Every city facing infrastructure or operational challenges or concerns about maintaining quality of life in the face of population growth or a changing environment has benefits to gain from a unified smart-city approach. Here are some concepts for promoting understanding and acceptance among utility and government decision-makers, plus several examples of benefits already being garnered by smart cities large and small.
Reasons for changing water or wastewater asset management practices include unacceptable process downtime, statutory requirements for documenting infrastructure integrity, or the desire to refine process cost-effectiveness and maintenance-budget ROI. Here are examples of strategic approaches that can better match desirable asset management outcomes to the real needs of water utility operations.
A variety of research indicates that industry loses 3 percent to 5 percent (and in some cases more) of its productivity annually to unplanned shutdowns due to equipment failure. With all the data and connectivity available through today’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology and SCADA systems, water and wastewater treatment operations can reduce those losses significantly…if management is willing to consider and adopt proven strategic approaches.
The cost of water delivered to customers is as much about the energy needed to move it as the chemicals required to treat it. Balancing water chemistry, infrastructure costs, and energy consumption is key to optimizing the overall cost of operation. Experience shows that some astute water suppliers are closer to achieving their ideal outcomes than most people realize. Here are some insights into how that works.
The Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) Stormwater Institute (SWI) reports on challenges and the annual funding gap for the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) sector.
To crib from an old commercial and tagline made famous by a certain stock brokerage firm, "When Reese Tisdale talks, people listen." That's because Reese is the president of Bluefield Research, a highly respected advisory firm that helps companies and organizations, including municipalities, address the regulatory, technology, business, and competitive trends impacting water.
It can be hard to go it alone, especially when times get tough. Many utilities are seeking support, as they deal with failing infrastructure, escalating contamination threats, extreme weather, and a retiring, difficult-to-replace workforce. These challenges could be overcome with a full set of resources — money, people, equipment, expertise — but many utilities, especially small-community systems, are not so complete.
With the proliferation of new sensors and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) initiatives now feeding SCADA systems, water industry managers lament how they are drowning in a sea of data yet starving for insights that really matter. With concepts like data democratization starting to bear fruit, advanced analytical capabilities are creating new opportunities for water insights without requiring a degree in computer science.
Efficiently service and maintain intelligent field devices
Field devices are the eyes and ears of automation. The failure of a valve positioner, temperature, flow or pressure sensor can quickly lead to serious malfunction of the process. With SIMATIC PDM Maintenance Station V3.0, Siemens offers the right solution for efficiently monitoring the condition of smart field devices, irrespective of the automation and control systems used
From data to knowledge to transformation
Move from complexity to simplicity, from asset and process intelligence to operational intelligence with the PI System. Its highly scalable, open data infrastructure empowers enterprises in real time, transforming operational data into actionable knowledge and business transformation.
ABB uses digital solutions to drive outcomes. Engaging customers to demonstrate tangible results that scale.
The new generation of ABB’s total plant automation: DCS and SCADA for the power and water industries.
Reduced operational costs and downtime through seamless distributed control system integration.
Real-time control of a 360km water distribution system through an advanced distributed control system.
Improved water reliability and lifecycle costs through total control of a one hundred mile transfer system.
100% available water in the driest of deserts through highly efficient desalination.
Brown and Caldwell, a leading environmental engineering and construction firm, recently announced Carey Allen has joined the firm as senior vice president and leader of its integrated project delivery (IPD) practice.
Aqua America Inc. announced recently its Pennsylvania subsidiary, Aqua Pennsylvania Wastewater (Aqua), has signed an asset purchase agreement with the Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA) to acquire the municipal authority’s wastewater assets for $276.5M.
The Orange County Water District (OCWD; the District) Board of Directors voted to award the contract to construct the 30 million gallon per day (MGD) Final Expansion of the world-renowned Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) to Shimmick Construction Company, Inc.
Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) recently introduced a bill to invest $100B to remove lead pipes and lead paint from homes across the United States – which is enough to eliminate every lead pipe in the country and remove lead paint from 7 million American homes.
The Stormwater Authority of Chester through its partnership with Corvias today announced a continued investment of $9.9M from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST). The investment from PENNVEST will fund the implementation of a comprehensive infrastructure rehabilitation/improvement program for the stormwater system throughout the City of Chester.
Recently, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced grants totaling $1.7M under NFWF’s Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program.
Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans-one to Tualatin Valley Water District (TVWD) and the other to the City of Hillsboro (COH)-marking the first time that WIFIA has provided financing for two individual borrowers partnering on a joint project.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) announced the restructuring of more than 200 delinquent loans—totaling approximately $571M in principal—owed to Puerto Rico’s clean water and drinking water State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service Administrator Chad Rupe recently announced that USDA is investing $135M in 49 projects to improve rural water infrastructure in 24 states (PDF, 170 KB).
U.S. municipal water & wastewater utility bills increased 3.6% over the last year, according to a new U.S. Municipal Water & Wastewater Utility Bill Index from Bluefield Research.
Reasons for changing water or wastewater asset management practices include unacceptable process downtime, statutory requirements for documenting infrastructure integrity, or the desire to refine process cost-effectiveness and maintenance-budget ROI. Here are examples of strategic approaches that can better match desirable asset management outcomes to the real needs of water utility operations.
A variety of research indicates that industry loses 3 percent to 5 percent (and in some cases more) of its productivity annually to unplanned shutdowns due to equipment failure. With all the data and connectivity available through today’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology and SCADA systems, water and wastewater treatment operations can reduce those losses significantly…if management is willing to consider and adopt proven strategic approaches.
The cost of water delivered to customers is as much about the energy needed to move it as the chemicals required to treat it. Balancing water chemistry, infrastructure costs, and energy consumption is key to optimizing the overall cost of operation. Experience shows that some astute water suppliers are closer to achieving their ideal outcomes than most people realize. Here are some insights into how that works.
For most water or wastewater system operators, engineers, and repair crews, the only thing worse than facing a 24”-main emergency repair is facing an even larger one. To those who have never performed an emergency line stop and bypass, the idea of completing repairs with no service outage, no long-term shutdown, and no ‘boil water’ notice is almost beyond belief. To those who have, it’s a sigh of relief.
The term “cellular” often calls to mind certain assumptions and limitations based on prior experience with consumer cellphone networks. Don’t confuse cellular-based Internet of Things (IoT) applications with past cellular experiences, though. The relatively new Long Term Evolution for Machines (LTE-M) standard represents a whole new ballgame. In short, “This is not your father’s cellular network.”
Fluctuations in pressure are the best indicator that a problem is brewing in a water distribution system, so monitoring pressure at strategic points can provide valuable insight about potential leaks. However, this isn’t as easy as it sounds. The good news is that technology is available to gather pressure data that can be used to enhance service and improve asset management without a large capital investment by utilities.
