WET News

APRIL 2016 WET NEWS 19 Deploying sensing and measurement technologies across networks could defer expenditure on new supply assets and pipe replacement. W hile utilities have previously sought to address leakage as a single standalone issue, there is widespread recognition now that it can be addressed as part of a wider solution to t he much bigger challenge of securing supply and ensuring a good service to customers. Leakage is simply the tip of the iceberg amongst an ocean of challenges faced by the water industry. The most forward thinking water utilities are now taking a holistic view of their challenges, turning to technology to make their networks smarter and more responsive, and introducing the kind of control required to smooth out the pressure variance and transients that can be so damaging. Data analytics Recent advances in ubiquitous communications, low power devices and data analytics make it possible for utilities to deploy sensing and measurement technologies across their networks and introduce sophisticated network control tools for optimising and automating water pressure and flow. A number of UK water utilities have already deployed loggers across their networks to provide a constant, reliable feed of data and show precisely what is happening under their feet. Intelligent so•ware then turns this data into actionable insight and automatically optimises network pressures to ensure supply consistently matches demand and that all changes happen smoothly. The ability to control the network remotely and in real- time also improves the ability of utilities to manage supply better during periods of exceptional demand or water rationing. i2O recently launched oNet, a suite of technologies to turn legacy infrastructure into truly smart water networks. It collects and analyses water pressure and flow data from across water networks and automatically controls pressure to ensure supply consistently matches demand. Crucially, oNet provides smooth, continuous and accurate adjustment of pressure to minimise sudden variation and transients. Where it is used already, oNet has helped utilities reduce leakage and energy use by 20% and cut burst frequency and operational costs by 40%. This kind of technology is growing in popularity because it is easy to install and quick to deploy on existing infrastructure, which means water utilities can start delivering on Ofwat's Outcome Delivery Incentives within A solution: Smarter, calmer networks weeks by driving down leakage levels and improving security of supply. Expenditure The move to smarter and calmer networks is accelerating because these proven technologies allow utilities to confront these issues, meet their regulatory requirements and drive financial and environmental savings through more efficient and effective use of existing assets. Water utilities can therefore defer expenditure on costly new supply assets and pipe replacement programmes. Leakage continues to be an important problem to address and provides a great indication as to the health of the water network. Reducing it is just one of the benefits achieved from these wider reaching infrastructure improvement programmes. Given the clear advantages of using smart network technologies to transform legacy infrastructure and the rapid financial returns that can be achieved, the Environment Agency's expectation that leakage will fall from 3,000 megalitres a day in 2015 to 2,750 a day by 2040 seems relatively conservative. The irony is that the ability of water utilities to achieve and even exceed such predictions is only made possible by focusing less on the specific issue of leakage in isolation. n Keith Hilson is customer solutions director at i2O.. "…UK water utilities are largely reliant on Victorian Age infrastructure and must constantly firefight a deluge of customer complaints and network failures to keep the taps on" Keith Hilson, i2O

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