WIPAC Monthly - December 2021

WIPAC MONTHLY
The Monthly Update from Water Industry Process Automation & Control
www.wipac.org.uk Issue 11 & 12/2021- November/December2021

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
Collaborative approach need to keep our river's clean..................................................
In our feature article this month we feature an article from Darren Meaning of Siemens which talks about the
approach that the UK water industry is going to need to take to keep rivers clean whilst also highlighting the role
of intelligent approaches including their development of their SIWA solution
12 - 13
Simulating the role that flood defences play in protecting UK cities from future
flooding.......................................................................................................................
In this article from Fathom we look at the use of flood modelling using several case studies to simulate the risks
that UK cities are under from now until 2070 and model the areas of protection that flood defences will bring
14 - 16
Stepping into a data-driven future...............................................................................
In this month's case study we look at the work that the City of Manteca in the USA has done with instrumentation
and control specialists Hach in looking at managing the wastewater process to improve stability by utilising their
Claros Process Management (CPM) System
17 -18
Workshops, conferences & seminars............................................................................
The highlights of the conferences and workshops in the coming months. 19 - 20

From the Editor

Very rarely it has been necessary to join two edition of WIPAC together as I had to delay the last edition and release it
together with the December edition. The reason why will become obvious as you read through this editorial.
This month I had an opportunity to lie down and think about the subject of innovation with particular reference to
monitoring. The reason why was a repeat of a medical procedure that I have had to have a number of times over the
past ten years. The doctors basically produce a three-dimensional electrical map of the heart to show them where stray
electrical signals are getting through and by targeted burning of the heart hopefully cure the atrial fibrillation that I have
suffered from for the past decade or two. This the fourth time I have had the operation and as you are normally awake
through most of the procedure it allows you time to reflect how thinks are. Being a scientist and an instrumentation
geek I of course reflect on the technology they are using to do the delicate work that they do. Having had the procedure
a number of time over a ten period and undertaking this reflection each time has given me the wonderful insight as to
how the technology has changed. The failure or success of the operation relies upon the information that is given to the
surgeon. If all the electrical signals aren't successfully mapped the correct information is not within the surgeon's hands
and the procedure will fail. Overtime the data that is presented has got better and better and so success rates are only
going to improve. This type of innovation is not what most call "big bang innovation," it isn't a light-bulb moment but nonetheless it is very important that
the innovation has happened.
So how does this relate to the Water Industry? Well, firstly Digital Transformation. I have been open in the past and my belief is that we need the right
information to do what we do. Like the surgeon we need to presented with the right information to successfully treat the patient. Of course in the water
industry "the patient" is the environment. Without the right information we are doomed to fail. The current crisis in the wastewater industry highlights this
beautifully insofar as we didn't collect the right information. The EDM programme which happened in England & Wales in the last Asset Management Period
suddenly presented us with the information that we were spilling 400,000 times a year to the environment through CSOs. This of course didn't included
wastewater treatment works where flows were spilling to storm. This is the target of the current U_MON3 programme and is some of the data that OFWAT
requested from the Water Companies this month. Of course there will be errors in the data where things aren't recording in quite the right place and the data
may well get better and paint a rosier picture in the future but its clear to say that the data and information shows the water industry is failing its "patient."
Will more data and more information help? Personally I am not sure and you have to balance the data and information requirements against the benefits
it will bring and you have to understand what the data is telling you and you also need to ensure that the data is right. There is no use in putting the wrong
thing in the wrong place at the wrong time but when we do get the right data and the right information the chance of us "healing the patient" increases and
increases and increases
Have a good month and a Happy & Healthy Festive period,
Oliver

Monitoring Data Can Underpin River Quality Improvements
The UK’s Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has requested written evidence from Meteor Communications, the specialist provider of remote water quality
monitoring systems, as part of the committee’s ongoing inquiry into water quality in rivers. The submission was timely because it was made while sewage spills
were the subject of intense media attention, and after the Environment Act 2021 placed a new responsibility on sewerage undertakers to progressively reduce
the impact of discharges from storm overflows.
“We have been following the EAC enquiry closely,” explains Meteor Technical Director Andrew Scott, “and with over 300 of our ESNET outstations currently
monitoring UK rivers, we were concerned that some of the participants may not be fully aware of this technological capability.
“Conveniently, data from the Environment Agency’s pollution investigations were recently made public, so we were able to show the EAC examples of the ways
in which our technology is able to continuously track the key signatures for different types of pollution, and how these can be correlated with events such as
heavy rainfall; delivering legally defensible information.”
Following an online meeting with representatives of the EAC, Meteor staff were asked to provide a written submission, describing the current monitoring
networks and explaining how these could be upscaled to monitor downstream and upstream of sewage treatment works in England.
There are two main types of ESNET (Environmental Sensor NETwork) water quality monitoring system; a portable monitoring station, and a kiosk-housed
pumped system for semi-permanent or fixed installations. The systems were developed to allow rapid deployment with no requirement for pre-existing power
or communication infrastructure. As a result, high resolution, real-time, multiparameter water quality data can be obtained within minutes of deployment.
ESNET monitors are typically loaded with sensors for parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, ammonium, temperature, blue green
algae and chlorophyll. However, it is also possible to include other water quality parameters as well as remote cameras, water level and flow, or meteorological
measurements. The addition of autosamplers enables the collection of samples for laboratory analysis; either at pre-set intervals and/or initiated by specific
alarm conditions. This is a particular advantage for water companies and regulators because it enables the immediate collection of samples in response to a
pollution incident, which informs mitigation measures and helps to identify the source of contamination.
The EAC inquiry follows increasing concern about water quality in rivers, with just 14% of English rivers currently achieving ‘Good’ ecological status and no river
rated ‘Good’ on its chemical status. It has also been reported that in 2020 there were over 400,000 discharges of raw sewage into English rivers.
Looking forward Andrew says: “All stakeholders are currently looking for ways to improve water quality in rivers, and effective continuous monitoring of receiving
waters will perform a vital role in achieving that objective. In addition, the Environment Act 2021 places a new responsibility for monitoring the quality of
watercourses into which storm overflows discharge.
“Water companies, regulators, consultants and water users can therefore be reassured that proven technology exists to better understand the factors affecting
the quality of receiving waters.”
Thames Water adopts what3words to help map London's trunk sewer
network
Thames Water has adopted a mobile-first app that provides a detailed overview of London’s vast trunk sewer network as part of its industry-leading digital
transformation. SymTerra allows the Strategic Pumping & Trunk Sewer team at more than 1,000 locations across the capital to record and access all aspects of a
job, whether remotely or on-site. With ‘what3words’ embedded across all features of the app, communication and safety is improved by enabling engineers to
record the location and condition of assets and generate real-time updates of progress and issues.
A fully searchable cloud-based photo and knowledge library can also be created that integrates with Thames Water’s existing mapping and modelling systems,
making it quicker, easier and cheaper to plan for future work. In one example, the app was used to help maintenance teams work out the best entry point into
a sewer near St James Square. They used SymTerra to document if traffic management or parking restrictions were needed, the location of manholes and the
condition of ladders, and to take photos of the pipe and the height of the water flowing through it.
Richard Dennett, Thames Water’s operations manager for strategic pumping & trunk sewers, said: “Some of our work can be complex, with unclear information,
conflicting priorities and blurred accountability lines. “There are also many stakeholders involved, which can lead to confusion and frustrations, but with SymTerra
we have raised the bar and, with the use of what3words, have gone back to basics to identify confined space entries, assets and locations.” Sarah Crawley, co-
founder of SymTerra, commented:
"Thames Water’s collaborative approach to working together on SymTerra has been great.
“The trunk sewer team has been open to new technology and challenged the status quo, demonstrating how you can better capture and leverage real-time
updates and insights from the teams on the ground. “This has helped improve visibility and asset assurance as well as quickly detail key works information,
including what3words locations to share with other teams."
Page 4
Industry News

Binnies And iVapps Partnership To Support Digitalisation Of Water
Networks
It is often acknowledged that water companies capture huge amounts of data from their networks but can often struggle to process this data to create
actionable insights. As performance commitments are increasingly stretched and they are faced with significant cost challenges, there is a paramount need for
data-driven decision-making to be embedded in water utilities’ systems to drive operational efficiency and support robust investment strategies. Over time,
the advances in network monitoring technology has led to the development of multiple sensors that are able to measure various parameters while feeding
different, isolated systems that, in most cases, are owned and maintained by different areas of the business. Additionally, advances in technology have meant
that the sensor estates owned by water companies can quickly become less efficient and out of date, requiring continual upgrades and investment.
To meet this challenge, Binnies has partnered with iVapps to provide an end-to-end solution that enables water companies to de-risk the digitalisation of their
networks. Intelligent portals provide future-proof monitoring capability combined with leading-edge integration and analytics to deliver dynamic insight into
network behaviour and asset performance. This flexible and sustainable digital approach enables the water sector to utilise the full potential of the data they
already have.
iVapps’ industry-leading, low-carbon, self-powered digital portal delivers fully configurable multi-parameter monitoring in near real time. Through a non-
invasive sensor cartridge, sensors can be seamlessly updated as technology advances or business requirements change over time, while the portal can provide
a no-excavation pipeline isolation within 15 minutes.
The Binnies ECO-X digital ecosystem uses cloud-based technologies to seamlessly integrate with internal and external applications and data sources to provide
users holistic access to all necessary information, thereby providing a single source of data and insight to clients.
“Binnies wants to support clients in creating sustainable digital networks to meet their strategic objectives and drive efficiency across their businesses,” stated
Colin Cox, Principal Leakage Consultant, Binnies UK Ltd. “We believe that combining the innovative technology from iVapps with our digital and water sector
expertise delivers an end-to-end solution for clients that addresses the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
Simon Humphreys, Chief Executive Officer of iVapps, said, “We are delighted and privileged to partner with Binnies and embrace the challenges facing the
water sector. We are a growing business and believe this partnership will take our innovative, environmentally-friendly solution to the next level.”
Double awards for Thames Water’s digital transformation team
Thames Water’s digital team is celebrating after winning two awards: ‘data science project of the year’ and the ‘digital transformation project of the year’ at the
UK IT Industry Awards in London. The awards, organised by BCS - the British Computer Society – set a performance benchmark in IT, recognising exceptional
people, projects and technology innovation.
Thames Water provides water and wastewater services from London in the east to Swindon in the west, and continues to develop, adopt and embrace new
technology in a £249 million digital programme to help its customers and the environment. A suite of data science products was developed as part of Thames
Water’s ‘smart water’ programme which provides intelligent, data-driven analytics to make better real-time decisions about the operation of the water network.
The goal of the project is to reduce the number and duration of supply interruptions experienced by customers. The ‘workforce management’(WFM) programme
is replacing 18 different systems with a single end-to-end contact, planning, scheduling and field mobility solution to 7,000 staff across Thames Water operations.
Benefits include being able to prioritise work more effectively, and a reduction in the number of phone calls and repeat contacts.
Two other Thames Water finalists were highly commended: Armna Iqbal (‘Rising star of the year’) and Andrea Norris (‘IT service and support professional of the
year’) Mike Potter, Thames Water’s digital transformation director, said:
“With 15 million customers, we’re on a mission to transform the way we work through technology.
“Our £249 million digital programme from 2020 to 2025 is galvanising the business and revolutionising the way we engage with customers and users of technology.
“We're committed to working with our customers and front-line staff to co-create the apps and digital tools we need to ensure that our network is working
efficiently.
“Being nominated as finalists in no less than seven categories in the UK IT Industry Awards – and coming away with two awards and two highly commended – is
a huge acknowledgement of the hard work of the team, the leap the organisation has made to new agile ways of working and the high quality of the apps we’ve
been developing, and the tools at our disposal."
Page 5

United Utilities Selects Sensat To Undertake Pilot Leak Detection
Study
Sensat, the leading visualisation and collaboration software company for civil infrastructure, today
announced a pilot study to automate the detection of leakage in the water network to support
United Utilities’ commitment to reduce leakage by another 15% by 2025.
It is the latest innovation to be trialled by North West water firm United Utilities as part of its strategy
to reduce leakage and maintain resilient water supplies in the future.
Greg Larner, United Utilities’ leakage technical officer, said: “With shifting weather patterns, due to
climate change, there is an increased risk of periods of drought, so it is important for us to explore
the latest technologies to reduce water wastage and protect the environment. We’re increasingly
collecting vast amounts of data about leakage, so artificial intelligence is becoming a key tool in
helping to make sense of it.”
The water firm is no stranger to trying new technology in its battle to beat water leaks. As well as
using specially-trained sniffer dogs to sniff out leaks, United Utilities has also teamed up with inventors, as part of its Innovation Lab challenge, to develop the
FIDO artificial intelligence solution which is now in use around the globe. FIDO uses machine-learning and AI to pinpoint the location and even the size of the
leak, just by the noise it makes.
By utilising unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology to remotely map thermal data, combined with high-resolution photogrammetry, Sensat has developed
a probability-based algorithm that assesses vegetation stress, terrain relief and thermal scans to predict where leaks might be along trunk mains in rural areas.
This new approach to identifying leak locations more efficiently over a wider survey area is enabling United Utilities to take remedial action faster and more
cost-effectively. Working closely with the United Utilities' leak detection experts in an invaluable feedback loop, the validation of results will further inform the
models, meaning the algorithms will improve their accuracy over time at predicting the leaks, providing further efficiencies in the future.
“When you consider that the reliable supply of water underpins almost every aspect of human life and the threat of climate change will mean we will have to
prepare for a drier future, it’s vital that we work together to tackle the challenges that are affecting the water industry,” said James Dean, CEO at Sensat. “Our
visualisation platform identifies leaks through geospatial mapping and its probability model is enabling a collaborative approach for analysis, removing the
need for manual inspections to significantly reduce the time and cost for detecting leaks. This supports United Utilities’ commitment to securing resilient water
supplies on track and our commitment to helping companies be more sustainable by reducing wastage.”
The successful completion of this trial will open up the exploration of further use cases for data beyond leak detection to help deliver the appropriate level of
resilience that the water network needs for the long term.
New analysis says smart water metering rollout could deliver £1.9bn
net benefit to society
New analysis has concluded that rolling out smart water metering by 2030 would deliver huge benefits for households, the environment and the water
industry. Independent research carried out by Frontier Economics and Artesia shows that a coordinated rollout of smart metering would deliver £4.4 billion
in benefits to society against costs of £2.5 billion - representing a net benefit of £1.9 billion. The analysis points to an environmental and social benefit of
£1.73 for every £1 of cost incurred. The savings would come from improved leakage control and network management, and by avoiding the need for other
water resources.
According to the research, the return on investment would mean water companies incurred lower total costs, which in turn should enable reduced water
bills for households over time. The study was commissioned by Arqiva, the leading UK communications infrastructure and media services provider. Existing
research by independent UK water efficiency experts Waterwise and Arqiva also demonstrates a clear environmental benefit. Fitting one million smart water
meters in the UK each year for the next 15 years could save one billion litres of water a day by the mid-2030s, and reduce the UK’s current greenhouse gas
emissions by up to 0.5%.
The study shows a positive benefits-to-cost ratio in all areas of England and Wales. The highest ratio is in the South-East and East of England and reflects
higher existing meter penetration and greater water scarcity in those areas. The figures also show that while smart watering metering delivers the strongest
return when households are moved onto metering charging within three years of installation, there is still a positive benefit-to-cost ratio when meters are
rolled out but households choose to stick with unmetered billing. This is because a high proportion of customers are expected to switch to metered charging
over time, and benefits such as leak detection and improved flow estimation are independent of billing and consumer behaviour.
Separate research from Waterwise has found encouraging signs that the public is receptive to smart water metering. Nine in ten already have smart technology
in their home and 87% would consider getting a smart water meter if it would lead to a reduction in bills and was fitted for free. Crucially, the research
highlights that metered customers are more likely to be aware of the water scarcity challenges we face in the UK, are more likely to be aware of their own
water use, and are much more likely to act to try to save water.
The study assumes a 30-year timeframe, a smart water rollout across a 5-year period, a 15-year lifespan for devices, and calculates the benefit to cost ratio
as the net present value (NPV) of gross benefits divided by the NPV of gross costs.
Rob Lawson, Director at Artesia, said: “These findings make a clear social and environmental case for smart water metering. While the responsibility
for planning and their delivery sits with individual water companies, these companies work within a regulatory framework shaped by the government,
Environment Agency, and Ofwat, and all these organisations must come together to ensure that the universal benefits of smart water metering are supported
and encouraged.”
Page 6

Idrica develops the world's first 5G-NR device specifically for the
water industry
Idrica has developed the first 5G-NR device specifically for the water industry. This ground-breaking piece of equipment, based exclusively on 5G-NR (New Radio)
technology, will provide solutions to challenges which had been out of reach up until now, mainly in Massive IoT scenarios, with millions of devices connected
in very small areas.
The breakthrough will also make devices more energy efficient, guarantee service in adverse conditions, and reduce latency to milliseconds in the management
of critical infrastructures. These are just some of the many advantages of 5G-NR technologies, which include network slicing and edge computing.
The device has been designed, engineered and manufactured in Valencia (Spain), where Idrica has led all phases of development alongside FiveComm, the
company in charge of hardware development. The project got underway at the end of 2020 and, over the course of 2021, progress has been made on board and
component design. "The global chip supply crisis has been a real challenge, but we have continued to persevere, and manufacturing was successfully completed
after the summer. We now have fully functional operational devices deployed", says Carlos Tejedor, Instrumentation & Smart Metering Specialist at Idrica.
This technological innovation is part of the pilot project that is being carried out in Valencia to assess the benefits of 5G-NR technology in real-time remote
reading of drinking water consumption. The scheme focuses on analyzing the advantages of 5G-NR over NB (NarrowBand).
The pilot applies 5G-NR to smart metering to simulate a scenario of millions of connected devices (Massive IoT). Thirty water meters have been selected on
the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia's campus. They have been chosen because they are located in areas of poor coverage and difficult access, such as
basements, underground passages and parking lots.
"These water meters are equipped with NarrowBand technology with the data being transmitted to our GoAigua solution. At the same time, 5G-NR devices have
also been deployed," said Carlos Tejedor, who pointed out that "at the moment, some of the meters are working with both technologies".
In addition to comparing the two technologies, the meters selected on the university campus will be monitored to check whether The 5G-NR device developed
by Idrica in this first phase of the project was recently unveiled to the pilot's partners and associates: Orange (leading the joint venture), Global Omnium, and
Fivecomm. A small-scale demonstration of the pilot took place at the meeting.
According to Andrés Herranz, Orange’s Eastern Spain Public-Sector Sales Manager, there are several advantages of 5G technology, including speed: "we can
expect to reach speeds of 10 gigabytes, which can even put us ahead of fibre in some aspects. Lower latency, i.e., the time required for data transfer, is another
advantage together with the ability to connect millions of devices at the same time (Massive IoT), and the potential to reach remote areas which have poor
coverage. Herranz also points out that "we are very interested in integration. Under this umbrella, many other technologies will be able to coexist".
The pilot project, which is also a world first, is part of Spain’s National 5G Plan, implemented by the public-sector corporation Red.es, promoted by the Ministry
of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Idrica is working on this initiative with
Orange (which is leading the joint venture for this pilot project). Other companies supplying equipment and services such as Arborea Intellbird, CFZ Cobots, Etra
Investigación y Desarrollo, Visyon (Grupo Mediapro), Elewit and Robotnik are also taking part in the initiative.
Page 7

Vega control systems releases ultra compact radar level sensor for
level measurement
When it comes to checking stocks in large silos and containers, radar measurement has
long been the leading technology. But what about mobile containers like IBCs, whose
contents are usually estimated with just a quick glance – if at all? VEGA has an impressive
solution for this area of application: VEGAPULS Air. Thanks to radar technology, the
miniature sensor delivers precise measured values and can be installed quickly and
flexibly, as demonstrated by its use in a paper mill but could equally be applied to the
water industry where IBCs are extensively used.
At first glance, the processes look quite simple, but different raw materials have to be
measured and added in with high precision. “That’s why there are several intermediate
stages, where both solid and liquid ingredients and additives are fed into the process. This
includes various liquids, which are introduced into the production process from standard IBCs of 1,000 litres each", explains Verkerk further. For more than ten
years, the levels in the tanks and silos have been measured with VEGAPULS or VEGABAR level measuring instruments, which forward the measured values for
processing in a PLC. Sensors like VEGAWELL, VEGASON and VEGADIF are also used at different locations in the plant. For example, on the paper machines, on
pipelines with incoming raw and auxiliary materials and residual flows, as well as in the storage silos.
Brand new – VEGA’s newest measuring instrument has been operating successfully at the Dutch plant since July 2020.
Three VEGAPULS Air 23 sensors were initially installed on the exchangeable IBCs on a trial basis. “We store more than
40 different chemicals and auxiliary materials in silos and IBCs. The fixed storage tanks and silos are already equipped
with a level sensor connected to a PLC. The values are fed into our MBS programme to control the process. This way
we know exactly what the consumption levels are like, so we can order raw materials to ensure that production
continues without interruption", says Verkerk, describing the situation in his company.
With the mobile IBCs, however, this way of operating had not been possible. “Generally, we don’t need every auxiliary
material for every type of finished product. So we drove through the plant every day to manually estimate the
quantities in the IBCs", continues Verkerk, elaborating on the previous strategy. “Our experiences with the VEGA
instruments we’ve used up to now have been very good. So, in September 2019, we asked VEGA if they had a solution
for the IBCs. Unfortunately, the new instrument was still in the development phase", recalls Verkerk.
It wasn’t until a few months later that the time had come: DS Smith De Hoop B.V. became the first company to monitor
levels in IBCs with VEGAPULS Air 23. These wireless, autarkic sensors are inexpensive, flexible and reliable – and they
quickly installed and easy to set up. During their development, energy efficiency was the main priority. Measurement
performance, wireless data transmission and energy consumption had to be perfectly coordinated for this purpose.
Batteries, in combination with optimised measurement cycles, provide the energy management that ensures a
service life of up to 10 years. The sensors can be reliably used in a wide variety of scenarios wherever levels need to
be measured, and thanks to adhesive adapters or flexible belt mounting, it make them very easy to attach to IBCs.
Due to the radar technology, measurement can be performed from the outside, so the IBC plastic tank doesn’t have
to be opened or modified in any way. Installed in just a few simple steps, this solution can remain on the container
permanently. The level of the liquid is transmitted regardless of where the IBC is located. The fixed measuring range
is 1.2 m and the measurement/transmission interval 6 hours.
Even when the containers are stacked on top of each other, the VEGA sensor on each individual container records the current level and its location several times
a day – and transmits this data wirelessly to the cloud. This capability makes the new instruments virtually predestined for use in IoT applications. The measured
values from the sensors can also be transmitted via mobile network (NB-IoT/LTE-M1) to VEGA Inventory System.
Initially, three IBCs in the plant were equipped with VEGAPULS Air 23. Installation was really simple: remove the protective film, stick the sensor on, it's done.
Thanks to 80-GHz radar technology, VEGAPULS Air, with its water-tight, plastic encapsulated antenna, it can measure the level right through the plastic top of
the IBC. “We had previously considered whether we could get along with a wire-connected radar instrument. But at the locations where the IBCs are deployed,
connecting with cables was extremely difficult and the time savings would not have offset the investment costs", Verkerk makes clear.
No approvals or process fittings were required for the installation of VEGAPULS Air. Since the instrument measures down through the container roof from the
outside, it doesn’t need to employ especially high resistance materials to chemicals. It doesn’t matter what medium is inside the IBC. Another big advantage:
the IBC can be rigorously cleaned on the outside, as the sensors have IP68 and IP69K protection.
Page 8

Water companies could face legal action after investigation launched
into sewage discharges
The Environment Agency (EA) and Ofwat have launched a major investigation into sewage treatment works, after new checks led to water companies admitting
that they could be releasing un-permitted sewage discharges into rivers and watercourses. Following reports about widespread un-permitted releases of sewage
into the environment by water and wastewater companies, the investigation has been launched by Ofwat to establish whether companies are complying with
their statutory and licence obligations.
This will see an investigation involving nearly 2,500 sewage treatment works. Any company caught breaching their legal permits could face enforcement action,
including fines and prosecutions. Fines can be up to 10% of annual turnover for civil cases, or unlimited in criminal proceedings. The EA has been checking
that water companies comply with requirements and has asked them to fit new monitors at sewage treatment works. This is to make sure the right levels
of wastewater are being treated before overflows are allowed to enter the environment. Following the action by the EA, several water companies have now
revealed that many of their sewage treatment works may not be compliant. This would mean that water companies are in breach of their permits and failing to
meet their legal duties.
The Agency and Ofwat are now looking into all water and sewerage companies to assess the scale of the problem. Any company caught breaching these
minimum standards will face a range of possible enforcement action – up to and including prosecution. New information, and analysis by the Environment
Agency, suggests that water and wastewater companies may have released sewage into rivers and waterways when they were not legally allowed to do so.
Ofwat’s interim Chief Executive has written to companies to investigate the extent of any non-compliance and why it has happened.
Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the Environment Agency, said:
“Any water companies in breach of their permits are acting illegally. This is a major issue of public trust. Water company boards must certify every year that
they have adequate resources to fulfil their regulated activities. Only now, just before new monitors are installed, have companies reported concerns over
potential problems. The EA has begun an immediate investigation of 2,480 sewage treatment works and will prosecute where necessary. The private sector is
under increasing pressure to demonstrate tangible commitments on protecting the environment. This shows why we need robust and well-funded regulation to
provide the public, investors and customers with assurances about what is being delivered on the ground. I would like to see the levels of penalties for corporate
environmental crime in England go up significantly. More attention should also be paid to the directors of companies that are guilty of repeated, deliberate or
reckless breaches of environmental law. Such directors should be struck off and in the most grievous cases given custodial sentences.”
Ofwat Chair Jonson Cox said the regulator had launched an investigation relating to companies’ management of their wastewater treatment works which will
examine any instance of systemic management failure, or the misreporting of data. If we find reason to act, Ofwat will use our full range of powers to hold
companies to account for their failures and to require them to put things right in very short order,” he added.
Describing the new information as “shocking and wholly unacceptable,” Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said she wanted to see water companies spending
far more on better infrastructure, and far less on payouts to shareholders. The Environment Act has introduced clear new duties to legally require water
companies to make progressive reductions in the adverse impacts of storm overflows. Any water companies not abiding by their permits are expected to take
immediate action to address any non-compliance while these investigations are ongoing.
Ofwat has also asked Boards of water companies to explain how environmental performance and compliance with obligations has been taken into account when
deciding on paying out dividends and executive bonuses. Interim Chief Executive, David Black, said:
“Back in the summer, I wrote to companies setting out the need to improve performance on the use of storm overflows. I haven’t seen enough to suggest that
message was heard or heeded, and this new information suggests there may have been very serious failings by water companies in treating wastewater. We will
find out what company Boards knew and when, and if there has been management failure or misreporting of data to us and to the public. If we find there has
been, we will use all of our powers to hold companies to account.”
Ofwat has told companies to:
• Provide full disclosure on the scale of any illegal releases of sewage and explain what caused them,
• Explain how they monitor compliance with their obligations including their system of management and internal controls,
• Set out what role the Board plays in scrutinising and monitoring these actions,
• Describe how Boards have approached dividends and remuneration decisions in the context of environmental performance, and
• Set out companies’ plans and timelines to address and remedy any problems uncovered.
Ofwat’s enforcement powers can see the regulator fine companies up to 10% of their turnover. Commenting on the announcement, a spokesperson from Water
UK (the body which represents all UK water companies) said:
“The water industry is committed to the best possible environmental outcomes. Water companies have been investing heavily to modernise the monitoring of
sewage treatment works, and in using better modelling and artificial intelligence techniques to understand and predict any issues that might occur. Where the
data identifies any problems, then action must be taken to address them.”
Page 9

Northumbrian Water introduces new tool to help reduce regional
leakage
Northumbrian Water has introduced a new tool that will help to reduce leakage and save water across the region. The water company has developed a brand-
new online leakage portal, which will make it easier than ever before for people to report leaks as soon as they are spotted.
Although water workers across the North East operating areas fix around 10,000 leaks a year, the new portal reflects the company’s dedication to reducing
leakage in 2022.
The new portal, which will help to make the area more water efficient, will provide customers with what Northumbrian describes as “a slick user experience”
when reporting leaks and will also give automatic email updates once a leak has been reported and repaired.
To use the portal, the customer simply needs to enter their postcode and they will be able to see exactly what is going on in their area. Jim Howey, Head of Water
Networks at Northumbrian Water, said:
“We fix thousands of leaks a year, and our teams are very responsive when it comes to carrying out repairs.
“However, we can only repair leaks that we know about, which is why we are urging our customers to use the new leakage portal and help us by reporting any
leaks they spot.
“As part of our ambitious goal to provide world-class customer service, we have ensured that the leakage portal is incredibly user friendly and easy to use.
“We all have a role to play when it comes to saving water, and by using the new leakage portal you are helping to reduce the demand for water in our region.”
Endress+Hauser Expands Flow Calibration Capabilities
Endress+Hauser expands its calibration capabilities in the U.S. with a new flow calibration rig located at the company’s recently
inaugurated Houston Campus. The rig will service customers’ flowmeters, including those from third-party vendors, and will
have expanded line size and flowrate capabilities.
“With the addition of this new flow calibration rig, we will expand our calibration capabilities to cover flowmeter sizes from
1/12 in. to 12 in.,” says Kyle Shipps, Endress+Hauser Calibration and Repair Group Manager. “This will allow us to better support
the installed base of flowmeters in the region, while reducing shipping costs and total turnaround time for our customers.”
Endress+Hauser offers accredited calibration both in the laboratory and onsite for their own and other vendor’s products,
helping their customers stay in compliance while reducing costs and increasing uptime. The Houston Campus, which is ISO
17025 accredited, has been providing flow, temperature and pressure calibration services since it opened in 2020.
The new calibration rig will expand flow capabilities to 12” line size and 1,750 gallons per minute and can service Coriolis
(standard and premium calibration), electromagnetic, vortex, ultrasonic in-line, and ultrasonic clamp-on flowmeters. The
Houston facility offers expedited calibration turn times for certain applications. This includes 24-hour or 3-day expedited
calibration returns for customers who need urgent response for critical applications.
The Houston campus also provides cleaning services for customer meters. Many times, meters are brought in from the field or plant and need to be cleaned
before they can be calibrated. Endress+Hauser is now able to provide cleaning and calibration, eliminating that extra burden for the customer.
“Endress+Hauser continues to invest in technology and strategies that bring us closer to our customers and the industries that we serve,” adds Shipps. “We are
always looking for unique ways to make our customers’ lives easier, so we’re very excited for this new calibration rig, and all the ways it can be used to provide
superior service to the region.”
Page 10

Alexa, help me save water
Amazon just announced a sound detection feature for Alexa which can identify the noise made by running water and remind you to turn off the tap.
According to not-for-profit Waterwise, 'a running tap wastes over six litres per minute' and can affect not only your bills, and cause water damage to your home,
but also wastes valuable water at a time when supplies are under increasing strain from climate change and population growth.
The new water Sound Detector joins a series of existing sound-enabled triggers for the Alexa virtual assistant's routines, which include alerts for snoring, baby
cries, barking dogs and coughing.
The Sound Detector's features are used to trigger Alexa routines. For example, you could make your smart lights flash a different colour when Alexa hears your
tap running for too long.
Whether this technology could help save you from suffering a major flood or just relieve the minor irritation of forgetting to turn off a tap, hopefully it will help
get people thinking more about water use in their home.
Colombia is a water-rich country with a sound policy and strong public leadership. One of its main objectives is to ensure reliable access to water resources for
the entire population, yet this can only be achieved by tackling new challenges such as climate change, pollution and water losses in the distribution network.
Digital transformation of the water cycle is essential to ensure every last drop of this resource is controlled carefully. The use of digital technology provides
centralized, real-time monitoring from the point the water is collected, purified and distributed, to how and when it is consumed by millions of users. This fact
was highlighted by Idrica at the recent Andesco 2021 congress, held in Colombia.
According to Álvaro Gentile, Idrica's Country Manager in Colombia, there are three areas in which these technological solutions can be used: infrastructure
(such as distribution pipelines and treatment plants), in the financial-customer area, and in work orders. Today, the difficulty lies in the fact that there are many
different technologies being used across the water cycle. This generates the need for an integrated, cross-cutting solution, based on cutting-edge technologies
such as Machine Learning, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and mathematical algorithms.
Gentile stated that, “it enables us to monitor everything from a single operations center, capturing information from different sources and using it holistically".
Gentile also pointed out that today many "operators have different brands of smart meters and each one requires its own reading protocol. However, today
we can democratize data, access all the information and standardize it quickly and accurately in order to make better decisions".
There are several important use cases in this digital transformation process. One example given by Gentile was the need to control non-revenue water. In
Colombia, in some operations the losses from non-revenue water are very high. This is due to unbilled metered consumption, unbilled unmetered consumption,
unauthorized consumption and meter inaccuracies. It also includes leaks in transport and distribution networks and service connections, and leaks and
overflows in reservoirs. Implementing a digital, centralized, integrated system throughout the water cycle would avoid all of these inefficiencies. "There are
examples of utilities in which savings after the implementation of these technologies account for 20% reductions in maintenance costs, 15% in energy costs,
70% in implementation costs, 35% in hydraulic performance improvements and a 60% drop in the number of complaints due to billing errors. We have also
achieved an 18% improvement in water losses, a reduction in CO2 emissions, water savings in distribution networks and an increase in fraud detection," said
the Idrica expert.
In the water network infrastructure, digital transformation can enable everything from remote control and alarm notifications to the optimization of energy
costs through algorithms. In terms of the work of operators in the field, Gentile said that, in emergency situations, "we have to find out how to protect people,
through alarms, through the automatic generation of work orders, and smart anticipation and detection of outages."
How can we generate efficient processes that make an impact, and become self-sustainable over time? According to Gentile, "in Colombia, utilities have to
move towards self-sustainability". After years of sharing its technology in more than 400 cities internationally, through its GoAigua integrated water cycle
platform, "we have achieved important milestones that have had a positive impact on the profit and loss statements of water utilities," says Álvaro Gentile.
"The importance of digitally transforming business processes should be part of utilities' strategic plans: modernizing systems through technology means
making significant savings by becoming more efficient. This requires planning investments in technological solutions that are already available on the market,"
concludes the expert.
Digital Transformation Key To Ensuring Access To Drinking Water In
Colombia
Page 11

Feature Article:
Collaborative approach needed
to keep UK rivers clean
Utilities, regulators and consumers need to take joint responsibility to keep sewers free from blockages and reduce river pollution says Darren Meaning,
Environmental Water Product Specialist at Siemens Digital Industries
In an article published last year by BBC News1 the Environment Agency said that figures had revealed a complete lack of progress towards the target of 100%
healthy waters by 2027. It was stated that the most problematic pollutants are chemical sewage discharge, farming, and industrial chemicals.
More recently, the Environment Agency (EA) and Ofwat published a press release stating that they were launching a major investigation involving more than
2000 sewage treatment works. With water companies having been forced to install new level and flow monitoring equipment, their now comes greater visibility
of compliance to permitted flow conditions. This has forced water companies to admit, they could be releasing un-permitted sewage discharges into rivers and
watercourses. A clear cause of frustration for Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the Environment Agency, who said:
“Water company boards must certify every year that they have adequate resources to fulfil their regulated activities. Only now, just before
new monitors are installed, have companies reported concerns over potential problems.”
The EA and Ofwat are now looking to assess the scale of the problem, which could result in enforcement action, including fines and prosecutions.
The public’s immediate reaction is that the water companies are not doing enough, however, how many people stop to examine their own behaviour? Water
companies constantly request the public to only flush the 3P’s (pee, poo and (toilet) paper) to keep sewers free from blockages, yet our sewers continue to
be blocked by “fatburg’s”. NGO’s like Wildlife & Countryside, the Rivers Trust, and Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) rightly focus on failing utilities, but isn’t it the
regulator and Environment Agency’s job to police the industry?
In the same way that single-use plastics have become socially unacceptable, the onus of keeping our rivers clean is the duty of every citizen. With the widely
available images of our oceans full of plastic waste and permeating the food chain, there is far greater public awareness of the environmental consequences.
This coupled with a charge on plastic bags has made a huge impact on the reduction of waste plastics. A similar approach is much needed in tackling sewage
pollution if the environmentalists are to set a similar tone for changing cultural behaviour. The societal approach must be collaborative and engaging to fully
bring about this behavioural change.
Education is key to success
The water companies go to great lengths to educate the public to only flush the 3P’s to help keep the country's sewers free from blockages. Yet many people still
treat the toilet as just another bin. Despite the vast amount of press coverage and the ever-increasing size of fatbergs being discovered, many people simply
don’t equate that their cotton buds going down the toilet are contributing to this problem.
Just like single-use plastics, we need people to know that this behaviour has an impact on the health of our rivers, both in terms of the bacteriological water
quality but also in terms of microplastics that could potentially find their way into our oceans and the food chain.
Many water companies take this education into the schools and other public events but all too often it’s adults that are the real polluters. How do we show
people the environmental impact of these actions and reform adult behaviour?
There is one water company that through the power of television is trying to do just that. Severn Trent hopes the ITV documentary called “Sewer Men” will have
some practical outcomes by encouraging customers to be smart about how much water they use, as well as having a better understanding of what you can and
can’t put down the toilet. Meanwhile, BBC2 are showing “The Secret Science of Sewage”, a fascinating programme where we follow every step of the sewage
treatment process at Severn Trent’s Minworth Sewage Treatment Works (STW). Here we see everything from power generation to some amazing biotechnology
with the potential to create life-changing medicine. The documentary is intertwined with subtle messaging about the behavioural changes required to make the
systems more efficient and to reduce waste. But is this charm offensive enough and are they preaching to the converted, are the people who are likely to watch
these documentaries the main offenders? We can’t be sure, but it is by far the most powerful public messaging delivered by any UK water company.
Closer Collaboration with the Supply Chain
Recently protesters were seen outside Thames Water offices in Reading to draw attention to the issue of increasing amounts of raw sewage being discharged
into rivers. A spokesperson for the water company explained “when the sewers get full up with rainwater the in-built overflow points allow excess diluted
sewage to flow into a watercourse to prevent the system backing up and flooding properties, roads etc.” They added: “It’s our view that discharges of untreated
sewage are simply unacceptable, even when they are legally permitted, and we’ll work with the government, Ofwat and the Environment Agency to accelerate
work to stop them being necessary. We have a long way to go – and we certainly can’t do it on our own – but the ambition is clear.”
From a public awareness point of view, it is certainly worth pointing out that our sewer system is designed to spill in storm conditions. However, despite cries
Page 12

for collaboration and innovation within the sector, many water companies are committed to “in-house” solutions that are likely to take years to develop.
When commercially viable products already exist in this marketplace, it would seem to make more sense to use these existing products and focus “in-house”
development teams on solutions that are not yet available.
Siemens has the sensor technology and is already integrating Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) and Flow to Full Treatment (FFT) into the proven SIWA Blockage
Predictor app. This will allow water companies to publish spill data on their websites and with the implementation of SIWA Blockage Predictor better demonstrate
their progress in reducing the number of spills as well as prove permitted flow compliance.
Political Pressure
The Conservative MP Philip Dunne has introduced a Private Member's Bill to place a duty on water companies to ensure that untreated sewage is not discharged
into rivers and other inland waters. Meanwhile, the environment minister Rebecca Pow has introduced new legislation (Environment Act 2021) to reduce
discharge of raw sewage into rivers, stating that it is a priority “to cut down on the water sector’s reliance on storm overflows”4.
Asaresult,theindustryhascreatedajointindustry-governmentgroup-theStormOverflowsTaskforce(SOT)-withwatercompanies,regulatorsandenvironmental
NGOs. While the group has no teeth, it has committed to greater transparency on pollution data. The SOT and water companies have agreed to make real-time
data on sewage discharges available at bathing sites all year round.
These new monitoring devices should be in place by 2023 across the sewer network. This is good news for bathers and Surfers Against Sewage who will be able
to check the latest information to see if there have been any recent discharges.
Only Accumulative Action will make a Difference
The issues are wide ranging and complex. It’s clear that no single solution will deliver the step change that’s needed. Just like single use plastics we all need to
take personal responsibility for what goes into our sewer network. We need to change consumer behaviour and stop treating sinks and toilets like waste disposal
units. The Environment Agency needs to be adequately funded to properly police the pollution of our water courses. The water companies need to do more to
prevent un-consented discharge and engage better with the supply chain, not just to hear their ideas but to deliver ready-made solutions as soon as practicably
possible. Manufacturers and tech companies need to continue to innovate products that meet the industry’s needs, but this will only happen if the industry
adopts them. Whilst Siemens is happy to help water companies meet the technological challenges, it's worth remembering that we all have a role to play in
reducing the amount of pollution that ends up in our rivers and waterways. Non-flushable items like wet wipes, sanitary products, condoms, and Fat's Oil &
Grease (FOG) can produce ‘fatbergs’ which block the sewer system. With this backdrop, the small change in one’s own behaviour can seem infinitesimal, but as
we said, there is no single solution, only accumulative action that will make a profound difference, and we should all play our part.
In recent years, the effects of anthropogenic global warming on the risk of flooding, droughts, and increasing sea levels have become increasingly apparent.
Figure 1: SIEMENS is integrating EDM and FFT into the proven SIWA Blockage Predictor app.
Page 13

In recent years, the effects of anthropogenic global warming on the risk of flooding, droughts, and increasing sea levels have become increasingly apparent.
By 2050, it is estimated that winter rainfall will increase by 6%, summer rainfall will decrease by 15%, and river water levels may rise by up to 27% according to
the Environment Agency.
Fathom’s collaborative research has explored the impact that climate change may have had on the unprecedented rainfall and resultant flooding seen during
Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Looking at the UK, Fathom-UK has forecast that 1.35 million properties will be vulnerable to flood risk by 2050, an increase of 24% from 2020.
In this article we discuss flood risk at four locations in the UK, outline some of the past flood events that have occurred in these locations, and summarise recent
defence schemes that have been (or are being) implemented to reduce the risk of flooding in response.
We then outline our approach to modelling future flood risk in the UK and present examples showing the potential impact of climate change on flood risk at
these four locations for 2020, 2030, 2050, and 2070.
Carlisle Fluvial Flooding
In 1968, following significant flooding caused by an estimated 1 in 75-year river flow, Carlisle’s first flood defences were constructed.
In January 2005, sustained heavy rainfall over parts of the Lake District and Pennines that form the headwaters of the River Eden resulted in a devastating
downstream flood event in the city that affected 1600 properties.
In response the EA (Environmental Agency) invested £12 million in a local flood defence project which rebuilt the embankments of the River Eden and River
Petteril to protect the city against a 1 in 200-year probability event. The embankments were made higher and wider with new flood walls and drain-down sluices
to effectively drain water trapped behind defences.
A second stage of the project was also carried out which focussed on protecting the main city centre area which included a pumping station from Little Caldew
to the River Caldew, along with new floodwalls and embankments.
Despite this work, the extreme rainfall of Storm Desmond in 2015 led to a new flow record on the River Eden at Carlisle. The new defences were overwhelmed
as a result, leading to the flooding of more than 2000 properties.
Oxford Fluvial Flooding
Similar to Carlisle, Oxford is also an at-risk area for flooding. Having experienced two significant flooding events in 2014 and 2020, the government has developed
an Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme to create new streams with wildlife corridors for water overflow which will take floodwater away from built-up areas in the
south and west prone to flood risk.
Avonmouth Coastal Flooding
Avonmouth is particularly vulnerable to tidal flooding from the Severn Estuary and fluvial flooding from the Avonmouth Rhine network.
The first stage of an £80m flood defence project, known as the ASEA Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project has just been completed. This project is the
largest project of its kind to be carried out in the West of England.
The main aims are to reduce flood risk to 2,500 properties and create 17km of flood defences to combat rising sea levels which are a result of climate change.
This project builds new flood defences to protect against rising sea levels to reduce the level of flood risk in Avonmouth for the next 60 years.
Hull Coastal Flooding
In recent years, Hull has been greatly affected by flooding as it is one of the lowest-lying cities in the UK, as well as being a coastal area next to the Humber
estuary.
The worst flooding event in the past twenty years was the June 2007 floods which resulted in a significant loss of life and livelihoods in the city. This year a flood
alleviation programme was completed by the EA which is believed to protect at least 113,000 homes from being flooded.
Modelling Flood Defences
When it comes to modelling the impact of defences within a national-scale modelling framework (such as Fathom-UK), where available we incorporate the
location and standard of protection contained within national flood defence datasets such as those published by the Environment Agency and Natural Resources
Article:
Simulating the role that flood defences
play in protecting UK cities
against future flood risk
Page 14

Wales. In areas of missing or incomplete data we estimate the standard of protection based on both urbanisation and global flood defence standard and datasets.
Furthermore, we also deploy an algorithm developed by Fathom’s Chief Research Officer Dr. Oliver Wing (published here) that detects topographic features that
would control the flow pathways of floodwaters, such as levees, from LiDAR data, allowing us to incorporate additional features not contained within national
defence datasets.
Modelling the impacts of climate change on fluvial flood risk
To understand how fluvial flood risk may change in the future, we first estimate how rainfall and river flows may change in the future. To do this, we extract
future extreme precipitation from the ensemble of climate models underpinning the latest Met Office future climate projections (UKCP18) and calculate changes
in extreme precipitation across the UK between present day and 2030, 2050 and 2070 under the RCP8.5 emissions scenario. Changes in river flows were then
calculated by taking temperature and precipitation projections and running these through an ensemble of rainfall-runoff models.
The calculated changes in precipitation and river flows were then used to perturb the present day data so that we could directly simulate the impact of changing
precipitation and river flows through our hydrodynamic model and understand how inland flood risk may change in the future.
The examples below show, given the climate change methodology above (further examples of which can be found in some of our other publications), how fluvial
flood risk may change in the future in Carlisle and Oxford, both with and without the defence assumptions outlined previously.
It is important to note that these estimates are based on the present day defence assumptions and highlight how flood risk may change based solely on changing
river flows. They do not consider how defences may also change in the future.
Modelling the impacts of climate change on coastal flood risk
To understand how coastal flood risk may change in the future, sea level rise estimates were taken from the study by Kopp et al. (2014) and were used to perturb
present day estimates of extreme water height to produce future extreme water height estimates that were then simulated through our hydrodynamic model.
Examples of modelled future coastal flood risk, with and without flood defences, are shown below for Avonmouth and Hull using the defence assumptions
described above.
Again, only the coastal extreme water levels were changed in the future scenarios and not the flood defences, therefore the images below demonstrate how
flood risk may change at the coast in the future without any changes to future flood defences. Schemes like those currently being developed in Avonmouth and
Hull will aim to reduce the potential impact of flooding in the future as a result of climate change induced sea level rise.
Figure 1:Carlisle Fluvial Defended vs. Undefended 2020 - 2070 Figure 2:Oxford Fluvial Defended vs. Undefended 2020 - 2070
Figure 3:Avonmouth Coastal Defended vs Undefended 2020 - 2070 Figure 4:Hull Coastal Defended vs Undefended 2020 - 2070
Page 15

What Do the Flood Models Show Us?
As the examples above demonstrate, flood defences significantly mitigate the risk of flooding and it is therefore essential that they are included in models
whenever possible.
However, it is also the case - as so clearly demonstrated in Carlisle - that non-stationarity due to climate change may render previously assumed defence design
standards obsolete. It has long been expected that precipitation extremes will intensify as the result of a warmer atmosphere being able to hold more moisture
(the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship), and this expectation is already being borne out by observations (Fowler et al., 2021).
Our models do suggest that over many parts of the UK, these increasing extreme rainfall intensities and accumulations will yield an increased risk of both fluvial
and pluvial flooding, whilst the steady march of sea level rise will increase risk in many coastal settlements.
Although this paints a gloomy picture, there are a number of flood defence programmes in progress to protect many areas most prone to flood hazards. These
visualisations show the profound impact that defences can have on reducing flood risk, and demonstrate the importance of resilience and adaptation to our
national strategies to manage climate change.
M Group Services continues to expand its technical service capability
with the acquisition of Z-Tech Control Systems
We are pleased to announce that M Group Services (‘the Group’), a leading provider of services to essential infrastructure markets in the UK and Ireland, has
completed the acquisition of Z-Tech Control Systems (‘Z-Tech’).
With around 230 employees and a revenue of £20m, as a business we provide design, project management, commissioning, repair and maintenance services
primarily to the UK’s water, energy and rail industries and have long-term, established relationships across the sectors in which they operate including with
Thames Water, Uniper and Transport for London.
Z-Tech is the latest addition to the growing number of technically enabled businesses within M Group Services, which means the Group are increasingly able to
provide services to their clients which includes complete end-to-end delivery of technical and complex projects.
Jim Arnold, Chief Executive M Group Services, commented: “We are delighted to expand our Water Division with the acquisition of Z-Tech. The capabilities and
reputation that Z-Tech bring with them, coupled with the skills we already have within the Group, (with businesses such as IDS and Magdalene), means we are
able to provide even more specialist technical services to our clients. Our footprint across multiple sectors means that many of our operating businesses and their
clients will also be able to benefit from Z-Tech’s skills and knowledge, which also provides new opportunities for Z-Tech to grow as part of the Group.”
Angela Nilsson, Managing Director of Z-Tech, added: “We are excited to join the MGS family and look forward to working collaboratively with other businesses in
the Group. With the additional support of MGS, we will be able to deliver the full range of MEICAT (Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Control, Automation
& Telemetry) services, enabling us to provide additional value to our clients, and meet our ambitious growth plans."
The acquisition of Z-Tech takes the total number of strategic acquisitions made by M Group Services to 14 since December 2016.
Samotics Completes Series A Funding Round To Lead Fight Against
Industrial Energy Waste
Samotics, a leading provider of real-time actionable insights to eliminate industrial energy waste and unplanned downtime, has completed a EUR 14.5 million
Series A funding round. The round was led by 83North, a global venture capital firm with a proven track record in building category leaders across multiple domains
including Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies.
Samotics’ Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform uses AI to analyze the current and voltage signals of electric-driven motor systems – known as electrical signature
analysis (ESA) – to prevent asset failure, optimize performance and improve energy efficiency. This offers unique benefits in harsh industrial environments (e.g.
submerged pumps, hot strip mills) and is already being implemented at scale across the wastewater and water, steel, and chemical sectors. With a fast-growing base
of high-profile customers and thousands of assets monitored, Samotics is scaling a solution that has the potential to cut global electricity consumption by at least
10%.
Supported by the tailwinds of the energy and condition monitoring markets growing at above 25% yearly, Samotics plans to leverage this latest round of funding to
supercharge its growth. The investment will bolster the expansion of its customer base in existing and new markets, drive the development of its technology platform
capabilities across both energy and condition monitoring, and grow the Samotics team by acquiring top technology and business talent.
"As one of the world’s largest energy consumers, heavy industry must realize significant energy savings to meet aggressive net-zero targets. Our rapid growth
demonstrates how we are helping our customers on the journey to industrial sustainability by combatting downtime and boosting energy efficiency. This investment
strengthens our reputation as one of Europe’s AI pioneers and allows us to accelerate our growth plans and lead the fight against industrial energy waste." - Jasper
Hoogeweegen, CEO, Samotics
Gil Goren, Partner at 83North said: “Samotics has established a leading position in the market with proven capabilities to address a defining challenge of our time.
The team has built an industry-leading platform, significantly expanded its customer base, and demonstrated a clear trajectory for growth. We share Samotics’ vision
that greener industry is not only achievable, but essential, and above all we believe in this talented and experienced team to make this vision a reality.”.
Page 16

Case Study:
Stepping into a data driven future
The City of Manteca Wastewater Quality Control Facility is boldly moving into an optimized, data-driven future. The plant, located in California’s Central Valley,
implemented the Claros™ Water Intelligence System from Hach® to optimize data, instrument, and process management throughout their operation. This
system of software and connected devices is helping them resolve persistent problems, increase efficiency, and ensure compliance. The Manteca WQCF is a
9.87 MGD average day dry weather (ADWF) rated, activated sludge plant, treating typical municipal wastewater with a Modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) process
for nitrification and denitrification. The facility features an influent pump station, aerated grit tanks, primary sedimentation basins, fine-bubble activated sludge
aeration basins, secondary clarifiers, secondary effluent equalization pond, tertiary filters, UV disinfection and effluent pumping station, on 210 acres. Secondary
effluent is land applied during the spring and summer.
Manteca’s operators were aware of a persistent problem: excess foaming at night with their Dissolved Air Flotation Thickener (DAF), as well as problems with
Sludge Retention Time (SRT). As the flow decreased dramatically overnight – from a peak of 6.1 MGD to a low of .57 MGD – they were not able to turn down their
Return Activated Sludge (RAS) pumps enough, causing the RAS/WAS concentration to significantly drop off from 1.3% to 0.27% TSS. Since the polymer dose to
the DAF is fixed, the significant reduction in WAS concentration resulted in an overdose of polymer and excess foaming. In addition, operators couldn’t account
for overnight changes in the WAS concentration due to lack of visibility, which created an inaccurate and inconsistent SRT. Plant operators recognized the need for
24/7 visibility into the RAS/WAS concentration and the ability to adjust their process accordingly to prevent the DAF foaming and create a repeatable and precise
SRT.
Plant personnel considered a variety of options to address these issues, including more frequent grab sampling, initiating 24-hour composite sampling, or
implementing 7-day averaging SRT calculations. But none of these options would meet the criteria to solve the issue. After careful review, it was determined that
the plant needed a combination of real-time monitoring, lab/process validation, and the ability to adjust RAS/WAS flow rates as concentrations vary over time.
The team at Manteca coordinated with Hach personnel to develop a plan that could be implemented in stages, with scalability to address other plant-wide and
future optimization needs. They arrived at a solution that includes the full Claros platform –Data, Instrument, and Process Management – with a selection of
Claros-enabled devices, a new VFD RAS/WAS pump, and integration into existing plant infrastructure and SCADA assets.
Based on plant capacity and operational history, plant staff had a desired 9 day SRT target. Grab samples were typically taken once per day, at 8am but the timing
of the daily grab sample coincided with the low point in loading for the day. Both the mixed liquor and RAS needed to be monitored to better understand the
variability of samples. For clarity, it’s important to note that Manteca wastes from the RAS. Staff achieved better monitoring with the installation of Claros-enabled
Solitax sc process probes to measure Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in both the mixed liquor and the RAS. They then used the data to determine how much error
existed in the manual grab sample-based method originally used.
The conclusions were eye-opening: real-time data versus laboratory tests indicated a significant difference in the sludge retention time. While they were gaining
trust in their new online data, the grab samples showed the SRT was nearing 12.2 days, as opposed to their targeted 9 days. On the other hand, the TSS probe data
showed that the SRT was actually at 9.05 days, or a 34.8% difference from their grab samples. Believing the grab samples, Manteca wasted to reach 9 days from a
perceived 12.2, but in reality over-wasted to an SRT of 6 days. This scenario could have created many other challenges, including settleability problems, degradation
of nitrification, and even potential permit violations.
Because decision-making hinges on the accuracy of the data available, a Claros Instrument Management solution was implemented so plant personnel could
validate instrument status and ensure data reliability. Claros Mobile Sensor Management (MSM) was used to confirm the accuracy of the Solitax sensors measuring
TSS, allowing sensor information to be available at anytime on any electronic, web-enabled devices as well as on SCADA, and the Claros Water Information
Management Solution (WIMS). With MSM, Manteca was able to align process and lab data to correlate and confirm lab-analyzed samples to determine if
calibration was required on instruments. Conveniently, with MSM, calibration can be initiated from any web enabled device.
With new, accurate information driving decisions, Manteca’s staff was able to leverage data within their WIMS software to provide long-term analysis and KPI
tracking to better understand the SRT using visual management tools (i.e. dashboards). To do this, a SCADA interface was used to automatically pull the TSS probe
data directly from the SCADA historian into WIMS. Then, by trending the baseline data from the online TSS probes, operators had a better understanding of the
solids in the treatment process, both with current-state and historical trends, making it possible to sustain the improvements.
The backbone of the MSM platform is Prognosys®, the predictive diagnostic system. Prognosys sends alerts when maintenance activities are required; delivers
notifications of any instrument issues to ensure accuracy of sensor data; and provides operators with onscreen, step-by-step instructions for carrying out
maintenance procedures on any of the devices. Data access through MSM gave the operators confidence that their process was running smoothly and efficiently,
and saved time so operators could focus on the highest priorities of the plant.
Empowered with tools to use data in ways they’d never experienced before, naturally the desire to improve other data collection processes arose. For example,
plant operators also wanted a way to collect field data digitally – going paperless, gaining instant access to data, with data traceability and validation at the source.
The solution was Claros Collect, part of the Claros Data Management product suite, which allows users to manually enter data on web-enabled devices. Not only
does it automatically validate data at the source of collection by triggering alerts when values are outside an expected range, but it also eliminates the need for
manual paper forms and thus reduces transcription errors. Once data is entered, it is immediately available through the entire data system, including WIMS.
This enables teams in the field and in the office to be aware of water quality changes and make decisions faster. It is important to note that data can be collected
whether a network is available or not. In the event of non-connectivity, data collected from the field is saved on the device until a connection is available and then
data is synced and consolidated in Claros WIMS.
With reliable information coming from real-time inline sensors via MSM, as well as field data provided through Claros Collect, and validated with lab/process
correlation, the plant could more fully leverage their SCADA and WIMS synergy to get the full picture of their water as it moves through the process. Automating
control to optimize the system was the next step with a Claros Process Management solution for Sludge Retention Time (CPM-SRT).
Page 17

The Claros Process Management (CPM) system for Sludge Retention Time optimizes the process by monitoring minute-by-minute, identifying peaks and valleys
in concentrations of MLSS and WAS caused by the variability of the diurnal loading patterns throughout the day, and making real-time setpoint adjustments.
Previously, staff took a single grab sample once daily, and did not have visibility into the changing solids concentrations throughout the day.
With the SRT controller expanding the operating window with 1440 samples per day – one per minute – the full picture of their solids inventory has come into
focus. Based on this data, the SRT controller calculates the required amount of waste sludge to be removed and then outputs a WAS pump speed setpoint to
ensure a consistent SRT that promotes stable nitrification and low energy cost for BOD removal. The calculation is based on the TSS concentration in the aeration
basin and in the waste sludge. Optionally, a TSS measurement in the secondary clarifier effluent can be integrated into the calculation. The required aerobic
sludge age can either be entered manually or can automatically be calculated based on the actual mixed liquor temperature and aerated volume. Adjustable
limits for minimum and maximum TSS concentration in the aeration tank, minimal aerobic sludge age, minimum and maximum pumping rate of the waste sludge
and safety factors ensure safe operation and process stability. In addition, the process can be configured for batch-wasting or continuous wasting. Manteca uses
the continuous-wasting process.
As much as possible, Claros Process Management systems are integrated into existing plant infrastructure, tailored to the specific plant’s needs. At Manteca,
with aeration processes divided between North and South zones, installation proceeded with connected sensors and controllers, including Solitax TSS probes,
LDO probes, eWon cellular modem, sc1000 probe modules, and CPM touchscreen.
With real-time data coming through the system, Manteca’s staff were able to learn more about their plant. Surprisingly, the system indicated that actual SRT
was much higher than previously thought at around 11 days. Adjustments were made to reach the goal of a 4.9 day SRT. With that goal achieved and the system
providing consistent feedback, the SRT module was activated and now provides increased process consistency (see chart, below).
With the implementation of the entire Claros platform, the City of Manteca has and will continue to recognize and sustain the following benefits:
• More stable SRT control will allow the plant to produce a more consistent and higher quality effluent while saving money.
• Consistent solid loading rates to WAS thickening processes
• SRT is optimized based on setpoint of temperature in the aeration basins
• Elimination of Nocardia and M. parvicella foam
• Improved settleability (39% reduction in SVI), reduced bulking
• Decreased solids concentration from lower SRT increases secondary capacity.
• Prevention of pin floc/dispersed growth
• Consistent solids yield and growth rate
• Increased MLSS stability
• Decrease in energy costs due to volatile solids being treated in anaerobic digesters instead of in the aeration basin. Volatile solids in aeration
basin went up from 76-77% to 82-84%. This also produces more gas from the increased loading of volatiles being destroyed.
• Visual management tools, alerts, and notifications to make real-time decisions
• Complete insight to all the data - anytime, anywhere
• Efficiencies allows plant operators to focus on higher priority issues
Figure 1:Improvements with the implementation of the CRM system
Page 18

Water, Wastewater & Environmental Monitoring
Telford, UK
12th - 13th October 2022
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
2
nd
February 2022 - Leakage Workshop - Sandy Park Rugby Club, Exeter
9th March 2022 - Wastewater-Based Epidemiology - Chestford Grange Hotel, Kenilworth
SWAN Forum 12th Annual Conference
24th - 26th May 2022
The SWAN 12th Annual Conference – the leading, global smart water event of the year will take place 24-26 May 2022 in Washington,
DC at the Washington Marriott Georgetown. This year’s theme, “Connecting Innovation to Impact” will focus on the economic,
social, and environmental impact of data-driven water and wastewater solutions. Our hybrid format will enable online attendees
to live stream select sessions or view them on-demand.
WEX Global 2022
Valencia, Spain
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 19
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 - December 2021

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WIPAC Monthly - December 2021