Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
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16 WET NEWS August 2016 INSIGHT It & telemetry sAP CRM / EsRI integration allows call centre agents to see where a customer is in relation to thames Water's assets and ongoing activities including maintenance activities and service interruptions W ater utility companies face a number of pressing challenges on a daily basis. Managing and maintaining a vast infrastructure and overseeing the geographical data required to underpin it, is a complex task. There is also a large disparate mobile workforce they need to communicate with in real-time, and a customer base spread over various different cities, towns and villages. At a time when many organisations are under pressure to cut costs and improve efficiencies, it can be hard to assess how to best use location-based data to extract insight and improve performance. Thames Water is one such organisation that is facing these challenges head-on every day. Serving 15 million customers, Thames Water is the UK's largest water and wastewater services company. It supplies around 2,600 million litres of tap water and removes and treats more than four billion litres of sewage every day. The company needs to allow office- based staff to obtain detailed updates and analysis on operations in real-time; then manage and evaluate this data to improve operations to ultimately deliver a positive customer experience. THE CONCEPT • gIs provides real-time visualisations and analytics • gIs can give contextual data about the environment concerning the infrastructure and real-time status of field work • gIs uses the power of location to correlate all incoming data NEED TO KNOW 1 Data can be collected about asset types and the materials that pipes and other infrastructure are made from. 2 It is more cost-effective to manage a single solution rather than multiple separate ones. 3 thames Water had relied on several systems and tools to enable employees to perform different tasks THE VERDICT "Data can now be communicated and analysed in real time, helping large water companies to become more agile and efficient through more informed decision-making" Simon Weaver, Esri UK A solution: GIS – 'the system of record' geographic information systems can enable companies to be more strategic and proactive in their approach to maintaining networks. G eographic information systems (GIS) is a technology that comprises interactive maps and apps, providing real-time visualisations and analytics for an entire water network. Indeed, the GIS platform becomes the single point of truth – 'the system of record' – for network asset data. Increasingly, GIS is providing stakeholders with intuitive centralised access to not only that asset data, but also contextual data about the environment around and affecting the infrastructure and real-time status of field work. It has evolved into a 'system of engagement', delivering a common operating picture that enables efficient collaboration across the business. The significant role of GIS in a variety of water utilities has been well documented. However, what is emerging is the increased use of this technology by mobile workforces as well. Pinpoint The field-based mobile workforce is equipped with devices running apps that connect back to the central GIS platform, and the office can then allocate tasks direct to the mobile device. Progress on undertaking maintenance tasks, inspecting damage and resolving customer complaints is then reported back to the office through the device, providing a near real-time operational view. GIS has significantly risen to the challenges faced by Thames Water. In the office, the technology allows the nearest appropriately skilled field worker to be identified and for them to be sent the job through their mobile device. Once the cause of the leak has been identified, the field engineer can report the details back, including the exact location, via the app, negating the need to record paper-based notes and travel back to the office. GIS technology can also pinpoint customers that could be affected in the area as a result of the leak. This is extremely beneficial for water companies as it allows them to communicate to customers about an issue, before a complaint is lodged. The challenge: A flood of data Water companies face a variety of operational challenges coupled with the need to manage an influx of geographical data, says Esri uK's simon Weaver. Thus demonstrating a more sophisticated level of customer service, whereby an issue appears to be being resolved before it is even reported by the customer. GIS technology also enables water companies to be more strategic and proactive in their approach to maintaining their network. Data can be collected about asset types and the materials that pipes and other infrastructure are made from. GIS can then cross-reference that with data on the soil type, terrain and weather conditions to create a predictive model that informs prioritisation and timing of pre-emptive maintenance. Thames Water previously relied on a wide number of systems and tools to enable employees to perform different tasks, across the business. To address this, Thames Water invested in the ArcGIS platform and, as a result, the company has been able to significantly improve the efficiency of its processes. ArcGIS allows employees in the field to work more productively as they are directed to the right location straight away and do not have to waste time looking for assets that have been moved. Engineers can instantly see the locations of Thames Water's own assets and the property of other utilities companies and make decisions that can speed up repairs and minimise public inconvenience. Power of location Alongside the efficiency savings come some significant cost savings. For example, now that asset update information flows directly and automatically from workers in the field to the central asset database, fewer administrators are required to process the data. Similarly, in the IT department, it is more cost-effective to manage a single solution rather than multiple separate ones. GIS uses the power of location to correlate all incoming data, allowing an organisation to visualise – through the power of maps – the bigger picture, with one single view of the truth for multiple stakeholders. There is no longer the worry of issues with data quality due to inaccurate or missing information captured in the field. Data can now be communicated and analysed in real time, helping large water companies to become more agile and efficient through more informed decision-making. Location maps are the unifying factor that allows the company to visualise high volumes of data and track patterns that would otherwise not have been seen. It is then even possible to use spatial analysis to generate predictive visualisations, based on previous incidents; giving the company a crystal ball to more effectively and efficiently manage operations. n Simon Weaver is analytics programme manager at Esri UK. the interactive map clearly shows different kinds of work order in different colours for easy identification