Making Data Usable

Water utilities are no strangers to using data to manage and improve their operations. However, a utility’s ability to control and improve processes is only as good as the data it uses. Many utilities pour tens of thousands of dollars into data storage, enrichment, integration, presentment, and analytics—but it’s all for nothing if the results are not actionable.

For data to be considered actionable, it must be relevant and specific enough to translate into practical steps or strategies and support decision-making. To do that, the data must have the appropriate level of accuracy, resolution, volume, and latency. This article will explain the different types of data that water utilities regularly collect and will explore in detail what is required for them to be actionable.