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Water utility networks are data-rich environments, but information silos can make it difficult for operators to ensure that energy- and cost-intensive assets are working cohesively and at peak performance. An operator may be able to identify a problem in isolation but not fully understand how it could affect an entire system; any delay in rectification could prove even more costly as effects cascade through the network.

A digital twin (a digital replica of physical assets) provides a complete visualization of water intake, treatment, and distribution processes so that utility operators can make more informed decisions about design, construction, and operation from a single source of truth. In the operation and maintenance phase, data-driven analytics allow for leak detection, asset optimization, predictive maintenance, and what-if scenario analysis. In addition to urban water and wastewater treatment plants, desalination plants present an opportunity for vendors to explore and generate new revenue.

A vendor’s challenge is to prove a solution’s return on investment in the form of lower capital and operational expenditure (including energy and chemical costs savings), fewer carbon emissions, higher productivity, and less unplanned maintenance.