Rural Water District Leverages Digital Solutions

Rural Water District No. 4 (RWD4) in southeastern Douglas County, Kansas, serves 3,000 residents across a flat, 70-square-mile area prone to extreme weather. Operator Tim Silvers, who has spent his career in the water industry, recognized the need for innovative solutions to improve operations and facilitate knowledge transfer between generations of workers. At the Kansas Rural Water Conference, he discovered Qatium, a digital platform that offers tools for visualizing customer pressure zones, simulating main break repairs, and detecting leaks.

Despite being a small utility, RWD4 had already begun digitizing its infrastructure, which made onboarding Qatium straightforward. The platform seamlessly integrated with RWD4's existing SCADA system, enhancing real-time decision-making and operational insights. Silvers is eager to further implement pressure sensors to optimize efficiency and improve data visualization.

RWD4 stands out as the smallest utility utilizing Qatium, illustrating that even modest operations can harness advanced digital solutions. With a focus on streamlining processes and improving customer communications, such as immediate notifications during service disruptions, RWD4 is poised to set a precedent for rural water utilities. This initiative demonstrates that innovation in water management is accessible, regardless of a utility's size or budget.