WET News

wwtonline.co.uk | MAY 2018 WET NEWS 15 This means there is a distinct lack of understanding within the industry towards how data can and should be used, and there's oen confusion among management teams over where responsibility for it lies. While information may be collected, there is oen uncertainty over its ownership, which creates inconsistencies with how it is analysed and reported. As a result, there is currently no set format or 'language' for classifying data across the UK's twelve water companies, or even within individual asset portfo- lios. Manually reconfiguring information is highly time con- suming and expensive, for both utilities providers and the gov- erning bodies they report to. This is particularly pertinent for Ofwat's five-yearly price review exercise, which involves collat- ing a huge range of forecasting data from each water company to set pricing. Any inefficiency here is detrimental as ulti- mately, this is taxpayer's money that could be used to fund infra- structure improvements. With- out consistency in how utility providers format this informa- tion, it is almost impossible to achieve the full efficiency sav- ings that can be found by link- ing data sets and creating a comprehensive digital overview of an asset's operation. This lack of ownership and consistency also poses more serious threats. Bringing such quantities of information online creates security challenges and water infrastructure is a poten- tial target for cybercrime, con- sidering the potential to disrupt water supply or tamper with quality. As legislation is passed such as the Network and Infor- mation Security Directive (NISD) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), alongside the trend for data management focuses on increasing accessi- bility, it's important to ensure that there are the appropriate measures in place and that com- panies fully understand its security needs. To solve these challenges and extract the full value of dig- ital analytics, there must first be a shi in industry attitudes towards how data is considered. There needs to be consistency and a commitment to treating data in line with the same regu- lations and respect that physical infrastructure assets are given. The principles set out in BS1192 already establish clear guidelines for the management, analysis and exchange of data relating to any building or infra- structure project, but these are best practice recommendations and not compulsory. An industry-wide commitment to adhere to these guidelines would ensure consistency in the way that information is col- lected, stored and analysed. This would greatly improve security and bring efficiency savings which can be chan- nelled back into improving infrastructure to benefit provid- ers, regulators and consumers alike. Building digital skills Once data is properly consid- ered as an asset class, building a stronger digital culture will be a key next step. Developing technical skills within utilities companies is essential. Training programmes need to be estab- lished to create a new genera- tion of data scientists and tech- nical officers who fully understand the value of data and how to collate, analyse and manage it. Building data teams from the ground up will also help determine ownership over information and drive digital understanding across the industry. Where skills need to be out- sourced, every effort should be made to fully embed outside teams into this culture. For example, we have worked with Yorkshire Water for over 12 years, with teams from both companies operating out of the same office to manage and improve performance across its 1,200 telemetry assets. Once these skilled teams are in place, attention can then shi to introducing more effi- cient DAM processes that boost consistency and cohesivity across data sets, allowing more to be linked and analysed. At Irish Water for example, as part of the national Water Industry Operating Framework (WIOF), we are currently devel- oping tools for large-scale auto- mation of data validation, transformation and onboard- ing. This will allow information to be collated from individual county assets into a single, national capability and help tar- get a €1.3 billion saving. Digital transformation and data driven decision making will play a key part in achieving this. The potential for efficiency savings that these new innova- tions will bring are huge and illustrate the central role that digital asset management should play in the sector. As we move further into an 'always on' culture, data demands will only increase. By making sure we have a commitment to consist- ency and a digital culture in place, water companies could deliver more efficiently and at a reduced cost to the taxpayer. LET DENSO ® TRANSFORM YOUR PIPE BRIDGE TEL: +44 (0) 208 670 7511 FAX: +44 (0) 208 761 2456 www.denso.net Winn & Coales (Denso) Ltd are leaders in corrosion prevention and sealing technology. Our Steelcoat 100/400 systems offer reliable, cost-effective protection for exposed steelwork and pipe bridges. Requiring only hand tool surface preparation, and with correct application, our Steelcoat systems can offer 20-years maintenance free service life. WINN & COALES (DENSO) LTD VISIBLE CORROSION ON EXPOSED STEEL OVER 85 YEARS OF PIPELINE & STEELWORK PROTECTION A MEMBER OF WINN & COALES INTERNATIONAL CONTACT US FOR DETAILED INFORMATION AND AN OBLIGATION FREE PIPE BRIDGE SURVEY Providing safe drinking water in emergencies around the world Aquabox provides a rapid response to natural disasters and refugee crises, enabling people who are on the very edge of existence to have access to safe drinking water. Since start-up in 1992, Aquabox has responded to desperate needs in more than 50 countries around the world, providing safe drinking water and humanitarian aid, and helping to save thousands of lives. And we're still responding to those desperate needs today. Aquabox is run and staffed almost entirely by volunteers, and the funds we raise go straight to our life-saving work. Here in Britain, we take safe drinking water for granted – but around the world, there are millions of people who can't. Aquabox is a registered charity no 1098409 www.aquabox.org Come and see us at Utility Week Live, stand A43, and find out more about our vital work. CP-Aquabox-130x180ad.indd 1 12/04/2018 11:14 Vacuum and Overpressure Solutions for Waste Water Treatment Vacuum pumps, blowers and compressors from Busch are used wherever efficiency, reliability and safety are crucial factors. That's why wastewater facilities all over the world use products by Busch. Set new standards with the supply of vacuum and overpressure for the economical and reliable operation of your wastewater treatment facility. Use our extensive know-how for your success. Busch (UK) Ltd. +44 (0)1952 677432 l sales@busch.co.uk www.busch.co.uk

• Cover