How to build a Smart Water Network

Haggai ScolnicovCTO, TaKaDu Ltd.

A fictional case study

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Goals

• Introduce layered model of Smart Water Networks• Discuss current and future evolution of SWNs• How smart is “smart”? Numbers and notions

• Mention TaKaDu enough to satisfy our VP Marketing• Hollywood ending

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Meet Mr. Waters

Mr. Waters, VP Water Supply at Typical Water Co., has decided to make his network smart!

Why?- Increase efficiency

(water, energy, manpower, $$$)- Be in control and proactive- Leverage existing IT and skills- Improve customer service

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What is a Smart Water Network?And what is it good for?Data-driven components to help manage and operate the physical network of pipes etc.

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What is a Smart Water Network?And what is it good for?Data-driven components to help manage and operate the physical network of pipes etc.

Feedback & Automation

Decision support

Monitoring & alerts

Reporting

Remote control

Evidence-based planning

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Pipe dreamsThe physical network of Typical Water Co.

• 100,000 service connections (25Mm3/yr)• 1000 km of distribution mains• Some trunk mains, reservoirs, pumps, PRVs• Many valves and hydrants

And probably much more…

• Built for monitoring? Some DMAs, PMAs…

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Taking the cake in SWN technology

Physical layer

The physical layer may have many clever inventions in it – but they don’t make it “smart” or more data-enabled

We need sensors!

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Senseless?The sensing and control layer

• Hundreds of sensors + loggers on mains(e.g. flow & pressure in DMAs + installations)

• Supply metering exists!• AMR? Or stick with monthly manual?• Acoustic? Pipe inspection? Mobile loggers…?

Investment in sensors:$100-5000 a year for total cost of ownership

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Taking the cake in SWN technology

Physical layer

Data just piles up at multiple, remote data loggers. It is collected and used in models and planning a few times a year. It is usually too stale for operational use.

We need telemetry!

Sensing and control

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Failure to communicate?The communications layer

• SCADA (exists on production-side)• Transmit every day? 4 hours? 15 minutes?

(Conserve communications costs, battery longevity…)

• Sample and log every 15 minutes• Remote control for valves? Pumps?• High frequency sampling to see transients?

Investment in telemetry:$X M + $500 per sensor per year ?

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Taking the cake in SWN technology

Physical layer

Operators see data from hundreds of sources and control devices remotely. Some real-time usage! But how to organise and inspect all this data? And what about data from other systems (like asset management)?

Sensing and control

Collection and communication

We need data management!

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Data, data, everywhereThe data management and display layer

• Off-the-shelf and tailored applications:– Network data applications (operator / analyst)– Water loss monitoring– Hydraulic modeling and network planning– Evidence-based reporting…

• Interfaces with GIS, Asset Management, Workforce Management…

• Some rule-based automation!• Applications reach multiple departments

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Taking the cake in SWN technology

Physical layer

Analysts and engineers use recent sensor data through systems tailored to water distribution, together with workforce, asset, and other data, routinely initiating timely action. Reporting and planning made easier and better grounded in fact.

Sensing and control

Collection and communication

Data management & display

But is this the best we can achieve? This was supposed to be a smart network. With all these computers, couldn’t they help my staff make sense of the data?

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Drowning in numbers?The data fusion and analysis layer

• Real-time data-driven pressure management• Energy optimisation• Monitoring for water-loss and other

anomalous events

• Applications reach many departments, new users, field crews, management…

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Taking the cake in SWN technology

Physical layer

Sensing and control

Collection and communication

Data management & display

Data fusion and analysis

Automatic systems analyse data from multiple sources, intelligently monitoring for faults, controlling remote devices for optimal operation, supporting decisions and network & business planning

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Which all boils down to…

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Hollywood ending?

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Are we smart yet?Some challenges to cake bakers

• How accurate? How reliable? How effective?• Do the systems work together, reusing data and

findings?• Data quality – garbage in, garbage out• Cost (cheaper data more data better results)• Added value to consumers

(not just cost and availability)

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Smart Water Networks are only as smart as the people who operate them

• “Smart Water Users”• New work processes and skills!• Co-evolution of technology and processes