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Water Utility Management Trends 2020

Writer's picture: blythedavenportblythedavenport

Communities across the US depend on effective water utility management every day. Water utilities provide clean water, direct the flow of wastewater, and maintain water treatment plants. Geographical information systems (GIS) and the Internet of Things (IoT) provide essential tools for effective water utility management.


Successful utility management also demands an understanding of many different realms. These include maintaining delivery systems, operating wastewater treatment facilities, and interacting with customers. The good news is that engineers and developers have created technologies that help manage many aspects of water utilities.


GIS, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things have transformed the way managers oversee water utility systems. Water and wastewater operators need to know about these new technologies and software programs in order to reduce costs, prevent contamination, and conserve water.


Read on for the definitive guide to utility trends in 2020 and beyond!

How Have GIS and IoT Technology Affected Water Utilities?

These technologies provide tools to better analyze a community's water usage and demand, but that's not all it does. As infrastructure ages, software coupled with digital devices will help water utility managers to prevent problematic ruptures. Also, technology offers tools to help interact with customers and employees to raise the level of service and satisfaction from good to great.


Access to clean drinking water is a high priority not just for local municipalities, but for global organizations like the United Nations. From Flint, MI, to sub-Saharan Africa, lack of clean water has caused illnesses and deaths.


With better detection methods provided by GIS and IoT, utility managers can find contaminants before they make people sick. These tools also show detailed information on water usage, which can bolster conservation efforts in communities experiencing droughts.


There are a number of different aspects that technological advances affect. Let's take a look.

What Are GIS and IoT?

Geographic Information Systems and the Internet of Things are digital technological advances that affect water management in many ways.


GIS is a system that incorporates geographical information with data analytics. A geographical information system combines spatial data with informational data in order to analyze and visualize real-world situations. GIS software can map water usage and deliver real-time data that is essential for utility management.


By layering historical usage data with geographical locations, GIS technology helps you calculate the water that you have as well as the demand for water at different times of the day or week. Using data on weather patterns and area maps, software relying on GIS technology can help predict how storms or droughts nudge water supplies. Applications use GIS to track water usage across your system in order to educate your staff and customers on best practices.


GIS applications also provide powerful collaboration tools, as utility managers can collaborate across regions to share data and learn from one another.


The Internet of Things (IoT) is a little more complex. IoT involves a system of digital devices and software that doesn't require human interaction in order to function and gather data. Smart meters and sensors installed in water systems track usage, water quality, and shortages, then send reports to utility managers.


Both pieces of technology are powerful tools for water managers. They provide an array of data that doesn't simply affect customers but arrange for system-wide analysis, pricing, customer service, and employee deployment.

Maintenance and Updating Infrastructure

Conveying and treating water are the primary missions of any water utility. However, aging pipes and valves can cause a host of problems.


Pipe corrosion can lead to lower water quality. Leaks, bursts, and lower water quality can all stem from old infrastructure. New technologies can prevent some of these issues.


Technological solutions can help make water utility maintenance easier. By gathering data and getting it to the right people, software and smart sensors are transforming the ways we monitor the system.


Predictive modeling is one way to stop problems before they start. AI and machine learning combine to map your water system, adding markers for weather and soil conditions, heavy usage, or historical issues. Modeling provides information on necessary preventative repairs before an issue occurs.


Utility managers deploy smart sensors in pipes or on valves. These sensors help monitor the flow of water as well as water quality, sending alerts to a linked digital system. Sensors save money on manpower by monitoring the system 24-hours a day, seven days a week, with no humans needed.


Digital devices can also monitor water pressure and leaks. These IoT gauges can control water pressure, alternating on and off during peak and low usage times.


All of these data-driven technologies are revolutionizing the way utility managers monitor, maintain and repair current infrastructure.

Billing and Customer Relations

The reality is that we live in an information age. Consumers want - and have access to - as much information as possible. They feel empowered by being able to make information-supported decisions.


This also applies to utility customers. They want to know about the water quality, about pricing, and about any current or potential problems in the system.


GIS technology allows you to share real-time data with your customers. These tools rely on smart technology to bring information to the community, providing greater transparency and therefore building trust. When consumers can see more information, they feel less suspicious of officials and utility managers, which makes everyone's life easier.


This technology, deployed in the hands of customer relationship managers, is also a powerful tool for better service. The "faces of the organization" who interact with customers on a daily basis also need access to information that makes them knowledgeable and effective.


Finally, smart technology and better online presences allow customers to access their information when they want. Having access to smart maps online engages customers and makes your utility a better community partner.

Operations

In addition to maintaining the community's access to clean water, utility managers face many challenges. These include operational, budgeting, and human resources tasks. Utility employees range from administrative to technical to engineering realms, and operators must manage them all.


Technology can help cut costs while also providing powerful employee development tools. Business intelligence (BI) tools help managers anticipate issues before they become disasters, giving extra planning and analytical tools that are crucial to today's utility management.


Digital tools can simplify the process of tracking reported issues and sending out crews. By centralizing data, these tools help managers avoid costly mistakes of sending too many workers - or not enough - to fix problems. They also help field workers document work and instantly update managers on completed tasks.


GIS and business intelligence are vital to successful utility management today.

Water Shortages

Some communities face more frequent and persistent droughts, year after year. At the same time, the demand for clean water is expected to rise by 1/3 by 2050. Smart solutions must be employed to face these issues.


IoT platforms provide monitoring, conservation, and diversion facilities to address some of these problems. The monitoring system helps predict where problems may form, while also showing places that water and energy can be conserved during low-demand times.


Another boon from IoT is its ability to better integrate stakeholders into the process. Water utilities do not exist in a vacuum; they rely on effective partnerships between local governments and energy and land resource managers. IoT shows us a way to democratize information and smooth over potential conflicts between all of these levels.


Water shortages will only be ameliorated when all community members get involved. Technology can help bring all parties to the table and solutions to this serious issue.

Security Issues

Another serious problem facing utility managers today is security. Threats now come in multiple forms. Physical plants may be targets of attacks, and your customers' data is also valuable to hackers.


As information moves into the cloud, managers must pay attention to digital security. Cloud computing can provide fast and reliable tools, but it can also be a weakness exploited by cybercriminals. Thankfully, the tools to protect data are becoming more powerful in order to meet and vanquish these threats.


Utility managers can use GIS and IoT to monitor the safety of physical inventory. These tools will provide alerts when any unforeseen changes take place in the system, allowing a quick response time.


Unfortunately, threats come from more than just humans. Natural disasters also threaten the health of utility systems. Forest fires in California and flooding in the southern United States have wreaked havoc on utilities.


GIS is particularly suited to address these issues. The ability to map historic data to create predictive maps allows managers to plan ahead for staffing and materials. Having emergency plans in place will help mitigate the effects of these disasters on our communities.

What's Next for Water Utility Management?

Ultimately, the goal of the water utility manager remains the same. They want to maintain the community's access to clean, safe water. This job is of utmost importance for cities and towns across the nation.


As our technology grows more powerful, managers will have better tools at their disposal. However, that means managers need to stay on top of digital news and technologies. They need to understand how best to use these powerful tools.


Some ways to do this are to create digital enhancement plans and committees to steer their implementation. Case studies will continue to assist as ways to make our tools even better.


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