2018 is a year that will be long remembered in the Water Industry. From ‘The Beast of the East’ where much of the UK experienced extreme winter weather, to an exceedingly dry summer, conditions have presented the toughest stress test for the Water Industry..

Ofwat has recently published a report on how water utilities reacted to the adverse weather conditions, with one of the conclusions in the ‘Out in the Cold’ report being that companies with the capacity to manage real-time information were able to mitigate the impact on the service they provide to their customers. Unsurprising.

Solutions to optimise and automate the control of water distribution are becoming more prevalent, with the potential for software to decide on the best course of action more effectively and efficiently than humans. The need for holistic decision making – where the effect of decisions on all aspects of a network can be considered – are almost a must in today’s reality of variable and severe climate. The ability for a system to monitor, react and adjust automatically when burst mains occur, or when consumption is out of the norm, allows human operators to take a different role during an emergency: to consider the bigger picture of staff wellbeing, customer care and future planning, and is perhaps one of the secrets to why some water companies have fared better than others in the management of 2018’s erratic weather patterns.

The emerging importance of optimisation in crisis management introduces a very interesting angle, as supported by SUEZ, one such provider of network optimisation tools: “Generally speaking, our solutions have traditionally been judged exclusively based on the level of savings achieved – usually a 10 to 15% energy bill reduction -. However, we have noticed how companies are now looking at the broader picture and factoring other aspects into their business case and, obviously, resilience is for many just as important as the savings “, says Francesc Cabrespina, Smart Solutions Manager for SUEZ UK.

Back in 2013, the first system-wide optimisation project in the UK took place at Northumbrian Water, one of the water companies that demonstrated system resilience in the recent ‘Out in the Cold’ report. Looking at the case study that SUEZ offer on their website, there is a quote from Mick Baker, Asset Sponsor Manager at Northumbrian, that says: “I think the energy cost savings from AQUADVANCED® Energy tend to be highlighted because these savings can be quantified and at a Board level, drive acceptance of the business case… But it is about a lot more than just energy optimisation. The other less tangible benefits of AQUADVANCED® Energy — such as better water quality and more consistent operational control — are making a major impact.” 

At the heart of the additional benefits that true, real-time optimisation and distribution automation can bring, there is an essential difference in comparison to other solutions on the market: instead of looking at subsets of assets and then trying to combine local solutions, only a few solutions look at the system as a whole and profoundly understand the behaviour of the system. Taking into account all the sources, production, storage and distribution factors the best systems can create efficiencies and generate benefits to each one, with the ultimate goal of maintaining continuous service to the customers. “Energy savings will of course remain at the top of the list, but the ability to manage exceptional events and operate the best possible way at any moment has demonstrated to be even more beneficial, even when it is a controversial item to be factored into a business case.” Adds Francesc. 

Some voices in the industry have defined SUEZ’s own solution, AQUADVANCED® Energy as the Rolls-Royce of optimisers, Francesc laughs when hearing this comparison: “I appreciate that comparison but can’t really agree as it could lead one to believe that what we offer primarily has to do with cost, however, AQUADVANCED® generally presents a very well-rounded and attractive business case! If someone said that it is the “Google” of the optimisers, I could agree with that in the sense that it is the one that “created” the market and has kept lengths ahead of other solutions thanks to unbeatable algorithms that remain unparalleled in the current market.”

Bristol Water and Welsh Water are the latest water companies to adopt AQUADVANCED® Energy, with others in the industry looking to follow suit. At SUEZ, they believe there are two essential reasons for the success they are seeing, firstly the broad range of benefits across the business and, secondly, the relationship that SUEZ develops with the customer. “Not only is it a well-proven and low risk implementation project but once the solution is in place, we provide operational support to the operators on the day to day, and that is highly appreciated by the operators who can embrace the solution and ease the cultural transformation that comes with it”.

SUEZ made a strategic decision to invest in technology and leverage on their water expertise to provide technological excellence to the market. As a result of that, the AQUADVANCED® suite provides a solution that strengthens the overall water management cycle, offering specific modules for leakage management, water quality, process optimisation and asset management. On the waste water side, AQUADVANCED® offers wet event management to reduce flooding, as well as providing a high definition solution to manage the water discharges and coastal water quality. 

For more information on AQUADVANCED®, visit our website: www.suezwater.co.uk