a single treatment works has never happened before, certainly in
the UK and perhaps not around the world. The fact of bringing a model based network control system together with a plant based control system is something
that is pretty much unheard of within the global water industry.
Instrumentation is of course central to this
Resource Production
The production of resources on wastewater treatment works is something that the industry has been doing for the best part of twenty years now, ever since
the ban of dumping sewage sludge at sea. Energy production using anaerobic digestion and the subsequent generation of energy is reaching heights where
wastewater treatment works are truly becoming energy factories. However in order to this a relatively tight control of the sludge quality is needed. This turns
the sludge treatment facility into what should be an efficient factory.
In reality it is not always like this and the water industry is, sometimes, one of the few production industries to fail to measure the product that they are
producing in terms of (a) energy and (b) the biosolids product that is produced. In general though.
However the UK Water & Sewerage Companies did have targets to generate a total of 965 GWh of electricity by 2015 as stated in the final business plan for
the period from 2010-15.
Water Company Generation in GWh/yr
2015 target 2025 target
Anglian Water 87 345
Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water) 46 134
Northumbrian Water 71 88*
Severn Trent Water 180 450
South West Water 10 105**
Southern Water 64 Can't confirm
Thames Water 288 313*
United Utilities 125 191*
Wessex Water 51 100*
Yorkshire Water 43 491
Total 965 2,217
* achieved at the moment ** target for 2040
Case studies of where the water industry have driven towards both resource
reduction and resource production by using a systematic approach are few and
far between and the detail tends to be lacking. The most recent was the press
announcement from Denmark that a treatment works would be, for the first
time, net positive in the energy that it uses.
A water treatment plant in Denmark will become the first in the world to produce
50% more electricity than it uses, according to a press release.
According to the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food, the Egå Renseanlæg
treatment plant near Aarhus is undergoing a total renovation to install new technol-
ogy that will transform the facility into an energy producer.
“When the treatment plant at Egå is in full operation in autumn 2016, it will be
producing 50% more electricity than it consumes. This has never been seen before,”
the ministry said in a statement.
“The new technology works by using a form of bacteria to filter polluted materials
from sewage water,” Jan Tøibner of water utility Aarhus Vand said. “Organic mate-
rial is used [by the plant] to filter waste water. With the new form of bacteria we
are using, the organic material uses much less energy in cleaning the wastewater.”
This means that the waste material can be used to create gas and electricity, while
less energy is used in the purification process itself.
In a recent topping-out ceremony at the plant, Eva Kjer Hansen, the Danish Minister
for Environment and Food, said: “Treatment plants must move forward from being
energy guzzlers to being energy producers, and we have a really good example of
this here at Egå. This is an area in which Denmark can enhance and develop its
position in eco-technology.”
It is clear from the press release that the amount of energy that is being used is
In terms of energy generation within the Water Industry and pushing further in the con-
cept of the energy factory it can be clearly be argued that the water industry in the UK
is pushing further and further in what they do. However there is always the potential
to do more and generate yet more electricity from sewage sludge. This is in fact what
is happening with the drive to net zero. The production of biosolids through the sludge
system is often not measured as much as it should be and there are technical challenges
to measuring some elements within the sludge treatment system. With the right tech-
nology it possible that the Water Industry that has come so far in sludge management
could potentially move much further ahead than it currently is. This would take the full
adoption and monitoring over and above what is already done. Not just using HAC-
CP principles that are currently used to guarantee the quality of what is produced but
using the principles of the factory approach to optimise the efficiency of the process.
However the driver isn’t truly there at the moment and it may take diversification of the
industry in something such as gas to grid to make the investment pay.
If this is the case the monitoring of the product as it goes through the sludge chain be-
comes financially beneficial.
Page 19

being is being reduced so that the energy that is produced on site is surplus to what is used by increasing the efficiency of the treatment processes.
Discussion
The future of the Water Industry is going to see, certainly for
larger treatment works the adoption of the “factory approach” that
was raised six years ago in the STOWA report. In that report it pointed
to the areas that it had already happened. Where the report was, in
hindsight, lacking. Was in the technological innovations that have
happened since.
It is clear from what has happened since that the Water Industry has
chosen a direction insofar as the use of instrument fed model based
approaches to control not only the wastewater treatment works but
also the wastewater collection network. This is using fairly simple
and widely available instrumentation to at least provide the
fundamental basis of control . Then using a combination of both static
rule and model predictive control (see table right, from the Danish
Network control philosophy in 2010) it is possible to provide not only
control of individual element of the system but the entire collection
and treatment system as a whole.
It is through a combination of the use of instrumentation and the use
of model of differing forms that the future of the Water Industry lies
ABB’s ultrasonic level transmitter wins design award
ABB’s LST200 ultrasonic level transmitter recently was awarded best in category for physical,
as well as technical, design. The winning ABB transmitter is particularly notable for solving the
surface condensation challenge often faced by plant owners, where a buildup of water has
historically affected accuracy of essential plant readings. The LST200 uses new generation,
active surface technology known as a “Lotus Effect” whereby the liquid will drop off before it
pools into larger drops that could then cause problems, offering an effective and cost-effective
solution.
The Red Dot Award is a highly regarded international design prize that began in 1955. More
than 15,000 admissions are submitted annually from more than 70 countries around the world.
The Red Dot Awards jury said “This robust level gauge impresses with a simplicity that has
been thought through down to the last detail. It presents itself as a proven means of ensuring
efficiency and reliability.”
Jacques Mulbert, president of ABB’s Measurement & Analytics Division, said, “To win a product design award of this magnitude is an honor. When developing
the LST200 we focused on building in design and technical excellence throughout to create a product that features an intuitive user experience and powerful
industrial capabilities with the overall aim of making measurement easy.”
The smart ultrasonic level transmitter is used to measure distance between one object and another by establishing the time between emission and reception.
It can be used in various industrial environments but has been designed especially for the water and wastewater treatment applications. Its design focuses on
simple operation and reliability. It is modular, which lends itself toward ease of installation, maintenance and upgrading. A built-in interference filter ensures
that information obtained from the sensor can be used and analysed easily. Innovative features include the adaptive intelligent algorithms based on long-term
experience data and the inclusion of the ABB Ability™ Field Information Manager software for the PC which improves customer configuration efficiency.
Using an ultra-stable algorithm, the device can detect environmental changes including temperature, disturbance, measuring distance and signal strength. It then
automatically compensates the variations to keep the device performing at its best.
Page 20

Water, Wastewater & Environmental Monitoring Virtual
13th - 14th October 2021
The WWEM Conference & Exhibition has been changed to a virtual conference and exhibition for 2021 and a physical conference
and exhibition in 2022. Details on WWEM Virtual will be released in the coming months but it is sure to include huge amount of
technical workshops and events for attendees to enjoy.
Sensor for Water Interest Group Workshops
The Sensors for Water Interest Group has moved their workshops for the foreseeable future to an online webinar format. The next
workshops are
29th September 2021 - How to get the best value out of sensors
20th October 2021 - Comms & protocols for sensors
Future Water Association - Network November 2021
5th - 25th November 2021
Future Water is excited to introduce Networks November 2021 – a series of webinars comprising of leading industry keynotes,
knowledge bites and technical presentations, taking place on 5th, 19th, and 26th November. Following on from the success of
Future Water Networks, we are launching Networks November to be a focal point for forward thinking about all things water, pipes
and sewers!
WEX Global 2022
28th February - 2nd March 2022 - Valencia, Spain
The WEX Global Conference. Sponsored by Idrica is currently due to take place in Valencia in Spain in March 2022. The conference
concentrates on the circular economy and smart solutions to resolve some of the global water industry's issues
Page 21
Conferences, Events,
Seminars & Studies
Conferences, Seminars & Events
2021 - 22 Conference Calendar
Due to the current international crisis there has been a large amount of disruption in the conference calendar. A lot of workshops have
moved online at least in the interim and a lot of organisations are using alternative means of getting the knowledge out there such as
webinars popping up at short notice. Do check your regular channels about information and events that are going on. Also do check on
the dates provided here as they are the best at the time of publishing but as normal things are subject to change.

WIPAC Monthly August 2021

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to WIPAC Monthly August 2021

Similar to WIPAC Monthly August 2021 (20)

More from Water Industry Process Automation & Control

More from Water Industry Process Automation & Control (14)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

WIPAC Monthly August 2021