WIPAC Monthly - June 2021

WIPAC MONTHLY
The Monthly Update from Water Industry Process Automation & Control
www.wipac.org.uk Issue 6/2021- June 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
Securing ammonia compliance and energy savings with RTC.........................................
In this case study from Hach and Wessex Water we examine the long term deployment of a real time ammonia
control system at their treatment works at Holdenhurst and the up to 25% savings it has brought.
12
What Smart Water means to me.................................................................................
In this article by Amir Cahn of the SWAN Forum he goes through the three key take-aways from this year's SWAN
conference
13 - 14
How regulators and innovators are working together to digitise wastewater
regulations...................................................................................................................
In this article from the SWAN Forum member, Kando, how working with standards organisations has meant that
international standards have not become a barrier to adoption of new technologies.
15 - 16
The development of a Digital Twin at Aguas do Porto...................................................
In this case study we look at the work that Bentley Systems and Aguas do Porto have done in creating a Digital
Twin of the water network using 22 different sources of data and how this has helped to increase efficiency
17 - 18
Workshops, conferences & seminars............................................................................
The highlights of the conferences and workshops in the coming months. 19 - 20

From the Editor

With the adoption of Digital Transformation comes and ethical dilemma? Who is responsible if everything goes wrong. Its
a dilemma that we see in other industries primarily the automotive industry where the question of
"who is responsible if a self-driving car crashes"
It is in fact something that i have been a victim of this month with a false recording of test & trace confining me to my
house for 5 days (how do I know it was false...well I apparently had contact on a day where I saw no one but my family
and didn't leave the house). Despite the false forced isolation I did it anyway but it asks the question of
"If we have a false assumption based on data that is somehow wrong who is responsible and how do we prove otherwise"
Well we can say "is this really real?" The answer of course is yes it is very real and has very serious consequences. The
Water Industry in England & Wales installed event duration monitors on the majority of CSOs and are finishing the job in
this asset management period. They are basically level devices and are subject to problems that all level devices and all
instruments have. They start to go wrong eventually or indeed were installed wrongly to start off with and large programmes of work meant that sometimes
these things aren't checked as often as they should be. The problem lies when the data becomes public and the assumptions that are made are false simply
because of bad data. Once the data is published it is incredibly hard to refute. Its very difficult to say, well that instrument was reading incorrectly as it just
sounds like excuse making.
It is something that should be dealt with by management systems making sure each and every instrument, especially the one's that are used for either
regulatory purposes and/or are published. So who is responsible?
• Is it the manufacturers because its an instrument applied in the wrong way or not maintained correctly?
• Is it the installers who have installed to a poor standard or the water company for not checking that the right standard has been applied?
• Is the water company for not checking that it is recording as it should be?
Ultimately it is the water company who have the burden of the ultimate risk as it them that will suffer the consequences. The example that I have given here
is relatively simple but what happens when it is more a critical system that has consequences that risk peoples lives. The water industry is often accused of
being conservative or even glacial at times. There is actually a very good reason why.
Have a good month and of course stay safe,
Oliver

Sensor for Water Interest Group launches video training library
Next WIPAC Showcase with Syrinix on 15th
July
The Sensor for Water Interest Group (SWIG) has launched their online video training library that is open access on the SWIG website (www.swig.org.uk). The
library has been populated with videos that suppliers have sent in and is aimed to act as a resource for anyone and everyone to use based upon the videos
provided by SWIG member companies. For those companies that are interested in seeing their videos featured in the video library they should contact the
SWIG Programme Manager through the SWIG website.
SWIG is a membership organisation which features a range of workshops (COVID permitting) and webinars about the latest in instrumentation in the Water
Industry. Its purpose is to make the world of water a better place through the informed use of sensors. We do this by increasing the understanding and use
of sensors in water and wastewater processes, in water networks and in the natural environment. It is a not for profit information, ideas-exchange, and
networking group with a diverse UK-wide membership drawn from the water and process industries, sensor manufacturers and their distributors, academic
institutions involved in sensor research, regulatory bodies and consultants working in the field of water management.
Our networking activities include a varied programme of technical workshops covering all aspects of water sensing, which offer a cost-effective means of
keeping up-to-date with sensor developments, new technologies and regulations, whilst fostering collaboration between parties. Invited speakers and
enthusiastic audiences are able to debate the practical applications and current challenges for measurement and control in water and wastewater.
The next WIPAC showcase has been put in the diary and will feature Mark Hendy of Syrinix talking about their new solution in acoustic leak detection. Syrinix
launched last month Sa smart network monitoring tool that combines high-resolution pressure and leak detection in one solution: Pipeminder-One Acoustic.
This new version of the popular Pipeminder-One evolves the tool’s existing pressure monitoring with acoustic monitoring to locate leaks and bursts.
Combined with RADAR, Syrinix’s cloud analysis platform, Pipeminder-One Acoustic locates leaks on a broad range of pipeline materials and sizes. Like the
rest of the Pipeminder-One family, the Acoustic version triangulates pressure events and sends intelligent alarms so utility users can identify and fix potential
problems in their network. All data is recorded by a precise time-stamped management information system synced to reliable 4G, 3G, and 2G mobile networks.
Because units are widely spaced along the distribution network, fewer Pipeminder-One Acoustic units than traditional leak detectors are needed to obtain
valuable high-resolution data.
Pipeminder-One Acoustic records pressure at 128 samples per second, generating both transient and summary data, which can be used for triangulation,
clustering, classification, and export via an API. The addition of acoustic data from a new, improved hydrophone is used in combination with pressure monitoring
to identify a leak position. With speedy and precise detection, utilities can now respond quickly to operational and network failures before customers notice
any problems and, with the same unit, identify and mitigate the pressure events contributing to those leaks and bursts.
Zutec awarded AMP7 software contract for Thames Tideway
Tunnel
Construction technology company Zutec Holding AB has announced that it will supply the BAM Nuttall, Morgan Sindall and Balfour Beatty (BMB) joint venture
with digital quality assurance solutions for the West section of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. Currently being built under the River Thames, the tunnel is designed
to intercept millions of tonnes of raw sewage spills from entering the river in an attempt to keep the city clean and protect both people and wildlife alike.
As part of a four-year contract, Zutec will be providing its Quality Assurance and Snagging & Defect Management tools, which will allow the project teams to
streamline inspections and provide real-time visibility around quality assurance.
The contract is the latest in a series of major infrastructure project wins for the construction software company, one of which includes the HS2 project headed
by Skanska, Costain and STRABAG (SCS).
Commenting on the project, Tom Boland, Global Head of Digitalisation at Zutec, said:
“Due to our track record in infrastructure, we have a deep knowledge of the use of technology in this sphere, and we know what the pitfalls are. As projects like
this one usually have specific requirements, a cookie-cutter approach just won’t work. Our software therefore comes in very neatly on complex construction
projects because it allows for easy and seamless collaboration, and is completely configurable to client needs.
“Zutec will enable BMB to easily carry out and check inspections on time while in the field, provide up-to-the minute status reports and ensure standards are
being maintained throughout the construction and handover process. We look forward to working with Tideway’s joint venture partners over the next several
years and being part of this phenomenal project.”
In 2021, Dublin-based Zutec became the first company to be awarded a BSI Kitemark™ certification for Building Information Modelling (BIM) software. This
certification is a global benchmark in BIM compliance and was awarded to Zutec following extensive, independent assessments related to usability, data
security and BIM standards.
Page 4
Industry News

Inflomatix purchased by Suez
SUEZ Group has announced this month the acquisition of Inflowmatix Ltd. This
acquisition will enrich the Group’s range of digital solutions with a unique offering
to ensure the performance and resilience of water distribution networks. It will
reinforce SUEZ’s position as a leading technology provider for water utilities
worldwide through its Smart & Environmental Solutions Business Unit.
Founded in 2015 as a spin-out from Imperial College London, Inflowmatix is
the leader in the acquisition of high-frequency pressure data and associated
edge analytics to support near real-time operational and asset management
decisions for water utilities worldwide. The company has deep expertise and R&D
capabilities in mathematical optimization, data science and hydraulic engineering
applied to complex water supply networks. It offers the InflowSysTM suite, a
combination of high frequency pressure monitoring devices and an enhanced data
management platform, to enable water utilities to continuously monitor, analyze
and optimize the performance of their water distribution networks and critical
assets. Inflowmatix also developed arboricityTM, an integrated real-time network
modelling and monitoring service to help water operators secure the management
of their distribution systems while reducing leakage and disruptive pipeline bursts.
Inflowmatix has a broad and engaged customer base in the UK, France, Italy and Australia/NZ. The SUEZ Group’s channels to market will accelerate growth.
Inflowmatix’s offerings complement and are already integrated with key SUEZ offerings such as Calm NetworkTM and AquadvancedTM suite. SUEZ became
an Inflowmatix shareholder through a SUEZ Ventures investment in 2019.
Parkwalk, the specialist investor in UK university spin-outs, and IP Group plc provided initial seed and follow-on funding. “This deal is an excellent example of
how value can be created out of commercialising university IP”, said Alun Williams, Investment Director at Parkwalk. “I am convinced that this partnership with
SUEZ will drive continued success”. Kelsey Lynn Skinner, Partner at IP Group, agrees: “This is a world-class innovative team driving change in a key industry, and
we welcome this next chapter - to global scale.”
Mueller Water buys i2O
Mueller Water Products, Inc. today announced that it has acquired i2O Water, Ltd. (“i2O Water”), a provider of pressure management solutions for approximately
$20 million in cash.
The acquisition of i2O Water will further position Mueller with the ability to accelerate its software offerings. i20’s intelligent network solutions is complementary
to both Sentryx™, Mueller’s digital services platform, and existing Mueller technology-enabled products used for metering, leak detection, pipe condition
assessment and water quality. Additionally, Mueller will be able to introduce i20’s products and solutions in North America, where i20 currently has no presence.
“Our digital transformation strategy is focused on enabling water utilities to effectively monitor and manage their infrastructure networks,” said Scott Hall,
President and CEO of Mueller Water Products. “i2O’s Pressure Management solutions and deep technology expertise will help expand our ability to provide
products and solutions that support the resiliency and sustainability needs of our customers.”
Page 5

CCC sets out key risks and actions to mitigate climate change
impacts on UK water sector
The Climate Change Committee has published a separate briefing summarising how the water sector has been assessed in the CCC’s third UK Climate Change
Risk Assessment (CCRA) published today, and what types of action to adapt to climate change risks and opportunities would be beneficial in the next five years.
The CCC has assessed the following risks for the sector:
• Risks to infrastructure networks (water, energy, transport, ICT) from cascading failures
• Risks to infrastructure services from river, surface water and groundwater flooding
• Risks to infrastructure services from coastal flooding and erosion
• Risks to subterranean and surface infrastructure from subsidence
• Risks to public water supplies from reduced water availability
• Risks to health from poor water quality and household supply interruptions
• Risks to aquifers and agricultural land from sea level rise, salt-water intrusion
The briefing says that water infrastructure, including reservoirs, dams, pipelines, water treatment plants and sewage treatment plants, are all at risk from
the impacts of climate change, especially increases in the frequency and intensity of surface water and coastal flooding. Water infrastructure assets also
represent “a key element of the UK infrastructure system and could affect, or be affected by, failures of other assets due to extreme weather, such as energy
systems, transport and information and communications technology.” Recent research conducted to support the CCRA has indicated that “the vulnerability of
interconnected systems may be significantly underestimated” the briefing says. Vulnerabilities on one infrastructure network can cause problems on others –
and water infrastructure represents a significant part of this system.
The briefing cites extreme winter rainfall which leads to more flooding, leading to flooding of sewerage infrastructure, reduced water quality and potential
health impacts as an example of a cascading failure in relation to water. The CCC warns:
“The magnitude of this risk is high both now and in the future across all four nations.”
According to the CCC, the risk of network failures is already high, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands or millions of people every year. The briefing
suggests that buried infrastructure, such as water pipelines, potentially faces increased risks as a result of more frequent damage in future due to flooding and
subsidence. In addition, more frequent flooding could also impact on water treatment facilities leading to potential reductions in water quality with knock-on
effects on health. Future projections of more frequent and intense dry periods could also lead to concerns around the availability of public water supplies in
future, especially in England and parts of Wales. Beneficial actions in the next five years suggested by the CCC include:
Improving resilience to a single infrastructure sector (such as protecting electricity substations from flooding) - the benefits can become much larger when
considering the cascading impacts that are then avoided. Using common formalised standards of resilience, such as the new ISO 14091 standard, across different
infrastructure sectors including the water sector to help build systemic resilience across the whole infrastructure system. The briefing describes river and surface
water flooding as “already a large risk to UK infrastructure, with each season adding new evidence to underpin the significant magnitude of the threat.”
The CCC cites data which show that 487 water sites and 747 sewage treatment works are currently at significant risk from surface water flooding, with 147 water
sites and 601 sewage treatment works at risk from river flooding across the UK. Beneficial actions the CCC is proposing should be taken in the next five years
include:
• Develop consistent indicators of flood risk resilience for water infrastructure assets, supply and networks to create the right institutional
conditions for adaptation, allow improvements across the board to be better measured over time and building on improvement in local
hazard information.
• Consistent indicators of resilience across sectors and for different sources of flooding to allow for improvements across the board to be
better measured over time, to better understand the impact that adaptation is having.
The briefing flags up the Cabinet Office’s Resilience Direct platform which provides street-level surface water flood forecasts to local authorities and category 1
and 2 responders as a useful example.
Commenting on risks to infrastructure services from coastal flooding and erosion, the briefing warns that sea levels are currently rising and the rate of rise is
accelerating, including around the UK and that these risks will therefore grow. Current projections show the likely change to be between 0.27 and 1.12 metres
by the end of the century.
In total, 22 clean water facilities and 91 sewage treatment works across the UK have been identified as at significant risk from coastal flooding.
The briefing strikes an optimistic note on risks to public water supplies from reduced water availability, saying that adaptation efforts in the sector are “well
advanced”, assisted by “five yearly Water Resource Management Plans, which take a 25 year outlook, and price reviews, where water companies set the price,
service and incentive package for a five year period.” Other beneficial actions which could be taken in the next five years include several options for further
adaptation to reduce the risk of deficits further- for example, tightening building regulations, enhanced water metering and drought research. Each risk or
opportunity in the briefing has an identifier code linked to the full analysis of the 61 climate risks and opportunities for the UK in the separate UK Climate Risk
Independent Assessment (CCRA3) Technical Report.
Page 6

Ofwat: transformation of water sector over next 30 years will
require "significant new investment"
David Black, Interim Chief Executive at Ofwat has said that the transformation of the UK water sector over the next 30 years will require significant new
investment.
Speaking at a conference on water security last week,he told his audience that looking ahead to 2050, a step change in outcomes was required, including:
• significantly increased drought resilience
• reduced abstraction from overstressed sources such as chalk streams
• leakage reduced by 50% or more
• per capita consumption turning from a steady increase overtime to reduction to 110 l/per day by 2050.
The ambitions meant that the sector needs to “fundamentally change the way it delivers for customers and the environment, he said. This included the need to
stop thinking about the wastewater sector as waste and rather as a source of renewable energy and clean water.
Describing the scale of change required as "vast", he commented:
“The transformation of the sector over the next 30 years (or the next 5 price reviews) will require significant new investment, but in many senses, this is the easy
part, transforming culture and ways of working are also central to a successful transformation. We cannot simply build our way out of the challenges. Firstly,
this is likely to be unaffordable, but leaving that aside, the carbon impacts of massive concrete and steel capital programmes would be very large and such
construction may well be net negative for the environment.”
He went on to identify six areas which could really help drive and deliver change at scale:
• mass scale consumer behavioural shift as part of addressing climate change
• the need to see community engagement and nature based solutions come from the margins to a mainstream approach that provides for
most of the solutions in the next ten years
• smart networks and open data – harnessing the power of the fourth industrial
• revolution to operate and maintain networks intelligently
• a renewable energy revolution in wastewater
• long term and adaptive planning
• innovation - the need for the sector to become much more effective at turning ideas into action effectively, efficiently and at pace
According to Black, too often the water sector seemed to start afresh at a price review – he explained: “We need to see the next five price reviews as incremental
steps to deliver a 30 year plan….planning needs to be adaptive, recognising both the value of delaying decisions to learn more and to take near term decisions
with long term goals in mind. It also needs to look beyond public water supply to other sectors.”
Ofwat in turn needed to play its role in enabling and encouraging the transformation of the sector – and it was clear that the regulator needed to need to
change, he said. Looking ahead to the future, Ofwat had a key role to play in promoting the sector to deliver greater value – for customers, communities and the
environment. In his view, too often Ofwat had the seen the environment as "extra" on top of service to customers – however, it was at the centre of the sector
and water companies had “huge ability to enable gains.” He went on to say that progress was already underway on moving from a regulator of prices, investment
and service to innovation, data and customer and community co-working, highlighting the following activities:
Announcement of a £2.8 billion innovative green recovery programme in May
Proposals which will reduce the risk of flooding, protect habitats, cut pollution, reduce energy and chemical usage, and save water. They also trail and showcase
new ways to delivery such as partnering with local government to prevent surface water run off into sewers and with farmers to reduce run off of pollutants
into rivers.
A collaboration between Ofwat, EA and DWI to promote integrated approach to new water resources which will help ensure that a range of sustainable and
deliverable projects to improve drought resilience at PR24. RAPID is also working to ensure that the regulatory and commercial frameworks enable multi sector
solutions and open up participation to wider range of players beyond water companies.
The fund is beginning to bear fruit, encouraging companies to collaborate with other sectors to address challenges. The fund sits alongside the stretching targets
to improve performance set in PR19 and more powerful incentives.
Now underway and have set big ambitions for change. A shift to an outcome based approach will better enable nature based solutions and a whole system
approach.
He concluded by saying that Ofwat sees the 2024 Price Review as a stepping stone to achieving ambitious long term goals, commenting:
“Looking ahead, the transition to net zero and the ambition to make major improvements to the environment and resilience require the sector to transform.
Innovation, data, customer and community participation must be right at the heart what water companies do.”
Page 7

Collaborative leakage project between Anglian Water and Ovarro
recognised by water sector
A game-changing UK partnership that is bringing significant improvements
to leak detection rates globally has been recognised by the water industry.
Technology specialist Ovarro and UK utility Anglian Water Services collaborated
on the development of remote leak detection device Enigma3hyQ and cloud-
based analytics platform PrimeWeb.
Between April 2018 and January 2021, the system found 6,783 leaks on Anglian
Water Services’ network, with a 1:1 ratio of leaks found to points of interest
issued. The sensors are effective in finding leaks over long distances and inside
plastic pipes and have gone onto be rolled out globally, including in Malaysia,
Singapore, Australia and across Europe.
The achievements of the collaboration were recognised by the Water Industry
Achievement Awards on 27 May 2021, which named it Alliancing and Partnership
Initiative of the Year.
Judges commented:
“This project stood out from a list of high-quality entries with a clear demonstration of the benefits of approaching a major regulatory and customer issue in an
innovative way. The collaborative nature of this initiative and the open sharing of knowledge has delivered significant improvements in Anglian Water’s leakage
detection rates.”
Leakage remains one of the biggest concerns for the water industry and Ofwat is expecting companies to adopt new techniques to tackle it in AMP7. In
collaborating on the Enigma3hyQ project, Ovarro and Anglian Water wanted to develop technology to increase efficiency when compared with traditional
acoustic detection, save time, free-up staff and improve leak detection on plastic pipes. The utility approached Ovarro in 2017 with an idea to adapt existing
technology by combining two products – a correlating noise logger and a site-based hydrophone. A development team was established with experts from both
organisations to create the Enigma3hyQ system’s hardware and software elements, including a workflow management app and PrimeWeb.
The team refined processes around performance reporting, target outcome delivery, training and integration with business-as-usual leakage operations.
Following a trial on 40km of mains in Louth, Lincolnshire, Anglian Water Services began fully embedding the technology.
Anglian Water Service’s smart water strategy manager Andy Smith commented:
“We very much created the Enigma3hyQ technology together. We didn’t want to just accept what was on offer, we wanted to collaborate to drive for the best
solution for the challenge we faced.”
Josh Britton, Ovarro global product line manager, said:
“We are thrilled our collaboration with Anglian Water to develop the Enigma3hyQ system has been recognised by our sector peers at the Water Industry
Achievement Awards. The project’s success shows how much can be achieved when suppliers work in partnership with utilities, place high value on feedback
and take their ideas forward to develop new solutions.”
In 2021, the technology was updated further, resulting in the launch of the Enigma3-BB, a remote leak detection device which uses the Enigma3hyQ technology
but which is installed directly into an operational meter box chamber – a first for the industry with this type of technology.
Page 8

Itron Signs Contract With United Utilities In England To Optimize
Operations
Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating the way utilities and cities manage energy and water, announced that it signed a contract with United Utilities to
deploy Temetra, Itron’s next-generation cloud-based meter management solution, to optimize operations. With Temetra, the utility will be equipped to read 1.6
million meters to improve water delivery and management across its services in north-west England.
United Utilities will deploy Temetra to optimise its operations and improve customer engagement. With full mobile integration, Temetra will enable the utility to
automate meter reading and meter reads will be securely stored on the cloud. Featuring an intuitive web-based interface and powerful mapping functionality,
Temetra will equip United Utilities to modify meter data and assignments anywhere with a simple web login. The utility will use Temetra’s powerful Georouting
functionality to automatically assign work to meter readers across their operating area and integrate Temetra’s appointment booking functionality with their
in-house customer service systems to better respond to and serve the requests of its customers.
“With deep industry expertise, Itron is providing water utilities with the insights and technology to enhance operational efficiency and deliver reliable water
service to millions of homes and businesses,” said Don Reeves, senior vice president of Outcomes at Itron. “By taking advantage of our industry-leading cloud
services, United Utilities will be able to satisfy all of their current operational water data management needs to enable greater operational efficiency and
customer satisfaction.”
Endress+Hauser Launches A New Generation Of Liquid Analysis
Sensors
Endress +Hauser has launched a new geration of its Memosense sensors,
the Memosens 2.0 digital technology provides simple, safe, and connected
liquid analysis.
Processplantstypicallyuseamultitudeofsensors,eachofwhichisnormally
connected to a transmitter. Older sensor technologies use analog signals to
communicate with transmitters, but more modern models employ digital
technology to improve accuracy, ease calibration, simplify troubleshooting,
and reduce required maintenance.
Endress+Hauser Memosens technology converts the measured value to a
digital signal and transfers it inductively to the transmitter, offering safe
data transfer for increased availability of the measuring point and trouble-
free operation. With Memosens 2.0, liquid analysis measuring points now
become completely future-proofed and ready for IIoT. This new technology
is available for pH/ORP, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen sensors—and it
will be extended to the complete sensor portfolio for liquid analysis.
Memosens 2.0 sensors store numerous relevant data points, such as operating hours, minimum and maximum temperatures, measured values, calibration
histories, and load matrices. All this data can be used and processed for comprehensive analysis and more precise process management. The sensors also
provide a sound basis for predictive maintenance strategies when used in conjunction with Endress+Hauser’s Heartbeat Technology, along with enhanced IIoT
services via the Netilion ecosystem.
Memosens 2.0 combines cutting-edge technology with maximum practicability. Because the Memosens sensors are equipped with highly integrated electronics,
they can be calibrated and adjusted under lab conditions that are favorable for the operator, and stable for precise results. Replacing sensors in the field is a
simple process and can be performed in a timely manner thanks to the lockable bayonet connector and automatic sensor identification by the transmitter.
Non-contact digital data transmission eliminates the effects of moisture, corrosion, and salt bridges—with alert messaging if the signal transmission is disturbed
by other factors. Galvanic isolation ensures accurate measurement in the presence of electromagnetic interference and other electrical noise. Memobase
Plus software provides full traceability of all sensors used, supporting operation according to the strict guidelines applicable to various regulated industries.
Memosens 2.0 offers error-free flexibility for measuring points in hazardous areas because all explosion proof sensors can be connected to all Endress+Hauser
transmitters with the same ratings.
Field replacement is simple and quick because Memosens 2.0 sensors are pre-calibrated in the lab, reducing process downtime. Unlike conventional analog
sensors, these digital models store calibration data internally, and regular regeneration extends sensor lifetime.
Memosens sensors are proven for use in all process industries including chemical, food & beverage, life sciences, power, and water/ wastewater. Memosens 2.0
is backwards-compatible and can easily be integrated into existing systems, providing future-proof liquid analysis.
Page 9

New safety map will pinpoint UK’s million miles of underground
pipes and cables
A comprehensive map of underground pipes and cables is being developed by Thames Water and other utilities to help keep workers safe and reduce disruption
for residents and motorists. The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) will pinpoint the location of the one million miles of sewers, water mains, gas
pipes and electricity cables that criss-cross the UK.
Thames Water alone looks after 68,000 miles of sewers and 20,000 miles of clean water pipes from London in the east to Swindon in the west. With so many
assets and companies, working underground can be complex, inefficient and dangerous.
The estimated economic cost of accidental strikes on pipes and cables is £1.2 billion a year. Workers who strike gas pipes and electric cables by mistake are also
at risk of death and serious injury.
For years, each company used their own maps, but now a taskforce comprising utility firms and the Geospatial Commission is consolidating all the data in one
place to make it easier for workers to find out what exactly is beneath the ground.
Gareth Mullen, Thames Water’s head of safety, health and wellbeing, said:
“This will not only help the water industry, but it will open up a lot of new information for those looking to carry out work in an area, by seeing exactly what is
beneath their feet.
“The sharing of this information will help to enable efficiencies, improve stakeholder engagement and reduce disruption across all works carried out by utility
companies – but most importantly it will help us keep our frontline teams safe by giving them more accurate and accessible data.
“We have helped shape what the environment looks like and what format the information will be provided in, and we’ve influenced other utilities to get involved
too.”
NUAR replaces a proof-of-concept project in London carried out by Thames Water, TfL and the Greater London Authority (GLA) to map underground assets
across multiple London boroughs. Since then, the NUAR team at the GLA has been working with more asset owners to map underground data across the entire
Greater London region.
Thalia Baldwin, director of the Geospatial Commission, said:
"I want to personally say a big thank you to Thames Water and their contractors who have been participating in our NUAR pilot. The expertise, commitment and
dedication shown by them was invaluable in creating successful pilots in the north-east of England and London.
“NUAR is a key part of the Geospatial Commission work programme in helping to unlock the value of location data for the utilities sector and the pilots informed
our work across a number of areas to improve data sharing frameworks, data security, understand the legalities and how data can be brought together from
both private and public sectors for public benefit."
World’s most powerful tidal turbine to be launched in Scotland
An EU-backed Scottish engineering company has completed construction of a 2 MW floating tidal turbine. Once installed in the Orkney Islands, it will be the
world’s most powerful operational tidal turbine. Constructed by Orbital Marine Power, the O2 will ultimately be connected to the local electricity grid to help
provide clean and sustainable energy to the communities of Orkney. The world’s most powerful tidal turbine has taken the next step towards deployment in the
Orkney Islands, an archipelago off the north-eastern coast of Scotland and home to some of the strongest tidal currents across the globe.
The O2 was developed and constructed with partial support from the EU-funded FloTEC and OCEANERA-NET COFUND projects. The build of the O2 was also
supported bythe Scottish Government under the SaltireTidal EnergyChallengeFund and enabled bya £7mcommercial debenturefrom the Abundance Investment
platform. With its construction completed, the turbine was launched from the Port of Dundee on 22 April 2021 and arrived in Orkney waters 2 days later. The O2
was towed to Orkney by the C-Force, a 27.7-m multicat vessel belonging to Orbital’s project supplier Leask Marine. The turbine is being temporarily moored at
Deer Sound, a bay on the east coast of Orkney’s Mainland island. It will undergo commissioning while there. It will then be anchored at the Fall of Warness grid-
connected tidal test site leased by FloTEC project partner The European Marine Energy Centre Ltd (EMEC) until 2040. Situated off the northern Orkney island of
Eday, EMEC’s test site boasts tidal speeds of up to 4 m per second (about 8 knots).
The O2’s hull structure is 74 m long and weighs 680 t. Two 1 MW power-generating nacelles are installed at the end of retractable leg structures designed to
provide low-cost access to all main parts of the turbine for ongoing maintenance. Ten-metre blades give the turbine over 600 m2 of swept area to capture flowing
tidal energy. When the O2 is installed at the EMEC site, a four-point mooring system will be used to anchor the floating structure to the seabed with mooring
chains. The electricity generated will be transferred from the turbine to the seabed via a dynamic cable, and then along the seabed to the local onshore electricity
network via a static cable. Once connected to the local electricity grid at EMEC, the 2 MW tidal turbine will be able to generate enough electricity to power about
2 000 homes and offset around 2 200 t of CO2 production per year. Protection for the turbine against corrosion and biofouling is provided by Orbital’s project
supplier Hempel. “We’re proud to be playing a part in the development of the O2, a groundbreaking project with the potential to help make tidal energy a viable
source of energy in the UK and overseas,” observed Hempel Managing Director Nick Frowen. Hempel supplied high-performance anti-corrosion coatings for the
turbine structure as well as coatings to protect the O2’s rotor blades against biofouling from algae and barnacles.
Orbital Marine Power is the coordinator of the FloTEC (Floating Tidal Energy Commercialisation project (FloTEC)) project, which ends in August 2021. The
OCEANERA-NET COFUND (Ocean Energy ERA-NET Cofund) project, which is coordinated by Scotland’s national economic development agency Scottish Enterprise,
ends in June 2022.
Page 10

World’s largest eDNA database to help water companies monitor
biodiversity risk
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and NatureMetrics have
announced a partnership to create the world’s largest eDNA database to help water
companies monitor biodiversity risk. The database will help combat the extinction
crisis by using cutting-edge DNA technology to create a global atlas of the state of life
in rivers and wetlands of world importance.
The eBioAtlas programme will target areas threatened by climate change and
development, and rapidly fill in critical gaps in knowledge to support conservation
efforts, unlock business investment to protect the natural world, and build a rich
data-bank to inform global policy to reverse the rapid decline in biodiversity.
The first three years will see 30,000 water samples collected from dozens of areas of
critical conservation importance, such as the Amazon, Ganges, Mekong Delta, and
the Niger Delta. NatureMetrics will analyse environmental DNA – traces of DNA left
in the water by fish, birds, amphibians and land animals – to identify the range and
distribution of species in each ecosystem.
IUCN and conservation organisations like Flora and Fauna International will work
together with local partners and citizen scientists to conduct sampling. One of the first
projects will be funded by the Footprint Coalition, founded by actor/entrepreneur
Robert Downey Jr., which supports adoption of environmental technology.
Freshwater habitats are disproportionately important for biodiversity and communities worldwide. They cover 1% of the earth’s surface but are home to 10% of
known animals, 30% of vertebrates and over 50% of fish. Freshwater fish are a crucial source of protein for over 200 million people and provide jobs for around
60 million. Yet they are among the world’s most threatened habitats.
Action to protect the world’s rivers and wetlands and the life they support is urgent, but there is limited knowledge about the status and distribution of
species. Building a clear picture is vital in order to raise conservation funding, target action effectively and measure progress.
DNA is a game changer because it allows surveys to be done much faster and it has the potential to pick up much more information than through conventional
sampling,” said Will Darwall, Head of IUCN’s Freshwater Biodiversity Unit. “A third of the world’s freshwater fish are threatened. If nothing changes in the way we
manage freshwater environments these species are headed for extinction. We need a full-scale bio-blitz using eDNA to rapidly get new and updated information
about where freshwater fish live all over the world so we can bring it into the mainstream of conservation and environmental management and policy efforts.”
The Footprint Coalition is funding a survey of the Malagarasi-Moyovosi wetland in Tanzania. It drains into Lake Tanganyika, and is a recognised centre of world
biodiversity second only in scale to Botswana’s Okavango delta. The project will provide the knowledge base to develop a plan to protect its wildlife from the
pressures of hydropower development, agriculture, and deforestation.
IUCN will manage the eBioAtlas programme. Sampling will be coordinated by its own offices in 50 countries around the world and by international NGOs with
strong presences in areas that are priorities for conservation. Over 1,000 local people will be trained to carry out sampling.
NatureMetrics will supply its easy-to-use sampling kits which allow non-specialists to collect high-quality samples. All they need to do is pump water by hand
through a filter to extract traces of DNA and record field data on a mobile phone app. The kit stabilises the DNA in a preservative solution so it can be sent for
sequencing at NatureMetrics’ lab and then be matched against species data held in DNA reference libraries.
Technology greatly reduces the time and cost of traditional biodiversity surveys
The technology greatly reduces the time and cost of traditional biodiversity surveys and produces robust and replicable results in a standardised format. No
expertise is needed to collect samples, so monitoring can be carried out by more people, more often and over wider areas, building local ownership and
awareness.
NatureMetrics has used eDNA to carry out surveys for more than 200 businesses, governments and conservation organisations. It analysed 160 samples of water
collected over 1,000 kilometers of the Peruvian Amazon for WWF Peru, which had originally aimed to only focus on manatees and pink river dolphins. However,
for the same effort and cost the project used eDNA to create a rich picture of life in the rivers and forests, identifying 675 further species and their distributions,
from jaguars and monkeys to catfish and bats.
eBioAtlas aims to focus on rivers and wetlands with the greatest number of threatened species, the biggest threats from development, and where the most
people are dependent on inland fisheries. Comprehensive surveys will produce a biodiversity baseline, allowing the impact of conservation or development to
be monitored in each area. IUCN will also use this to inform species assessments on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM, and help identify sites in need
of protection as Key Biodiversity Areas.
eBioAtlas will also provide data that meets growing demand from companies to understand their dependency and impact on nature so they can manage their
biodiversity risk. A Credit Suisse survey found that 84% of investors were very concerned about biodiversity loss, and 70% said lack of data was the biggest
barrier to making investments to support biodiversity.
Matthew Varney, FFI Biodiversity Officer, Sapo Landscape, filtering water sample to
collect genetic material at Dubo Rive
Page 11

Case Study:
Securing ammonia compliance and
energy savings using RTC
Wessex Water is continuously seeking new opportunities to improve wastewater treatment plant efficiency and performance by working with Hach to implement
Real Time Control at their works at Holdenhurst.
At Holdenhurst WRC, near Bournemouth has population of 180,000 population equivalents, the company originally operated the activated sludge plant by
feeding dissolved oxygen data to a PLC, which controlled the blowers to maintain the dissolved oxygen at approximately 2.5mg/L with variations across the
treatment zones. The site had a good record for maintaining a low ammonium discharge level, but this was at the sacrifice of having a high power requirement
due to large consumption by the blowers. This was particularly after storm events, with valves manually opened to 100% as the fixed set-point was often not
high enough.
In 2010, a Hach Nitrification Real Time Controller (N-RTC) was installed to optimise the aeration system. The critical input parameters for the N-RTC was influence
ammonium load and the ammonium (as N) concentration at the outlet of the aeration lanes. Based on these parameters, the N-RTC continuously calculates set
points for dissolved oxygen required to meet the treatment objectives by determining the most efficient level of aeration intensity and continuously feeding the
dissolved oxygen set-points to the PLC to control the blowers. This means that the DO set-points are no longer fixed but instead are varied according to the load.
The N-RTC control module combines the advantages of both feed-forward and feedback ammonia control. An online simulation model based on the IWA ASM
models is integrated into the controller using an open loop control system to calculate the DO concentrations necessary to achieve the desired ammonia outlet
concentration. However to further improve control of the process the ammonia (as N) concentration at the outlet of the aeration lanes is also recorded, creating
a feedback closed control loop. This ensures that the dissolved oxygen concentration is increased or decreased. of the ammonium concentration deviates from
the desired ammonium set-point.
Over the past 10 years several optimisation sets have been delivered including:
• Upgrading from ammonium ISE probes to the more accurate and stable Hach Amtax analysers
• Extending the RTC control to enable the plant to respond to peak loads by diverting settled sewage through stabilisation zones located in
zones of 2 of the 3 ASPs increasing the aerated volume.
• Upgrading the RTC software to enable the RTC to track a load peak as it passes along a lane of the ASP, targeting the air where it is needed.
New software enables on screen evaluation of the last 24 hours of values from any input or RTC calculated value. The system also has
powerful, user friendly plotting software for on-screen comparison of trends.
• Tuning the RTC to target area of the plant which have a greater path of resistance to air flow .
The site has one common air main that feeds 21 separate control zones that differ in size, static head, and proximity to the blower house. As each of the 21 RTC
control zones work on their own entity, it has been possible to fine tune the plant to overcome this problem, something that would not be possible with fixed
set-points.
The RTC combines both energy saving, by reducing the DO concentrations and hence blower power during low loads., but also increasing DO set-points to above
normal during high loading to ensure ammonia compliance. as the load is calculated from inlet flow the system can dynamically respond to reduced residence
times in peak flow periods. Site operators have measured a notable reduction in blower power demand since the RTC was installed in the order of magnitude
of 25% whilst also reducing the risk of ammonia non-compliance.
The success of the project is a result of the foresight of Wessex Water in their investment in an RTC system which, in partnership with Hach enabled the process
improvements through the installation of an RTC system, to be made. How do we confront the harsh realities of climate change? How can we make it irresistible
to work for a water utility? How should we re-imagine the meaning of “smart water”? These were just some of the many questions addressed at the SWAN 11th
Annual Conference, the world’s first Virtual Smart Water Week, held May 24-28, 2021. The event drew over 650 industry professionals, including 90+ unique
Page 12

How do we confront the harsh realities of climate change? How can we make it irresistible to work for a water utility? How should we re-imagine the meaning
of “smart water”? These were just some of the many questions addressed at the SWAN 11th Annual Conference, the world’s first Virtual Smart Water Week,
held May 24-28, 2021. The event drew over 650 industry professionals, including 90+ unique utilities and over 40 countries, marking the SWAN Forum's most
globally diverse event yet. Below are my three key takeaways.
Smart Water is an Evolving Journey
The term “smart water” has greatly evolved since 2010, when SWAN was formed. It no longer refers only to data solutions for drinking water, but has expanded
to include wastewater and storm-water operations. It also no longer applies solely to technical discussions, but rather must include people and processes as
well.
The Conference opening keynote, Carol Browner, Senior Counselor of the Sustainability Practice at the Albright Stronebridge Group and former EPA Administrator
defined smart water as:
“A utility using the best available technology to (not only) make day-to-day decisions, but long-term investment decisions
to provide the sustainability we need for water in terms of supply, quality, and management.”
This definition resonated with me since we need to focus on holistic approaches to the many challenges we face to create sustainable change.
Lara Olsen, Managing Director of South East Water in Australia focused on three motivating factors:
(1) Customer Expectations - how do we make sure we better serve what customers need?
(2) Operational Processes - how do we make sure we’re more efficient and getting the best outcome for our people and assets?
(3) Water is Diminishing – how can we make sure every drop counts?
Driving Environmental Outcomes
Smart water is critical to steering environmental outcomes. This point was demonstrated by the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Canada where
Metro Vancouver supports the most salmon runs anywhere in the world and protects a watershed the size of the UK. Cheryl Nelms, General Manager of Project
Delivery at Metro Vancouver emphasised the need to “look beyond our footprint” by not merely focusing on pipes, valves, and regulatory compliance. To truly
control our future, we need to develop an all-inclusive framework and implement creative, smart water solutions which expand ecological benefits (reflected
in the image below).
Clean Water Services utilises IoT sensors and real time control to protect public health while enhancing Oregon's Tualatin River Watershed.
Smart water’s impact on environmental health was further illustrated in a panel focused on “Leveraging Biosensors.” The sewer is a living organism of those who
are connected to it and biosensors can enable active surveillance of changes in public health circumstances.
Conference report:
What Smart Water Means to Me: 3 Key
Takeaways from SW
AN 2021
DianeTaniguchi-Dennis,CEOofCleanWaterServices(US)explainedhowa“onewater”approachcanhelpdrivetheunderstanding
of what mother nature needs to flourish.
Page 13

Embracing Failure and Partnerships
In the final keynote address, Paul Iske, Chief Failure Officer at the Institute of Brilliant Failures shared examples on the importance of failing to create impact.
He defined the word "FAIL" as:
“First Attempt In Learning," mentioning that we learn from success in the moments “when it could have gone wrong,
but didn’t.”
While utilities must continue to provide clean and safe water, they should also consider the value of experimenting, because as Paul stated, “innovation without
failure is simply impossible.”
In the panel, “Innovative Business Models Driving Value Creation,” Jim Theiler, Assistant Director at the City of Omaha Public Works highlighted the need for
water utilities to learn from one another to help achieve mutual success. Theiler demonstrated the different levels of utility innovation in the graphic below.
Towards the Future
To me, smart water is not an aspirational end goal, but rather an ongoing, collaborative journey. While a digital transformation is vital for any water utility
and could be beneficial at any stage, there are still some core industry-wide challenges that should be addressed, such as slow procurement processes and
advanced data integration.
To better serve our communities, we must go beyond the renewal and replacement of infrastructure and identify
opportunities for broader social and ecological impact. This is essential to gain public support for new initiatives and
attract young talent to the sector (see SWAN's YP Group, RiSWP).
Finally, I will leave you with an inspiring quote from Autumn Pearson, a Graduate Research Assistant at New Mexico State University who participated in the
smart water definition contest: “The future of water will be when humans appreciate the single drop as much as the ocean.”
Page 14

Advanced technologies have been trickling into wastewater processes for the last decade, but only recently have bodies such as the International Standards
Organisation (ISO) added smart systems to their list of standardised practices. Mutually beneficial collaborations with tech start-ups have played a vital role in
bringing standards in line with current technological capabilities, but there’s a long way to go before standards and regulations catch up with the digital avant
garde.
If you attended a water/wastewater technology conference in the last few years — especially when they were held ‘in person’ — I’m prepared to bet you
overheard someone from this utility or that saying something along the lines of: “Oh, the tech is there, but digital systems are expensive. They’ll never really
take off until they’ve been worked into regulations and standards. Until then, they’re a luxury we can’t afford.”
Lack of regulatory pressure is far from the only barrier to digital adoption in the water/wastewater sector, but it’s often cited as a key reason for utilities’ sloth
in adopting potentially more efficient digital systems.
If it’s ‘traditional’ approaches regulations demand and described by standardisation bodies as ‘best practice', why would utilities spend some of their stretched
budgets on solutions to problems that they’ve already solved, especially when those additional systems do little to ensure they meet their formal obligations?
As industries, governments, and transnational organisations commit to greater and greater efficiencies and more stringent environmental protection targets,
however, the atmosphere is beginning to change. After a decade on the periphery, digital systems are beginning to be integrated into standards as performance
targets start to outstrip the capabilities of traditional ‘analogue’ technologies.
‘All’s well that ends well’, I hear you say, ‘Digital solutions have been welcomed into the fold, and we can now enjoy the benefits of their long-promised
efficiencies.’
Unfortunately, the transition won’t be quite so rapid or straightforward.
The process of fully integrating digital solutions into accepted water/wastewater standards will be incremental and slow.
The issue stems from the complexity of the sector, the public health and environmental implications of mistakes, and the sheer number of processes and
solutions for which standards have to be revised.
There remain dozens of instances where advanced solutions have been developed, and in many cases deployed, only to find their capabilities or modes
of operation unaccounted for in industry recognised standards and regulatory practices. It will take time to get around to them all and for regulators and
standardisation bodies to grasp the capabilities now available to the market.
In this regard, the explosion of tech start-ups and array of innovative solutions we’ve seen come to market in recent years can be seen as a contributing factor
to the sector’s sluggish adoption of those same solutions. These innovators, however, represent a potential solution to the very problem they create.
As each start-up develops their technology, they create another system for consideration by the standardisation bodies. They also create the expertise essential
to the smooth integration of the new system into existing structures.
Bringinginnovatorsintothestandardisationprocessfillstheknowledgegapsthatmightotherwiseslowitdown,acceleratingtheincorporationofnewapproaches
and capabilities into the list of recognised practices and encouraging their adoption. It also benefits the innovators, making their technologies and techniques
available to users aiming to comply with industry demands.
The 2020 update to ISO 5667-10, regarding wastewater sampling, is one such example.
In 2016, the Israeli environmental tech start-up, Kando, deployed its innovative, ‘event-triggered’ wastewater sampling system as part of an effluent quality
control project with Unity Water (UW) in Brisbane, Australia.
The firm’s technology uses AI-driven data analytics and real-time wastewater quality reporting from inside sewers to determine when pollution events are
underway.
When a problem is detected, an automatic sampler is triggered, taking a ‘snapshot sample’ while the event is ongoing. With this ‘ideal’ pollution sample, users
can gain clear insight into the types of contamination in their network, improve treatment approaches, and implement effective source control measures.
The solution was installed and performed well within UW’s system, gathering valuable samples and helping the utility improve its treatment and pollution
reduction programmes.
Soon after deployment, however, the question arose as to which ISO sampling standard the new system adhered to. Despite performing reliably and profiling
pollution events more accurately than extant approaches, ‘event-triggered’ sampling simply fell outside contemporary standards.
Rather than saying, ‘we’re sorry, this isn’t in line with our standards’, however, the ISO recognised the advance, and took the opportunity to work with the team
behind it to support the new technology.
Article:
How Regulators And Innovators
Are Working Together To Digitise
Wastewater Regulations
Page 15

During an extensive validation process, the ISO worked closely with Kando’s team and, at an ISO meeting hosted by Association Française de Normalisation
(AFNOR) in March 2019, smart, event-triggered sampling was recognised as a new industry standard.
In 2020, ISO 5667-10 was updated to support smart systems for the first time, paving the way for utilities to adopt the enhanced solution while being confident
of it complying to regulatory standards around the world.
The move gives a clear indication as to how collaboration between regulators and innovators can see smart technologies integrated into ‘best practice’
standards effectively.
Institutional support is vital if these technological breakthroughs are to be considered normal practice rather than an expensive luxury. By working with those
at the forefront of smart systems’ development and integration, the ISO and similar bodies around the world can bring their regulatory standards up to date
quickly and effectively, supporting digital adoption, and bringing us closer to the more efficient and cleaner digital future that has so long been promised.
ABB launches world’s first Power over Ethernet flowmeters
ABB has incorporated power supply through Ethernet connectivity on board the latest edition of their
electromagnetic flowmeter ProcessMaster* and mass flowmeter CoriolisMaster, opening a new chapter in
instrumentation and industrial communication.
Power over Ethernet (PoE) offers several benefits for process engineers, as it omits the need for a separate
DC power infrastructure, providing power and communications via the same cable. This brings new agility as
flowmeters can be installed wherever needed. In addition, ABB 4-wire Ethernet combines classic outputs with
future communication protocols. Offering a modular design allows the combination of both worlds and ensures
that devices are future-proof, increasing the longevity of the flowmeters.
Furthermore, flowmeters with Ethernet connectivity increase simplicity, flexibility and reliability to operations in
process automation, while enhancing real-time visibility of data. Previously hidden data in field devices, such as
measurement values on density, conductivity or concentration of the medium, can be unlocked. This in turn will
help customers across all industries identify redundant measurement points in their plants to achieve savings
along the way.
Frank Frenzel, Global Product Line Manager Process Flowmeters, shares “ProcessMaster and CoriolisMaster with Ethernet will support our
customers’ digital journey towards smart cities and Industry 4.0. Ethernet is the leading communications technology. By incorporating it into
the ABB flowmeters, we can help even more customers reduce complexity of operations and lower costs of infrastructure in more plants around
the world – safely and remotely.”
An integrated secure web server based on the ABB Ability™ Cyber Security framework ensures robust and secure operations that offer instrumentation engineers
support during commissioning and troubleshooting. It also provides access to configuration, diagnostics and measurement data through a built-in QR code. This
allows verification of all parts of the flowmeter and provides insights into its operating condition with automatically generated reports.
Combining 4..20 mA or digital outputs with new 1- or 2-port Ethernet makes classic instrumentation truly future-proof, with speeds of up to 100Mbit/s. The
flowmeters use various Ethernet based communication protocols, such as simple Modbus TCP or high performance EtherNet/IP. This prepares them for IT/OT
convergence, cloud connectivity and the requirements needed for secure and encrypted communication both today and tomorrow.
*Ethernet connectivity for the electromagnetic flowmeter ProcessMaster is currently available in North America only. It will be released globally later in 2021.
Page 16

Case Study:
The development of a Digital
Twin at Aguas do Porto
Aguas Do Porto along with Bentley Systems have developed a Digital Twin from 22 different sources of data within the business
to monitor its water system in real time and in so have created a Unified Management Program to Access Data in the Field,
Producing Operation Gains of 25%. This has built on AdPs approach of a few years ago to start their smart water journey by
organising the data and information structure of the company.
A Growing Water System Needs Smarter Management
Águas do Porto (AdP) is responsible for managing the entire urban water cycle of the city of Porto, Portugal, including its water
supply, wastewater drainage and
treatment, stormwater drainage, surface waters, and coastal water quality. AdP is one of the largest water companies in Portugal
with more than 157,000 customers, serving approximately 500,000 people. The utility delivers an average of 49,450 cubic
meters of water daily and collects approximately the same
amount for treatment. The system includes 558 kilometers of wastewater sewers, 660 kilometers of stormwater drainage pipes,
66 kilometres of streams,
and 3.4 kilometres of ocean coast, half of which are used as beaches.
The hydraulic infrastructure and water resources in Porto had become dense and complex, due in part to a growing number of
tourists, with over 1.5 million
people visiting Porto in 2017 alone. To improve water system management and system resilience, AdP needed to create models
for various systems that incorporate weather forecasts, water supply, sewer flow, and storm drainage rates. These models would
consume large amounts of data from sensors throughout the system, including sensors measuring customer water use and
billing.
AdP gathered all water system data within dozens of siloed software systems. However, finding information and gaining
actionable insights became difficult as
the volume of data increased. To manage the growing number of systems and data sources and provide reliable service to its
customers, AdP decided that
establishing an integrated management system was paramount for handling the entire urban water cycle effectively.
Promoting a Culture of Innovation
AdP planned to create a unified smart water management platform called H2PORTO, which it would use to promote a culture of
innovation and efficiently harness its existing resources and data, rather than build new systems.
To build and manage H2PORTO, AdP awarded the contract to a consortium that included Bentley Systems, a leading provider
of infrastructure software solutions. The five-year contract called for the consortium to implement and maintain the platform
within the first 14 months.AdP began by implementing the modeling and
predictive capabilities of the project. The team used Bentley software—including OpenFlows WaterGEMS, OpenFlows
SewerGEMS, and OpenFlows FLOOD—for its seamless plug-in capabilities to integrate data from all AdP sources and produce a
digital twin of the city’s water supply, wastewater, stormwater, and coastal water systems. The digital twin enables H2PORTO to
track current conditions and forecast future conditions.
H2PORTO integrates data from 22 types of sources, including billing, meters, sensors, operations, weather stations, and control systems. By combining the data into
a federated digital twin, AdP receives the near real-time status of each part of the water system in a single view. Now, AdP can model and forecast the entire water
system at once, rather than separately modeling each part. Moreover, H2PORTO displays the information in user-friendly dashboards and incorporates automatic
alerts and warnings for when potential problems arise. The platform provides AdP with the ability to visualize the water system and get greater insight into it.
“Integrating all this data in an agnostic technological platform management system, the company created a powerful tool that allows, on one hand, better and more
reliable service, and on the other hand, more structured and effective communications and collaboration, not only for its 400 internal users, but also
for customers and other stakeholders, like the Porto City Council,” said Pedro Vieira, head of IT and innovation at AdP.
AdP created three nested meteorological models that provide a high-resolution weather forecast, and wave models keep track of the ebb and flow of tides. The
H2PORTO platform uses the weather and tide data to automatically update forecasted water levels and alert team members about flood risks.
By forecasting three days in advance, AdP can more effectively respond to potential problems, know when to repair or replace assets, and keep the water system
resilient. To fully prepare for any situation, H2PORTO can run virtual simulations of pipe breaks, valve closures, pumping station shutoffs, and other conditions to
determine how the water system would react. Bentley also developed online services for H2PORTO that incorporates historic data—such as sensor readings, billing,
usage cycles, and demand information—to model future network performance.
Smart Water Management Improves Performance
With H2PORTO fully operational and integrated into all parts of the water system, the city of Porto has seen significant improvements to its water supply. Water
service interruptions fell by 22.9% and the number of sewer collapses decreased by 54%. Repairs for pipe bursts and sewer and service connections improved as
well, by 8.3% and 45.5%, respectively. These improved repairs allow for a consistent water supply in the region.
Page 17

AdP also realized numerous returns on investment with this new platform. The volume of non-revenue water dropped by 3.5%, and the rate of replacing
traditional water meters with smart water meters has nearly doubled. Integration of real-time data and producing information available to teams in the field
produced operational gains of 23%. Since H2PORTO is remotely accessible via a tablet, technicians now use the platform to register asset details and changes
without having to file paperwork between offices.
By unifying the data produced by formerly siloed systems, AdP has improved the accuracy of the data produced from sensor readings to nearly 99%. With more
accurate data, AdP has improved overall decision-making and reports its employee and customer satisfaction have increased.
“The design and development of this tool promoted improvements and changes in operation and maintenance, as well as improved meticulous yet crucial tasks
that were hindered by obsolete habits and routines,” said Vieira.
Cybersecurity, The New Variable In The Water Equation
Water is a resource that is easily taken for granted. We see rain, we see lakes, we see rivers, we see creeks; we turn on our faucets and there it is. Rarely do we
think about what it takes to get that water to our showers or sinks. We pay our bills and don’t give it much of a second thought.
That’s because there is an entire industry of folks who are thinking about it for you. And there is a lot that goes into it. Are the chemical compositions within
U.S. EPA regulations? Is the water pressure at safe levels? Are the water supply lines free of sickness-inducing fungus or bacteria? Is there a leak in any of those
supply lines?
Now, utilities have to add a new variable to the equation: Is the system safe from cyber hacks?
In February 2021, the water utility industry got a big wakeup call by way of Oldsmar, FL. Hackers gained access, for just a few minutes, to the Oldsmar water
utility’s operations network through a remote-access system. A few minutes might not sound too bad, but in that quick time the hackers changed the quantity
of lye added to the water to poisonous levels. Fortunately, an employee noticed the change right away and was able to fix it before any real damage was done.
Water utilities across the globe took note. Were their systems safe from such hacks? There was good reason for concern; a 2020 report from the FBI showed a
69 percent year-over-year increase in cybercrime complaints. Perhaps most importantly is that, on average, hackers had unauthorized access to networks not
for mere minutes like in Oldsmar — but for 56 days before detection. Unfortunately, many water utilities are operating with outdated systems and have little
visibility into what is happening across their networks. This makes them easy targets.
Some utilities invested in their digital infrastructures early, preparing them for situations like this. One of them is the Albuquerque Bernalillo Water Utility
Authority (Water Utility) in New Mexico. The largest water utility in New Mexico, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (Water Authority)
serves just under 680,000 customers through more than 3,000 miles of pipeline. Their digital infrastructure allows them to have visibility across their entire
network, successfully bridging their OT (operational) and IT (informational) environments. As Kristen Sanders, the utility’s Chief Information Security Officer, put
it, “No one takes water more seriously than a desert community.”
While it’s easy to quip about water in the desert, Sanders wasn’t making a joke. Bernalillo County sees less than 12 inches of rain per year, compared to the 30
inches that most U.S. states get. It needs systems in place to make sure that every drop makes it to their customers.
There is a bit of a mantra in cybersecurity: You can’t protect what you can’t see. Visibility is the key to detecting anomalies across networks. The Water Authority
didn’t have that visibility.
“There were gaps in our physical security and cybersecurity,” says Cody Stinson, the Water Authority’s Chief Information Officer. “Even if we knew there was a
problem, we couldn’t necessarily identify where it was to stop it. We certainly didn’t have the predictive analytics in place to proactively address issues before
they occurred.”
Stinson and his team worked with Cisco to completely rebuild the Water Authority’s network and add state-of-the-art solutions including Cisco Cyber Vision,
designed to bring full visibility into industrial control systems, giving operators a view into everything that is happening across their entire operation.
“Having those eyes on the network all the time really helped us become more proactive, instead of reactive,” Stinson says. “We can fix problems as they happen
or even before they happen, not a month later.”
They also invested in Cisco Duo Security, a multi-factor authentication tool, allowing them to verify the identity of anyone who tried to access the network, with
their exact geolocation.
Taking this kind of a digital leap is always going to come at an expense. And, right now, unnecessary expense isn’t something that utilities can take on. Non-
revenue water continues to be a constant challenge for water utilities across the U.S. A 2019 report from the American Society of Civil Engineers found that the
U.S. loses an estimated 2.1 trillion gallons of treated water per day. Couple this with the pandemic, where the American Water Works Association suggests that,
on average, drinking water utilities could lose as much as 17 percent of revenue this year, and you understandably have utilities clutching their wallets a little
tighter.
But, as Sanders told us, there is no cost for peace of mind.
“Having Duo helped us navigate the pandemic easily, sending our employees to work remotely, without having to worry about how they would access our
network. Having that visibility — knowing who is on the network and how our water supply lines are functioning — gave us a great peace of mind in an otherwise
non-conventional time.”
Page 18

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.
International Water Association Digital Water Summit
15th-18th November 2021 - Euskalduna Conference Centre, Bilbao, Spain
In 2021, the first edition of the IWA Digital Water Summit will take place under the tag-line “Join the transformation journey”
designed to be the reference in digitalisation for the global water sector. The Summit has a focus on business and industry, while
technology providers and water utilities will be some of the key participants that will discuss and shape the agenda of the Summit.
The programme includes plenary sessions, interactive discussions, side events, exhibition, technical visits, and social events
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
14th July 2021 - How can sensors protect our coastal waters
Zero Pollutions Conference 2021
14th July 2021, Online
The zero pollutions conference is returning for 2021 and is being hosted by Isle Utilities. The theme this year is "Today & Tomorrow"
and tickets are available via Eventbrite. The conference is hosted by Isle Utilities
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 June 2021. 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 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 - June 2021

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WIPAC Monthly - June 2021