Digital sustainability, a key concept in today’s world, stems from the far-reaching digital transformation that companies have to tackle and the need for them to exploit their data to add value. Understanding this concept and how to be digitally sustainable in the water sector is also essential in terms of flexibility, operability and cost savings.
Digital sustainability is a must in this day and age. Although we have lived through different industrial revolutions, none of them is comparable to the so-called Industrial Revolution 4.0, which entails the profound digital transformation of companies. It involves technological changes, as well as shifts in company culture, in the way we communicate, organizational flexibility and even in the different strategies required. Yet data exploitation is always the driving force behind all these changes.
In the face of these developments, water utilities have to implement changes so that they can offer a better service, making the most of the characteristics of this new industrial transformation such as 5G, greater operational agility, interconnectivity, more data, and greater access to information. However, these changes must be preceded by a comprehensive assessment of all the areas that make up a utility, pinpointing the ones which require improvement.
However, it is important to highlight the difference between sustainable digital transformation and digital sustainability. While the former refers to the use of technology in an environmentally friendly way, digital sustainability in the water sector can be defined as the process by which companies access and exploit their data thanks to intelligent solutions and applications to integrate this data, regardless of the vendors. In this regard, digital sustainability means the entire company speaks the same language, and is able to create improvement indicators (KPIs) and dashboards to enable it to make the best decisions.
Advantages of digital sustainability in the water sector
Digital sustainability means companies can improve communication, standardizing language and avoiding information silos. However, there are other advantages that should also be taken into account:
1. Scalability
The digital sustainability of water utilities guarantees the smooth operation of the system regardless of the number of users. In this case, we are talking about horizontal scalability. There is also vertical scalability in which more resources are added to meet the needs of a larger number of users.
In any of its forms, it guarantees that the system responds despite the increase in users and data.
2. Durability
Digital sustainability guarantees longer system life cycles thanks, in part, to the digital transformation process, which does away with the need to have several suppliers, or the implementation of solutions such as GoAigua, a tool that offers a holistic overview of operational digital infrastructure components, bringing all the systems into one, standardizing language and avoiding the need to constantly change parts of the systems to achieve this coordination.
3. Improved operational management
As previously mentioned, digital sustainability means the company speaks the same language. This will lead to improvements in operational management, greater control over situations, real-time alerts about possible incidents, shorter response times, and improved functions in general, thanks to automation.
4. Cost reductions
Companies can reduce costs thanks to greater durability and improved operational management, since there will be no need to replace infrastructures, delay processes or involve more stakeholders in them.
5. Interconnectivity
One of the main advantages is the ability to interconnect systems to break down information silos, bring data together and make recommendations for action based on real-time information.
Digital transformation of utilities
Digital transformation is key to the conservation of water resources, to decision-making and to the improvement of demand management. It can take place via a bottom-up process, where it is carried out as specific problems arise, or via a top-down process, where a well thought-out roadmap is followed. The latter of course requires greater effort but also offers further-reaching results.
In any case, it is a must for water utilities, which have no choice but to redefine their processes and organizational culture to keep pace with current circumstances. Digital sustainability must be factored into this process if utilities are to become more efficient in terms of water management, offer a better service to consumers and reduce their carbon footprint.