Migrating to a new data platform used to mean either a ‘big bang’ or a longer ‘wave-based’ approach. Thankfully, today’s platforms offer a practical compromise. Peter Bosley-Sharpe, President EMEA, SNP Group, explains.
Water companies are under more pressure than ever to do more with less: meet tougher regulatory expectations, modernise ageing infrastructure and rebuild public trust — all while keeping essential services running 24/7.
Yet many operators are trying to deliver this future on top of a fragmented technology estate, built up over decades through acquisitions, bolt-ons and bespoke fixes. The result is a patchwork of systems that struggle to share data cleanly, inflate costs, lead to fines, and make change slower and riskier than it needs to be.
At the same time, the sector is being hit by a data surge. Millions of customers, complex operational networks and the rapid rollout of smart metering are creating an unprecedented volume and velocity of information.
But more data can’t mean better decisions if data visibility is limited and governance is inconsistent. Critical insights get buried and organisations can find themselves exposed — operationally, financially and reputationally.
Often, this is due to the operational challenges that come with modernising infrastructure. A ten-year, billion-pound project is unrealistic. They need to make changes now, within the constraints they face.
That starts with the legacy technology that currently hamstrings them.
Patchwork pipes to single stream
Water companies are typically beholden to a crowd of legacy systems that host, transmit and action their data. Many are heavily customised, stitched together as a patchwork stack with no guarantee of compatibility.
Changing this state of affairs is partially cultural. An organisation must realise that removing and replacing these systems is less expensive than being left behind by others — and continuing to rack up even more costs on failing to meet regulations.
The key to making this evolution realistic is a unified platform. Centralising as many functions as possible into one platform can help with streamlining processes, lowering total cost of ownership (TCO) and simplifying some of the challenges around data management.
Navigating the data deluge
Each operator will have data representing millions of customers, as well as internal data about everything from finances to operational processes. With 39 million smart meters across the UK, each taking 24–96 readings per day, an incredible volume of data is being produced.
In many cases, water companies lack visibility over what they do and don’t have — let alone the ability to exercise control over it. South East Water recently made headlines for having no internal audit function whatsoever, two years after an industry body warned regulators that this would lead to fines.
There is a need to simplify things here. The modern platforms that we’ve mentioned as the foundation of any transformation should be able to enable the decommissioning, or archiving, of data that isn’t mission critical. That reduces pressure on systems and allows staff a clearer view of what’s important, while still allowing the data to be brought back as required.
Don’t rock the boat
It’s also important to consider downtime in the process of introducing a new platform. Water companies do not have the luxury of simply ceasing to function for days or weeks due to internal maintenance.
Historically, there are two approaches here. The first is a ‘big bang’ approach, a meticulously planned migration in one huge go. Alternatively, many might opt for a wave- or phased-based method, breaking down the migration into steps — reducing risk, but potentially increasing duration.
Modern platforms can combine these two elements. A practical compromise combines near-zero downtime (NZD) with minimised downtime on target (MDT) to meet timelines while maintaining business continuity.
NZD uses a three-phase transfer process: initial data slices, delta migration cutover, and final comprehensive data validation. During the first data slices the system remains in uptime.
This is then followed by the cutover phase which happens during downtime, all data input is halted, users locked out, and all other processes are temporarily halted. Last is the final data check to ensure everything is where it needs to be and business is ready to resume.
MDT reduces disruption during wave migrations by staging the new environment ahead of the integration, resolving duplicate records and aligning data numbering across datasets before completing a final migration of all operational data.
Together, these two strategies should enable water companies to establish the infrastructure they need without the downtime that could cripple both their operations and reputation.
Plain sailing
All of these things — capable modern platforms, the data that runs through them and the way they’re brought online — are key components of a positive future for water companies. It’s a question of when, rather than if, this evolution is delivered.
Modernising infrastructure is not a cosmetic upgrade, but the foundation for regulatory compliance, operational efficiency and long-term resilience.
Gaining control of the data that lives within that infrastructure is no less important, transforming impossible volumes into meaningful action and insight for the specialists that work so hard across the sector.
And all of this must be delivered without disrupting the essential services customers rely on every day.
By consolidating platforms, simplifying data landscapes and adopting migration strategies that minimise downtime, water providers can move decisively — not with a disruptive splash, but with controlled, confident momentum toward a more sustainable and future-ready operation.
