Date rich, knowledge smart solutions for safeguarding water quality

ATi UK Director, Garry Tabor, reflects on the rise of multi-technology collaboration and discusses the most creative approaches proactively safeguarding water quality for customer use.

As the emphasis of harnessing better collaboration to enable true innovation increases, water professionals are becoming more motivated to look for intelligent, resilient and effective solutions.

Regulation is driving change in water quality and is challenging the industry to continue improving performance, and new technologies have a major role to play.  To meet these demanding targets, water companies need to change their behaviours, innovate and collaborate.

Technological innovation is crucial for a predictive and proactive understanding of pipeline activity and it is essential for operators to have access to reliable and actionable insights that allow appropriate responses.

The supply chain can no longer remain technologically isolated; instead multi-layered, strategic alliances, focused on meaningful solutions for the industry, are a prerequisite.  Transparent collaboration, with shared values to improve the industry, will become the norm.

A pioneering project currently underway has seen a major water company investing in ATi’s surveying ‘Lift and Shift’ solutions, NephNet, ChlorNet and SiteBox.  This equipment is deployed in various controlled problem areas, with the data helping to identify problems and pinch-point locations. Following data analytics, ATi’s Lift and Shift equipment is then be moved to the next priority area, while permanent solutions using MetriNet, in partnership with close technology providers, are then installed. The permanently installed MetriNet and collaborative technology solutions then use dedicated apps to pull the data from each area together to deliver real insight and value.

ATi UK’s intelligent Source To Tap solutions create real-time awareness of water quality throughout the cycle and suggest optimal control mechanisms.  This ensures the efficient delivery of high-quality water, reducing the risk of compliance violations and customer complaints.

Embracing these new technologies and employing them in legacy infrastructures will help water companies extract deeper insights on pipeline networks and enhance operational efficiencies. Collaborative, intelligent, networked systems will not only help identify issues such as leaks, but will also improve operational tactics, promote conservation and help minimise consumption, driving the industry towards a truly smart water quality network.