The water and waste-water industries are facing numerous challenges that have huge implications for their customers, employees, shareholders, and interested parties. These include operational, environmental, and political challenges... 

Operations

At an operational level, unless water and waste-water companies perform according to acceptable outcomes, they may lose their license to operate.  In addition, poor operations such as water leaks, or sewage outflows into waterways lead to a loss of faith from the public they serve. Courts are now issuing record fines to waste-water companies that allow discharges of raw sewage into waterways.  These serious incidents are not good for the ecosystems, wildlife and flora, and people that use these natural habitats.

(source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1088896/Water-and-sewerage-companies-in-England-environmental-performance-summary-graphic-2021.pdf)

In 2021, over GBP102 million in fines were levied against 5 water companies - there were 62 serious pollution events, up from 56 in 2018 and 52 in 2017...

Environmental 

We all understand the challenges that climate change is bringing, and the effect on water supplies is of major concern. It is predicted that in around 20 years or so, the ability to supply enough water will drop below the demand requirement.

This is known as the “Jaws of Death” as outlined in a speech by Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency Waterwise Conference, 19 March 2019. By 2050, the water supply in the UK is predicted to drop by 10-15% as hotter summers reduce river levels, yet at the same time, the  population is predicted to grow from 67 million to 75 million. This increasing gap will put immense pressure on the ability to supply fresh water to households. Similar impacts are being felt worldwide.

In order to reduce water losses, water companies need to look at how they conserve water as it moves through their network. The reduction of pollution entering water sources and storage facilities, the reduction of leaks across the network, and the education of the public regarding water usage all play a part in saving water.  

Of course, major investment is required in water and waste-water infrastructure to stave off these challenges. This means new assets need to be created, existing assets refurbished or re-purposed, and older inefficient assets retired and replaced. This cost is not insignificant and likely requires all stakeholders involved to share the burden to ensure a long-term sustainable and viable approach to our water supplies and management of wastewater in an environmentally sound manner.

BPD Zenith’s MaxiCloud For Water Solution  

BPD Zenith is working with several water and wastewater companies globally. Our MaxiCloud for Water solution is built upon the world’s leading enterprise asset management solution – IBM Maximo Application Suite. BPD have have enhanced the suite with exclusive, industry-specific functionality...

The water and wastewater industries face a range of global challenges that require careful attention and resource management. Some of these challenges include:

• Droughts/Water Scarcity: Dealing with water scarcity and managing resources during droughts is a pressing concern for the industry.
• Floods: Addressing the impact of floods and ensuring infrastructure resilience to mitigate the effects on water and wastewater systems.
• Water Quality/Pollution: Maintaining water quality standards and addressing pollution issues to ensure the provision of clean and safe water.
• Energy Costs/Use: Managing energy consumption and associated costs while operating water and wastewater treatment facilities.
• Leaks: Detecting and addressing leaks in water distribution systems to minimize water loss and improve efficiency.
• Water Reuse: Promoting and implementing water reuse practices to maximize the utilization of available water resources.
• Ageing Infrastructure: Dealing with the challenges posed by aging infrastructure, including maintenance, repairs, and replacement of assets.
• Resourcing: Managing workforce challenges, such as retirements and attracting skilled personnel, to maintain operational excellence.
• Smart Networks: Leveraging smart technologies and network systems to enhance monitoring, control, and optimization of water and wastewater operations.
• Resilience: Building resilient systems and implementing robust contingency plans to withstand and recover from unexpected events or disruptions.

To address these complex challenges, water and wastewater companies require a comprehensive approach to asset management and operations. That's where MaxiCloud, an Enterprise Asset Management solution based on IBM Maximo Application Suite with added value provided by BPD Zenith, comes into its own. It offers a range of features and capabilities, including:

Comprehensive Works Management: Efficient planning, scheduling, and mobile capabilities for streamlined work execution.

Asset and Location Register: Integration with spatial systems like ESRI to maintain an accurate and up-to-date asset and location database.

Asset Health Monitoring: Monitoring and analyzing asset performance trends to identify deviations from normal operating conditions.

Visual Inspection: Utilizing video, images, and Artificial Intelligence to detect anomalies and identify potential issues.

SCADA Integration: Directly integrating sensor data from SCADA systems into MaxiCloud for data-driven decision-making.

Asset Investment Planning: Integration with tools like Copperleaf or Asset Future for effective asset investment planning and decision-making.

MaxiCloud provides a comprehensive solution to tackle these challenges and optimize the use of limited resources in the water and wastewater industries...

Recently, BPD have been awarded a multi-year contract by a large country-wide provider, to implement our MaxiCloud solution and to work closely with them to deliver their strategic outcomes. This project will be the largest IT project in their history and will position them to take full advantage of key elements of the MaxiCloud solution – Asset Management, Asset Monitoring, Asset Health, and Predictive Maintenance using AI (Artificial Intelligence) enabled tools and information, amongst many others.  
 
In addition to new projects in Water Utilities, BPD Zenith has been working with South Staffordshire & Cambs Water in recent years to deliver smarter work scheduling solutions in Water Utilities.

Discover how SSC Water increased Jobs dispatched to Customer Network Technicians by 20% - from 4.5 work orders to 5.5 work orders per day (First line field response) - click below to view the blog

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If you'd like any further information or would like to discuss water/wastewater asset management, please click here to get in touch - we'd love to hear from you!