WIPAC Monthly April 2020

WIPAC MONTHLYThe Monthly Update from Water Industry Process Automation & Control
www.wipac.org.uk Issue 4/2020- April 2020

In this Issue
WIPAC Monthly is a publication of the Water Industry Process Automation & Control Group. It is produced by the group
manager and WIPAC Monthly Editor, Oliver Grievson. This is a free publication for the benefit of the Water Industry and please
feel free to distribute to any who you may feel benefit. However due to the ongoing costs of WIPAC Monthly a donation website
has been set up to allow readers to contribute to the running of WIPAC & WIPAC Monthly, For those wishing to donate then
please visit https://www.patreon.com/Wipac all donations will be used solely for the benefit and development of WIPAC.
All enquires about WIPAC Monthly, including those who want to publish news or articles within these pages, should be directed
to the publications editor, Oliver Grievson at olivergrievson@hotmail.com
From the editor............................................................................................................. 3
Industry news..............................................................................................................
Highlights of the news of the month from the global water industry centred around the successes of a few
of the companies in the global market.
4 - 12
Applying Data-as-a service to the Water Sector.............................................................
In this month’s feature article e have Amir Cahn, the Executive Director of the SWAN Forum, talks about the
basics of Data-as-a-Service and what it can offer to the water industry and how it can help to facilitate the Digital
Transformation of the Water Industry by improving and guaranteeing data quality
12-13
Flow in Focus for the new AMP....................................................................................
The measurement of wastewater flow is set to be a fundamental part of what the UK Water Industry delivers as
part of the next Asset Management Period deliveries. In this article by Andy Godley of the WRc, we here more
about what the industry is expected to deliver
14
Enfield Council Breaks Ground on Smart Drainage.........................................................
In this case study by Tom Bennett of UDlive looks at the case study of smart gullies from Enfield Council in London
and the sensing systems that are being put in the gullies to help flooding detection
15-16
Wastewater, Instrumentation and the Asset Management Period.................................
In this article by Oliver Grievson we investigate what is actually being delivered as part of the UK’s asset management
period for the wastewater side of the industry and how instrumentation is playing a fundamental part in the
future of the water industry.
17-18
Workshops, conferences & seminars............................................................................
The highlights of the conferences and workshops in the coming months. 19-20

From the Editor
As the current global crisis continues and most countries seem to be frozen in time there are things the day to day
job of the Water Industry becomes more and more important. It is interesting that there are things that have got
worse like the increase in sewer blockages caused by the use of wet wipes and some things have got better like per capita
consumption with people taking less showers along with the environmental impact of people’s activities decreasing too
improving the overall environment.
People have also changed the way that they work too with more people working and socialising remotely as large swathes
of people take to their computers to manage their lives. This is part of the Digital Transformation of not just industry, or
even the water industry but people as well. The IWA Digital Water Summit which should have taken place this month
but is now taking place in late November has a section on the “Digital Workforce” which looked at various aspects of
“pre-Covid 19” ways of working digitally. It would be very interesting to see what peoples reflections are on this both pre
and post this pandemic. This month we had an EU hackathon developing Sewers4Covid software in as little as 48 hours
where a few years ago this sort of thing would have taken months and months of work to deliver something. Add to this
the global Whatsapp group that is seeing Water Utilities combining forces and aiding each other. It shows that people do
come together in a crisis and can develop some truly great pieces of innovation. The question is how do we keep these initiatives going after the latest crisis
has died down or even hopefully disappeared or is it going to be a factor that in the darkest of times some of the brightest of lights shine brighter than ever
before but can only manage it for the shortest of times....we will see but what it goes to show is that, from a “Digital Workforce” perspective the facilitation
can be there if we choose to use it.
This crisis will come to an end and when it finally does there is going to be a lot of things to be done in a relatively short time-scale. In this month’s edition
we here from Andy Godley of the WRc about the focus on wastewater flow measurement that the industry is going to be concentrating on for firstly the next
couple of years, secondly three years after than and lastly moving forward ad infinitum. There are discussions going on behind the scenes to make sure that
everything is as it should be and the instrumentation that is installed is done as it should be. One of the learning points from the Digital Transformation of
the Water Industry is that instrumentation accuracy and the knowledge of the uncertainty is an absolute fundamental part of the delivery of the concept. I
remember having the discussion a few years ago with a company who were successfully delivering Multi-Variate Process Control in Wastewater Treatment
(amongst other areas) and the possibility of putting a system in place and getting the best benefit from it was based upon data quality from the instrumentation
that was installed. Even then the biggest barrier was data quality and the factor that a large proportion of the data collected within the industry isn’t of a
sufficient quality to make it useful.
So what can the industry do about it? Firstly it is all based in the standards and the current crisis has allowed me to take some time and finish drafts of
wastewater standards for both instrumentation, control & automation in wastewater and storm management systems at wastewater treatment works. One of
the fundamental part of both of the standards is having a system in place. Some will recognise the Instrumentation Life-Cycle within the standard (if its kept
in) and this is the first step to improving the data quality and pushing towards a future where we can digitally transform.
Have a good month and of course stay safe,
Oliver

Date for 4th WIPAC Webinar on Resilience in Rising Mains
announced
The 5th May will see the 4th WIPAC Webinar with both Intelligent Pipeline Monitoring company, Syrnix and Water Company Anglian Water taking part. In this
webinar we are going to be covering Resilience Monitoring of Critical Rising Mains with the monitoring and philosophy of the service covered by Ben Smither of
Syrinix and a case study deliverer by Lorenzo Pompa of Anglian Water.
The wastewater collection network is something that, traditionally at least, has remained largely un-monitored. This is something that changed in the last asset
management period in the UK (2015-20) with a programme to monitor the overflows from the UK’s combined network as well as the recognition that the water
industry would need to Digitally Transform. The whole digital transformation of the water industry is confusing with a number of suppliers offering a number
of different solutions. The most successful of these solutions look at things from a holistic point of view offering solutions from instrumentation through to data
analysis.
In this case study presented by both Syrinix and Anglian Water we look at the collaborative work that has been done to increase the resilience of the pumped
wastewater network with Anglian Water by using pipeline monitoring to predict when a wastewater pipe is going to fail and using this prediction to protect
the rising main and protect the environment by preventing pollutions whilst saving money by reducing the reactive emergency work and enabling planned
preventative maintenance to a much greater degree.
To register for this free webinar anyone members of WIPAC and the wider water industry can register at https://lnkd.in/ewGVYgU
WWEM delayed until May 2021 as Instrumentation Apprentice
Competition opens for competitors
The Water, Wastewater & Environmental Monitoring Conference (WWEM) has released a statement this month delaying the Conference & Exhibition until the
25th
and 26th
May 2021. In a statement about the event the Exhibition Manager, David Hellyer, said:
With the uncertain nature of how COVID-19 will unfold over the coming months and listening to the government and health advisor’s warnings, there’s a strong
possibility that social distancing may be in place until the end of the year. We pride ourselves in running successful events and the health, safety and welfare of
all participants is our main priority. Whilst the event is still over seven months away, we share the concerns that many of you have voiced regarding the feasibility
of the exhibition proceeding as planned this November.
We have therefore taken the decision to postpone WWEM until the 25th and 26th May 2021. We’ve secured new dates which avoid Bank Holidays, Easter and
School Holidays. We want to minimise associated risk and cost to exhibitors and visitors which is why we have taken this decision as early as possible. We will
continue working on the technical program and will extend the deadline for the call for papers. We look forward to delivering a highly successful event with the
new dates in 2021.
Preperations for the event that will now take place for the first time in May are continuing as the registration for competitors for the WWEM Instrumentation
Apprentice Competition opened this month. Oliver Grievson, the lead organiser of the competition, was quoted as saying - despite the delay to WWEM this year
we are continuing to organise the competition and work with the industry to create a competition that is better than ever.
For those wanting more information they can view the Terms of Reference or Register a Team by clicking the buttons below
Terms of
Reference
Register a
Team
Page 4
Industry News

Three firms win favour in Wessex Water supply chain challenge
Wessex Water has named three firms as finalists in a competition to generate innovation in the use of event duration monitor (EDM) data
for better sewer management.
The water company issued a supply chain challenge on better use of EDM data in 2019 as part of its “Marketplace” initiative which is
designed to foster collaborative innovation.
Thirty companies expressed an interest in responding to the challenge and 16 went forward to submit proposals which suggested novel
ways of using EDM data in order to enable a better response to periods of heavy rainfall, minimise unnecessary alarms and create
predictive alerts for when sewer blockages are building.
Three firms have now been named as finalists in the challenge. They are:
• Meniscus, which has a machine learning tool that can identify windows of operation during rainfall events where
combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges are permitted and analyse levels outside of rainfall periods to detect any
abnormal behaviour on the sewer network.
• StormHarvester, which has offered a product that can mute alarms in periods of rainfall when CSO discharges are
permitted and visually flag when CSOs are operating outside of normal parameters during dry weather.
• Detectronic, which has partnered with Royal Haskoning DHV to combine machine learning with network expertise into
a blended solution to minimise alarms and enable Wessex Water to be one step ahead of potential pollution events.
Trials will now be run with each of these company’s solutions. Tests will take place over the next three months in which Wessex Water will
feed the three companies with near real-time EDM data to see if they can correctly mute alarms and identify blockages, some of which
will be simulated in a controlled environment.
Wessex Water’s strategic technology planning manager Jody Knight said he hopes to see a multitude of benefits from this data driven
approach. These include reductions in blockages and CSO discharges to alleviate impact on the environment and lower volumes of alarms
during rainfall periods, which will allow staff to work more efficiently and improve their reporting efficiency.
“The Marketplace approach has challenged the normal procurement channels for these emerging technical and data-
related problems we encounter with our sewer network,” explained Jody.
“We have managed to communicate the problem to a wider supplier base and received proposals from companies that we may not have
normally reached.
“The number of potentially viable and different solutions proposed by the companies in this challenge is encouraging to see as we move
toward becoming a more data-centric business and we are grateful for all who have taken part in this challenge.”
Wessex Water launched its Marketplace in 2019 to increase collaboration with companies both in and out of its usual supply chain.
The online platform shares real data for each challenge that is posted and was designed to uncover alternative ways of managing water
and waste, outside of the traditional asset-focused approach, leading to a better service and better value for customers.
Page 5

Yorkshire Water - UK’s largest smart water network pilot could
revolutionise service in Yorkshire
Yorkshire Water is starting the largest and most extensive smart water network pilot in the UK, collaborating with 15 companies in the digital water space to
further improve the essential water supply service it provides to customers.
Smart network 1
The ambitious multi-stakeholder collaboration combines data from
its acoustic, flow, pressure and water quality monitors and aims to
reduce leakage and bursts levels in the pilot area in West Sheffield.
Fifteen companies in total will be involved on the collaboration,
including: Stantec, BT, Xylem, Itron, ATi, Inflowmatix, HWM,
Gutermann, Technolog, Primayer/Servelec, Connexin, Arqiva
Sensus, MUS and Syrinix.
The scope of the industry-wide collaboration is to test the latest
cutting-edge digital water meters, sensors, advanced analytics and
telecommunications channels.
The water company is hoping that the pilot, which will use data
received at near real time from across its network, will revolutionise
the way it manages leaks in the future, how it further reduces
interruptions to supply and thereby reduce the amount of water taken from the environment.
Yorkshire Water Innovation Programme Manager, Sam Bright said:
“Technology has progressed so much over the past few years that we are now able to combine more data streams than ever before and push the boundaries
of what is possible using artificial intelligence. It really is an exciting time to be at the forefront of translating these advances into real value for our customers.”
The Smart water network pilot will integrate the rich data from multiple new
and existing sources and present it in a single visualisation platform. This will
provide a virtual model of the physical assets across the network referred to as
a digital twin. Through the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence,
clustering data sets and removing false positives, this will inform asset and
operational decision making.
Analysts in Yorkshire Water will be able to prioritise repairs instantly, enabling
leaks to be repaired quicker and reducing water lost.
The digital twin will have a live hydraulic modelling capability integrated to
sensor data in the field which will be used in real-time to assess the impact
of an incident or network anomaly and to provide an informed operational
decision support tool.
Damian Crawford, Head of Smart Networks and Leakage at Stantec said:
“We are looking forward to partnering with Yorkshire Water in delivering this innovative pilot and developing the five layers of smart architecture - all the way
from designing the physical asset layer through to developing data analytics to support the desired business outcomes.”
The 12-month pilot and the outputs will be used as part of the wider Yorkshire Water’s digital strategy to determine future dynamic control and system
optimisation capabilities.
Page 6

StonburyoptsforAugmentedRealitytotransformcommunication
and training
SpecialistwaterindustrycontractorStonburyhasinvestedinAugmentedRealitysoftware
which brings print to life and delivers an interactive and immersive learning experience,
with the use of video, animation and much more, to effectively engage staff in all areas
of communication, education and training. The Augmented Reality software, Zappar,
provides a new way to use technology, transforming how Stonbury communicate, work
and learn.
The Augmented Reality software enables static images to come to life, allowing the
user to view detailed video demonstrations by simply hovering their smartphone over
the document.
In addition to providing more user-friendly content delivery, the technology enables
Stonbury to supply detailed information and in-depth training to a large workforce
without the costs associated with delivering regular face to face training and
announcements; resulting in consistently high standards, improved staff safety, and
savings in time, money and manpower.
The inclusive technology has also empowered Stonbury to consider a diverse range
of learning abilities, communicating content-rich information without the use of text-
heavy posters or literature, which are often disregarded or inaccessible to those with
learning disabilities. It also eradicates the risk of cascading information being delivered
incorrectly due to misrepresentation or dilution of the original message.
Stonbury have found videos are unrivalled in their ability to provide a far clearer
demonstration than previous static images and diagrams, and although they have
been using videos as a method of communication for several years, accessibility is
often a problem in remote locations.
By combining printed media, eLearning and videos, Stonbury have created a platform that can be accessed easily and instantly with any internet-enabled
device – and although an internet connection is still required – it negates the need to find and download large files.
Following an internal survey which highlighted low communication scores throughout the company, Stonbury invested in the software as an innovative
solution to ensure that poor communication did not impact the competency of staff.
James Stonor, CEO commented:
“Effective communication is key in Stonbury, and for many years now we have used alternatives to static images and written documents to ensure we
deliver important messages on topics such as health & safety, quality and culture to our staff. These have included poster campaigns and video toolbox talks,
produced in house and delivered across our sites via iPads, which also store our electronic site files.”
“We have now gone one step further with our AR posters, they are incredibly engaging, and we have found that the message is absorbed far better than
through other mediums. Another advantage is that the video message can be changed at any time, without the need for re-printing. We believe this
innovative approach has taken our ability to communicate across the whole business to another level.”
IWN And SWAN Partner To Accelerate Smart Water Adoption
Throughout Australia And The APAC Region
The Intelligent Water Networks (IWN) are pleased to announce our new Strategic Partnership with the Smart Water Network Forum (SWAN).
This is a great opportunity to collaborate around new innovative technology and will allow IWN and SWAN to complement each other’s work, rather than
compete and duplicate existing work.
IWN Program Director Dean Barnett said: “It’s exciting times around the use and acceptance of new technology, and I am very excited to be working closer with
Amir Cahn, SWAN Executive Director and the SWAN team.”
One of SWAN’s primary goals is to increase awareness about the benefits of adopting smart water and wastewater solutions. The organisation is the leading
global hub for advancing the use of “smart,” data-driven solutions in water and wastewater networks worldwide.
SWAN Executive Director Amir Cahn added: “SWAN looks forward to collaborating with IWN through the SWAN APAC Alliance, which accelerates smart water/
wastewater advancement in Australia and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.”
For more information about IWN, head to http://www.iwn.org.au/
For more information about the SWAN Forum’s activities in APAC, head to https://www.swan-forum.com/swan-apac-alliance/.
Page 7

WhatsApp Initiative Drives International Covid-19 Collaboration
For Water Utilities
A WhatsApp group intended for a handful of utilities to share learnings and
experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic has quickly scaled to involve over 180
organisations. Isle founder and chairman Piers Clark started the social media
chat group just over two weeks ago as the lock-down of populations meant
utilities had to respond rapidly to multiple unprecedented challenges.
Clark said, “Initially there were 10 utilities involved, but it seemed sensible to
extend that out and after a few emails, within 72 hours, we had 80 utilities
from around the world. Within 10 days we were at 140, with participants from
every continent, and the number is continuing to rise each day.”
To help curate the rich stream of information the group was sharing, two
colleagues were tasked with monitoring the WhatsApp group and extracting
the key points to share in a weekly webinar. The Covid-19 Update, hosted
by Piers Clark, takes place twice on Thursday to accommodate global time
differences – at 7.30 and 16.30 BST.
“Not many organisations could have done this,” Clark said. “We already had
international outreach which we were able to mobilise quickly. With a global
pandemic like Covid19 it is incredibly important that we can quickly help
people share best practice and learn from each other quickly.
“Last week as part of the weekly webinars we interviewed representatives from two Italian utilities who’ve clearly been at forefront of the European challenge.
They spoke about what they’d done and there were unexpected positives, for example, leak detection becomes easier when streets are quieter. On a more
serious note, utilities and municipalities are finding out whether their water safety plans are robust.”
Clark said issues on the technical side have been around contamination and reuse of personal protective equipment, asset management and the impact of
changes in demand on models for water network management. Companies are also learning a lot about smarter working and the benefits of letting employees
work from home.
“There has also been a lot of interest in some research recently completed in the Netherlands to monitor the virus in communities via wastewater samples,” Clark
revealed. “More recently people are asking about modelling of the financial impacts on organisations and changes in the way rates are charged and collected.
“Covid-19 is affecting everyone, it’s a global pandemic, and if ever there was a time for collaboration, this is it. The ability to communicate between colleagues
within utilities has always been quite good, but what we are seeing now is that walls between utilities have crumbled.”
Priorities And Technologies For Indicative Ballast Water
Monitoring In Great Lakes
Ballast water of commercial ships is the leading source for aquatic invasive species into the Great Lakes. A project led by Wayne State University, in collaboration
with the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) at the University of Minnesota Duluth, aims to protect the Great Lakes by helping assure that indicative
monitoring systems designed to assess invasive species management are effective.
Indicative monitoring enables rapid assessment of ballast water management system compliance with state, national and international ballast regulations. This
is critical for accurate assessment of harmful organism hazards.
Last year, the project team convened ballast water monitoring tool developers, Great Lakes government officials and other stakeholders for workshops to
explore the range of ballast water monitoring tools; their applicability to Great Lakes monitoring objectives; organisms and conditions; and their usability.
The workshops successfully informed monitoring tool developers on ways to adapt their tools to better serve the Great Lakes. This initiative also apprised the
region’s policy community of tool capabilities and limitations in the context of the Great Lakes’ unique ecosystem conditions.
The workshops also led to a new guidebook, Indicative Technologies for Ballast in the Great Lakes. This guidebook and the associated project website provide a
standing resource for regulators, resource managers, ship owners, monitoring tool developers; and other stakeholders to support protection of the Great Lakes
through effective and informed indicative monitoring of ballast water.
“This guidebook is essential for managing the threat of invasive species in the Great Lakes,” said project team member Euan D. Reavie, a Senior Research
Associate and an expert on water quality at NRRI. “Prior to this work, there was no way to know for sure whether rapid assessment technologies on ships were
complying with ballast water requirements. This moves us toward being able to deploy ballast water monitoring tools with confidence.”
Other project team members include lead researcher Jeffrey L. Ram from Wayne State University, Allegra A. Cangelosi from Pennsylvania State University and
Mary Balcer from the University of Wisconsin-Superior (emeritus). The project was funded by the Great Lakes Protection Fund.
Page 8

Remote Streaming: Software Can Help Workers Remotely Operate
A Water Treatment Plant In This Boston Suburb
When Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker ordered a statewide closure of non-
essential businesses to help contain the spread of COVID-19 last week, the
order left many businesses scrambling to keep their companies running from
a distance. But Haverhill Water Division’s 10 plant workers remained calm.
The essential function of the water treatment plant meant its workers could
still report to the site. They also knew that if restrictions tighten further, the
plant can keep operating with just one person on-site and the rest of the crew
managing the system remotely.
“We’re ready to go if that happens,” says John D’Aoust, the water treatment
plant manager for the city of Haverhill, a Boston suburb. “We have the ability
to get into our plant remotely and operate it through a VPN” — a virtual private
network. “No matter what location we’re in, we always have good notification
in place, and we always know what’s going on.”
The city’s water system supplies 58,000 homes and businesses with more
than 2 billion gallons of water annually. One of the oldest communities in
Massachusetts, Haverhill sits between the Merrimack River and the New
Hampshire border. Its 36 square miles encompass farmland, a ski area and a
bustling downtown, where redevelopment is reviving redbrick mills once built
for shoemaking.
Haverhill Water is already ahead of the game — the plant has been using a form
of remote digital access for 13 years now. In 2007, with the state’s approval, the
plant was an early adopter of remote operations and monitoring. Upgrading
to GE Digital’s iFIX automation software allowed the plant to run overnight on
a skeleton crew of just one operator. What that means in practice: If anyone
on-site ever needs assistance, the remaining operations staff are authorized
to fire up their laptops or tablets and securely connect to the water system to
advise on-site staff or take action themselves.
Water plants like Haverhill, a mid-sized utility, source water from reservoirs and transform it into the safe, clean drinking water that flows from their customers’
taps. The series of crucial steps in between is the science of modern water treatment. Haverhill pulls water from two reservoirs (and gravity helps with a third)
into Kenoza Lake, where the plant runs it through a series of eight treatments. Additives like aluminium sulphate — a coagulant used for water purification —
draw out surface solids through electromagnetic attraction. Filtering through sand and granular activated carbon removes impurities just like a water-filtration
pitcher at home. Haverhill also fluoridates its water (a common step taken for public dental health) and treats it with a zinc compound that inhibits pipe
corrosion. Outside the plant, the utility maintains water storage tanks to sustain consistent water pressure for customers.
GE’s automation system allows the water department to control every step of the process from any digital device anywhere in the world. Employees can open
and shut Kenoza Lake from its reservoir feeds, set pumps that control chemical treatments, monitor pH and chemical levels, and adjust chemical concentrations.
On top of monitoring and control, every pumping station, feed pump and critical motor has a digital alarm linked into the software.
Since Haverhill adopted this technology more than a dozen years ago, its software, workflow and small-crew capabilities have all become second nature, and
the system has continued to run smoothly. “If you put all the proper plans in place, and you have the right hardware to enable the necessary security, you can
do this safely and securely,” D’Aoust says.
For now, the plant’s 10 staffers continue to work on-site every day, following public health guidelines like distancing from one another and disinfecting common
areas to keep the crew safe. An expansion project on the site has been isolated from the plant’s daily operations as an extra precaution. While there’s no need
yet for completely remote monitoring, D’Aoust says his team is prepared for that move: “As long as it has an adequate supply of chemicals and electricity, this
plant will just continue to run.”
Page 9

The technology of the Internet of Things (IoT) has been a pioneer in developing solutions that are rich in monitoring, analytical, and automation features. These
innovative features allow the industry to optimize operational methodologies, boost overall equipment effectiveness, and automate processes that are generally
performed manually.
While this cutting-edge technology has already projected its potential in the manufacturing sector and other production centric industries, its benefits are now
being apprehended in utilities. IoT has already made some astounding developments in this segment.
The market size of IoT in utility reached a peg of US$28.6 billion in 2019 and is forecasted to reach a market valuation of $53.8 billion in 2024. That’s a compound
annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5 percent from 2019 and is a clear indicator of the acceptance of the technology in this vertical. Utilities with the features of
IoT will be able to eliminate operational inefficiencies, optimize resource utilization, and increase the reach of the services they develop to more end consumers.
While the IoT has uplifted the utility segment of oil & gas and energy, the advent of this technology is now clearly visible in water industries and sewage
management. The solutions developed through this technology can be expected to form long-reverberating ripples that will help these sectors immensely.
However, before we discuss the applications of IoT for water utilities and sewage treatment, let us discuss the need for IoT in these segments.
Why IoT For Water Industry?
The global population is growing at an uncontrollable rate. The population has multiplied 4 times from what it was 100 years ago. With limited resources for
fresh and drinkable water, it is very difficult for water producers of different countries to supply potable water to the ever-growing population.
Additionally, water utilities and wastewater treatment facilities still operate on legacy systems that restrict them to boost the production rate and cater to
the increasing needs. The lack of monitoring systems and analytics tools along with the workforce-dependent operations refrain them from enhancing their
efficiency and detect loopholes that can be mitigated to increase the supply of potable water cost-effectively.
Let us now look at some of the applications of IoT in the water industry:
Level Monitoring
One of the many applications of IoT that is quite prevalent in many industries dealing with liquid products is tank level monitoring. The same solution can be
used by water utilities to track the amount of water stored in overhead tanks of different localities. The level-monitoring systems measure the level of water in
these tanks through smart sensors embedded on the inner surface of the tank. Based on the level readings, the volume of water stored in these tanks can also be
supervised. Hence utilities, in real time, can supervise and track the volume of water stored in tanks and subsequently manage supply and demand conditions.
The same solution can be used is sewer lines to monitor the level of water flowing in the conduits. Henceforth, municipalities can take proactive measures to
prevent overfilling of manholes whenever it starts raining cats and dogs.
Water Quality Measurement
Water utilities also need to make sure that they provide end consumers with drinkable water free from any impurities or contaminations. IoT systems can also be
used to ensure optimum water quality at all times. Multi-parameter measuring sensors and probes can be used to administer water quality parameters (WQPs)
like turbidity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), and salinity. This not only allows utilities to provide their users with fresh water, but also helps them to prevent
corrosion of their equipment and pipeline generally caused due to contaminants present in water.
Water Supply Management
Smart metering along with level monitoring allows water utilities to identify and balance the supply and demand conditions in a particular locality. Smart water
meters can be used by the utilities to monitor the amount of water consumed by end users in real time. The data pertaining to water usage can then be used to
determine the demand in a locality and release water accordingly. Water stored in overhead tanks can also be tracked to incorporate effective water distribution
practices. Utilities can hence optimally manage the treatment and production of water, use the limited water resources effectively, and increase their reach to
more remote and isolated locations.
Wastewater Treatment and Management
Treating wastewater is one of the many prominent duties of water utilities. It is much more effective and useful to reuse the wastewater after it is cleansed
than finding freshwater resources in water-scarce locations. IoT in wastewater treatment can be used to identify the contaminants mixed in wastewater and
subsequently pass it through different treatment processes to clean it in a cost-effective manner. In-built analytics features of IoT systems can be used to
accomplish this task that will improve the efficiency of water treatment plants and suffice the water needs in water struck locality.
Conclusion
With the help of IoT technology, the water industry can realize benefits that were not possible before. IoT, with its advanced features and capabilities, allows
water utilities to supply the required amount of potable and safe water to end consumers, optimize water treatment processes, and improve the capabilities of
their water distribution system.
The technology is a Holy Grail for utilities as they can use it to deliver uninterrupted water in these water-scarce times to people located in remote and isolated
places without any difficulty. In the time to come, the technology in the water industry will boost the production rate of water that will help in facilitating the
supply among the growing population.
How Can The Water Industry Benefit From IoT Technology?
Page 10

Flood early warning system for tropical coasts
A working group of researchers from Deltares, the US, Australia, New Caledonia, UK, New Zealand, Spain and Fiji, published a roadmap to develop flood
modelling systems for the world’s tropical coastlines.
Increasing flood risks
Many tropical countries and islands with reef-lined coasts are
increasingly at risk of coastal flooding from tropical cyclones and
rising sea levels. The Understanding Flooding Of Reef-lined Coasts
(UFORiC ) working group has set its heart on providing stakeholders in
coral reef-lined coastal zones with tools and research to reduce risks.
The group wants, as one of their priorities, to establish links with
meteorological services, emergency managers, and stakeholders
such as development banks and insurance companies.
Small islands extra vulnerable
Tropical coral reef-lined coasts have always been exposed to extreme
storm impacts. Sea level rise, changes in wind and weather patterns
and the widespread deterioration of coral reefs will make these small
island nations even more prone to flooding. At the same time, most
economic assets and approximately a third of the population across
all small island nations are situated in the low-lying coastal plains, i.e.
within 5 m elevation of mean sea level.
A global joint effort is necessitated by the limited resources each small coastal or island nation has in order to develop flood early warning systems and coastal
climate services in support of adaptation.
Many processes
The UFORiC working group combined expertise on sea level
rise, waves, flood forecasting and reef processes enables
the design of a modelling system specific to forecast coastal
flooding on coral reef-lined coasts.
There are many processes at play on coral reef-lined coasts
that differ greatly from other environments and that
necessitate a specialized approach. Deltares played a crucial
role in figuring out the optimal use and coupling of various
hydrodynamic models to produce relevant information for
stakeholders in small island nations.
Early warning on cyclones concentrates on the prediction of its track and wind speeds. Less attention
goes to prediction of the storm surge. Here seen the track of cyclone Harold that passed Nadi, Fiji.
Based on the open Delft-FEWS forecasting model, Deltares combines major components of the Delft3D FM
modelling systems with codes used in the model for Simulating Waves Near Shore (SWAN).
Page 11

Feature Article:
Applying Data-as-a-Service
to the Wastewater Sector
Introduction
A major concern with real-time monitoring networks is the accuracy and reliability of data. In 2017, SWAN surveyed 23 global water utilities about their Big Data
management practices as part of a Water Research Foundation (WRF) study, including their barriers to adoption – shown in Fig. 1 below.
Based on these survey results, “Data quality” and “Lack of talent to create and run Big Data processing and analytics on an ongoing basis” were identified as
the greatest impediment factors, followed by “Lack of talent to implement Big Data” and “Data security.” One potential change agent to addressing these pain
points is the “Data-as-a-Service” (DaaS) model, an outsourced approach to data collection, delivery, and verification.
What is DaaS?
DaaS is an innovative business model transforming the way organisations gather, share and interpret data by accessing data on demand. It can be defined as “a
framework for designing and developing a set of reusable data services that are designed based on enterprise level standards” (Sarkar, 2015). In recent years,
DaaS has gained considerable momentum as enterprises across all sectors are moving towards a service-orientated architecture. In essence, DaaS enables
users to only pay for the final analytics they wish to receive instead of purchasing and maintaining the equipment themselves. Thus, there are no sunk costs
for hardware, data collection, storage or support with these risks remaining with the Data Provider. DaaS also relieves the obstacles involved in training and
retaining staff to oversee the operational status of a network (van Vugt and Jacobsen, 2017). Any type of service involves providing a clear value to customers
and facilitating successful outcomes the customer wants to achieve, while managing associated risks. Below, Fig. 2 displays the “service” aspect of DaaS.
Fig. 1: The results were originally obtained using 1-5 ratings and were adjusted to a Low/Medium/High
scale where 1 and 2 were combined to be “Low”, 3 was made “Medium,” and 4 and 5 were combined to
be “High” (SWAN, 2017).
Fig. 2: Key features of a service (Sarkar, 2015).
Page 12

There are notable DaaS challenges, such as concerns over data ownership, data security, and affordability (Truong and Dustdar, 2010). However, one of the main
features of DaaS is that the cost of data collection, cleansing, and analytics is known, making it easier to forecast budget expenses and plan ahead.
Below, are a few guiding principles of DaaS.
Architecture not technology. DaaS is an architectural framework, beyond a mere technology or application. Its underlying foundation
is typically based on the concept of service reuse, enabling users to utilise common, standardised services over the web, the Cloud, and
related technology for multiple purposes within an organisation (van Vugt and Jacobsen, 2017).
Focus on data quality. For any DaaS service provider, the quality of published data is the primary strategic asset that distinguishes them
in the eyes of their service consumers. Therefore, it should be viewed as a key differentiator that must be exploited to drive market share
by the data provider. The information fed to DaaS subscribers has to be consistent, timely and accurate and meet all the SLA (service-level
agreements) specified by business stakeholders with regards to quality and fitness for use (Sarkar, 2015).
Data governance challenge. Data governance is often the most challenging aspect of a DaaS program due to the high degree of coordination
required to gain consensus among multiple stakeholders on major governance issues. This is impacted by several items including local
data laws (e.g. if the data must be encrypted), the support of data quality assurance, security and privacy compliance, data classification,
information lifecycle, and auditing features that a DaaS system can support (Truong and Dustdar, 2009). Anyone considering a DaaS program
should be aware that data governance is a critical success factor to the long-term growth and sustainability of data services across the
organisation.
Within the water sector, DaaS is more commonly applied to wastewater operations with utilities outsourcing the operation and maintenance (O&M) of different
services to outside private companies, such as for total wastewater system operations, combined sewage overflow (CSO) monitoring, water quality monitoring,
and industrial pollution detection. To provide the required data, the Data Provider is responsible for acquiring and maintaining the necessary equipment to
measure, collect, store, and transmit data to deliver reliable results. In different cases, a utility may choose to purchase the equipment themselves (e.g. flow
sensors, level sensors, remote stations), rent the equipment, or only pay for the data they wish to receive. As a relatively new business model for the water
sector, there is limited, existing information on how DaaS can impact utility operations and improve customer and environmental outcomes.
Next Steps
Despite several successful utility case studies for DaaS within the wastewater sector, there are still several unknowns, such as the questions listed below:
• What are the main utility motivations to implement DaaS? What are the biggest barriers?
• Is DaaS only suitable for utilities that do not have the capacity to install, operate and maintain their own network?
• How do utility DaaS practices compare across different wastewater applications, as well as across different sectors?
• How does DaaS improve the efficiency of utility operations and maintenance?
• Do DaaS utilities have improved regulatory compliance compared to non-DaaS utilities?
• Do DaaS utilities prefer to just acquire data, report summaries, or also predictive insights?
• What makes a utility an appropriate fit for DaaS?
Over the course of the next 6-9 months, I will investigate these questions by carrying out (1) a global utility survey and (2) an in-depth study of select utilities
using DaaS for different wastewater applications to determine best data management strategies, data quality procedures, contract preferences, regulatory
performance, and more. Each of these studies will be available for free to SWAN Members.
Work Cited
Sarkar, P. 2015. Data as a Service - Framework for Providing Re-Usable Enterprise Data Services. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
SWAN. 2017. “Big Data Management Survey - Utilities.” Available at: <https://www.swan-forum.com/swan-research/> (Accessed January 2, 2019)
Truong, H. L., & S. Dustdar. 2010. On evaluating and publishing data concerns for data as a service. In Services Computing Conference (APSCC), 2010 IEEE Asia-
Pacific (pp. 363-370). IEEE.
van Vugt, M. and O Jacobsen. 2017 “A literature review of Data as a Service; Defining Schools of Thought.” Department of Engineering, Natural Sciences and
Economics, Faculty of Marketing, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden. http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1080792/FULLTEXT01.pdf
About the Author
Amir Cahn is the current Executive Director of the SWAN Forum, the leading global hub dedicated to the smart water sector,
accelerating the awareness and adoption of data-driven technologies in water and wastewater networks worldwide. A non-
profit organisation, SWAN brings together key players in the water sector to collaborate and share knowledge while offering
access to cutting-edge research, global networking opportunities, and the ability to proactively influence the future of the
water industry.
AswellasleadingtheSWANForumforthepastsevenyearsanddrivingitfromstrengthtostrengthAmiriscurrentlycompleting
a part-time PhD on Data-as-a-Service.
Page 13

Flow is one of the most fundamental parameters we measure for understanding and managing
clean and waste water networks and processes. Good flow measurement practice is also
fundamental to directly (and indirectly) demonstrating compliance with the obligations the
regulators put on water companies through permits, ODIs and other targets. In this shiny new
AMP we are entering, the monitoring of flow, as well as pressure and other parameters, in both
clean and wastewater networks will be subject to greater scrutiny and new investment.
In the clean water network, the imperative to reduce leakage and manage resources to meet
challenges such as population growth and climate change, is driving changes in the way we
look at and apply flow measurement. This includes our understanding of the accuracy of trunk
mains meters to help understand upstream losses, the evolution of smarter networks and the
capabilities of the meters within those networks, through to revenue meters and the role of
smart meters to deliver improvements in customer service and provide greater insights into
demand patterns, and hence resource requirements. These are all areas in which we at WRc
are active, using our testing capabilities and our analytical skills - often fusing the two to provide
deeper insights into operational and strategic problems.
On the wastewater side, the U_MON3 and U_MON4 drivers in the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), will increase in the installation
of instrumentation to monitor compliance with treatment works permits. In the last two AMPs there has been a strong focus on monitoring discharges from
wastewater treatment works to the environment through the Environment Agency’s MCERTS scheme. In this new AMP, the spotlight is being shone on the
compliance of works with their permit conditions for flow to full treatment (FFT) or pass forward flows (PFF). Many works already have good quality flow
measurement systems on their inlets, some of which are inspected by the MCERTS inspectors as the site MCERTS meter on the grounds that what goes in
comes out the other end. On other sites there may be inlet flow measurement equipment capable of being upgraded to meet MCERTS standards. However, it
was estimated in the UKWIR report Wastewater Treatment Works Flow To Full Treatment - Monitoring And Compliance Assessment Method Development (18/
WW/21/17) that about one third of works did not have suitable inlet measurement for FFT compliance assessment as their MCERTS meters were on the outlet.
The same report, however, suggested ways of inferring FFT compliance from discharge data if storm spills could be monitored. At WRc, we have been working
with the Environment Agency to develop new standards for the use of event duration monitors (EDMs) for this purpose. The EDMs will be at the works inlet or
at the point of last spill before the works and, by enabling spill events to be correlated with discharge flow data, will allow FFT compliance to be ascertained with
a reasonable degree of confidence.
Drafts of two new documents, one covering EDM installation and the other an EDM product standard, similar to other existing MCERTS product standards,
have been published and are currently out for comment. The expectation is that, when finalised, these will form part of the MCERTS scheme, with products
being tested and certified as fit for purpose and the installations being inspected by the MCERTS inspectors in the way that the discharge flow monitoring
arrangements are at present.
As companies strive to meet their obligations to extend monitoring under U_MON3 and U_MON4 without incurring excessive expenditure, interest is rising
in some of the new technologies for flow measurement – particularly the area-velocity type meters. These offer a cost beneficial alternative to conventional
weirs and flumes, as they do not require the extensive civil engineering that a new flume, for example, would. WRc began looking at, and testing, such devices a
number of years ago. A study for the Environment Agency led to the development of MCERTS Bulletin 27 which gives guidance on their installation and use for
discharge monitoring under MCERTS. However, it is fair to say that aspects of Bulletin 27 have proved controversial – one in particular being the recommendations
around the distance required to achieve fully developed flow conditions for good flow measurement. The document was produced taking account of the best
evidence available at the time but as the desire to use these instruments increases, we feel that it’s now time to take a closer look at how the performance of
such devices is affected by certain parameters, including hydraulic conditions. WRc, working closely with United Utilities, has developed a new research proposal
to investigate this topic. The proposal has received a positive response from the industry and work will be starting shortly. The Environment Agency has given
their support by indicating that any new understandings will be taken into account as they update their guidance.
So this AMP is set to be an exciting time with the challenge to extend and improve flow measurement in almost all areas of clean and wastewater operations. At
WRc our experts in all aspects of flow measurement are complemented by colleagues with expertise in networks, leakage, data analytics, testing, wastewater
and many other specialisms, to help drive improvements in the fight against leakage and the protection of the environment.
Article:
Flow in focus for the new AMP
About the Author
Andy Godley is an expert in flow measurement who has been involved with flow and metering for over 25 years covering a
wide range of applications including water, wastewater and biogas. He has worked on open channel and closed pipe flows.
At the moment a significant proportion of his work is focussed on household water metering (including smart or intelligent
metering) and effluent flow monitoring to meet regulatory requirements under MCERTS.
Andy is also working on a project surrounding the use of non-contact area velocity flow meters in flow to full treatment
applications as well as working with colleagues within WRc to produce an installation guide for event duration monitors for
flow to full treatment compliance monitoring
Page 14

Case Study:
Enfield Council Breaks New
Ground on Smart Drainage
When one thinks of ‘smart cities’ and the ‘Internet of Things’, the first thing to come to mind is unlikely to be drainage. And yet drainage services are a
fundamental part of our daily lives, and there is no reason why the latest IoT technology shouldn’t transform the way we manage our drainage systems.
At the forefront of smart drainage in the UK is Enfield Council, which has become the first council in England to roll out a series of ‘smart gullies’.
The gullies, which are designed and manufactured by North-Wales based company DMS Live, have the appearance of normal gully grates, but inside are
embedded with sensors that measure a variety of conditions within the gully, including water depth, temperature, and blockages. The data collected by these
sensors are then uploaded over the cellular network, and made available via an online portal.
According to Michael Shorey, the Senior Engineer for Structures &
Watercourses at Enfield Council, the smart gullies have all been deployed
at flooding hotspots throughout Enfield, including sites where there had
previously been property damage and major disruption caused by ponding
at junctions. These new gullies have given Enfield the ability to monitor the
performance of all those drains, and be notified immediately if any drain
has a rise in water level that is likely to lead to an overflow event. This allows
him to dispatch his crews quicker and tackle the problem before it escalates,
causing damage to local property-owners, threatening the safety of roadside
users, and hindering transport. It also means Enfield does not have to deploy
teams unnecessarily to conduct regular ‘check ups’ of perfectly functioning
drains.
Smart devices have been used in the wider drainage sector for a
number of years, particularly in water treatment plants and pumping
stations. However, until now, the only smart devices used in roadside
drains have been external devices that aren’t integrated into the
drainage infrastructure, but rather bolted onto the side of a gully
chamber. Such devices have proved to be too fragile for the harsh
drainage environment, and this, along with connectivity issues, has
severely discouraged take-up.
DMS Live’s integrated smart gullies overcome these issues by
encapsulating all the sensors, the communications device, and the power source (an ultra-long life battery) within the gully grate itself, and by broadcasting the
data directly from the grate, rather than from deep inside the chamber. This is only possible as the smart gully has been constructed out of a specially-designed
composite material that provides the same strength as cast iron gully grates, but that does not interfere with the signal (as happens with ferrous materials).
The composite grate also provides additional benefits, providing more grip for cyclists, greater ease-of-installation, and preventing the ‘clanking’ noise long-
associated with iron grates.
Example of Enfield’s Online Portal
Page 15

“When it comes to highway drainage, reliability has to be at the centre of everything,” says Andrew Brooksbank, founder and CEO of DMS Live. “Once installed,
you don’t want to have to close the road again to be fixing the technology within a year. That’s why we’ve delivered an incredibly robust device that is guaranteed
for five years.”
“We are excited to be working with Enfield Council to break new ground in the world of smart drainage, demonstrating the ability of our devices to significantly
reduce the impact of flooding, while also saving the Council money by reducing the number of unnecessary inspections.”
Following the success of this project, smart gully deployments have already been commissioned by a number of other local authorities throughout the UK, so it
mightn’t be long before smart drainage becomes as central to the idea of a smart city, as drainage is to city planning in general.
The Reasons Behind The Wide Array Of Liner And Electrode
Choices In Magnetic Flow Meters
Electromagnetic flow meters offer significant benefits in water, wastewater, and industrial applications because they can be reliably used to measure liquid with
many different characteristics. Since these devices contain no moving parts, making them virtually maintenance-free, they are becoming the workhorse for a
growing number of utilities and industrial operations.
Despite the advantages, however, electromagnetic flow meters — commonly known as magnetic or mag meters — are often avoided based on the misconception
that there are limitations on what they can measure.
The reality is that as long as suppliers offer a variety of liner and electrode options, magnetic flow meters can be used in almost any situation to measure a
conductive liquid. The only question is how to build a meter for a specific application to both maximize performance and minimize costs.
Behind The Technology
The only wetted parts — the parts the process touches — on a magnetic meter are the grounding rings, the electrodes, and the liner. Wetted parts all play a
significant role in the success and longevity of the device.
Not only does the magnetic meter process the water flowing through it, but also the chemicals that are used in treatment. Some of those chemicals are very
nasty and extremely corrosive, so the wetted parts need to be chemically compatible. For example, one fluoride additive to drinking water, hydrofluorosilicic
acid (HF), is only compatible with Teflon, platinum, and some ceramics. Where a normal wastewater stream might be fine with a magnetic meter that contains
a hard rubber liner, stainless steel electrodes, and grounding rings, the same meter wouldn’t work if the stream contained harsh chemicals like HF.
Chemical compatibility is necessary to prevent scaling that will impede measurements. That is why magnetic meter manufacturers such as KROHNE produce a
wide variety of electrodes for the application.
Another factor is the solids that may be present in the stream. Magnetic meters are based on electrodes measuring voltage generated by the conductive
substance as it moves through a magnetic field. When voltage is added with the presence of solids, an error can occur in the reading. Low-noise electrodes are
available for those applications to prevent interference from occurring when solids make contact.
For special applications, there are electrode-less magnetic meters that read the voltage via capacitance from behind a ceramic liner. Removing electrodes from
the flow stream removes the need to find a compatible metal for the process. These are typically beneficial for treatment plant operators with streams that
contain certain chemicals or extremely greasy sludge, where the grease tends to build up on itself and eventually clogs the pipe.
In wastewater, there are many systems that must contend with substantial amounts of grease. Exposed electrodes tend to exacerbate the grease issue, whereas
a ceramic-lined magnetic meter without electrodes is a smooth, continuous, non-porous surface that helps avoid the problem.
Because there are applications that are also very abrasive, a variety of liner choices will also contribute to the more widespread adoption of magnetic meters.
For example, when pipelines are used for heavy slurry, such as mining or dredging, the liners are susceptible to premature wear if they are not compatible. For
dredging situations, a tile liner is combined with carbon steel edges leading into the meter to take the brunt of the flow coming in. For mining, meters can be
outfitted with a soft rubber liner that is double thickness.
Any magnetic meter built to address all applications would likely be overkill, thereby rendering it prohibitively expensive for most installations, so liner and
electrode choices allow manufacturers to account for the widest possible breadth of applications.
Page 16

Article:
Wastewater, Instrumentation and
the Asset Management Period
For those who follow what happens in the water industry you can’t have failed to have seen what has been happening over the past 6 months with regard to
Price Reviews, appeals to the Competition and Markets Authority and most recently the start of the next Asset Management Period. The Water Industry has
now entered the 7th asset management period since privatisation, a period that will see huge amount of money spent with a £51 billion plan outlaid in all of the
water companies Price Review plans and agreed (or not as the case maybe) in the OFWAT final determinations. The customer of course has a right to understand
what this is all being spent on as after all it is there money that is being spent.
The first thing to note is that in reality £51 billion is actually not an unusual amount of money for a water industry that supplies approximately 16 billion litres of
water each day to customers and treats even more wastewater. When we look back through the history of the industry since privatisation that a £51 billion spend
is pretty much what it costs to pay for everything from operating and running approximately 10,000 wastewater treatment works and hundreds of thousands
of miles of sewer on just the wastewater side of the business. In the asset management period that the industry has just completed the overall operational and
capital spend was £44 billion as the industry shifted to a total expenditure approach to the way of operation. Figure 1 shows the spend within the water industry
since the 3rd Asset Management Period (2000-2005).
Figure 1 Investment in the Water Industry from 2000 -2025
It should be noted that the figures for AMPs 3, 4 & 5 only include the capital investment that the industry made and not the operational expenditure that it costs
to pay the electricity bills, staff and all the other day to day costs. In total approximately £200 billion has been spent but again the question is, on what?
To understand on what it is necessary to understand the Price Review process. In this process the water companies have to account for what it is going to cost
to run the water industry and include for everything from the day to day costs to capital projects that can range from installing a sensor, to unblocking pipes and
building or renovating wastewater treatment works and the wastewater network to making them bigger to account for an increase in the number of people
(growth). On top of this is a series of environmental improvements that are agreed in negotiation between the Environment Agency and the Water Companies
themselves. This is the Water Industry National Environment Programme or WINEP. This programme is there to protect the environment and looking through
the most recent version of the programme (agreed in March 2019) this included a total of 10,626 projects for the water industry to deliver. These projects
range from ensuring that the bathing waters, that customers and tourists enjoy, are of an excellent quality, to protecting businesses (such as Shellfisheries), to
protecting the aquatic environment and wildlife. Figure 2 summarises the areas that the projects are in:
Figure 2 Projects within the WINEP programme and where they are being spent.
Page 17

As we can see by Figure 2 the majority of projects within the WINEP programme are being spent in the general categories of the Urban Wastewater Treatment
Directive and the Water Framework Directive. Within these areas the industry is investing in protecting the environment from eutrophication by removing
nutrients like phosphorus at the wastewater treatment works to putting in a programme to improve flow monitoring and control at wastewater treatment
works to ensure that the maximum amount of wastewater is treated through the wastewater system. This started in the AMP that has just finished with the
event duration monitoring programme that looked to monitor the overflows in the combined sewer network and is continuing in this AMP with monitoring
and improvements in storm management at the wastewater treatment works. Figure 3 shows that just under 92% of all projects are either in the monitoring
or investigation of the wastewater system or improving the system and the environment as a result of previous studies.
The WINEP programme is not the whole picture either and around the wastewater side of the water industry there are some heavy performance targets for the
Water Companies to work to. These first appeared in the last AMP in the form of Outcome Delivery Incentives (ODIs) which penalised the water companies if
they didn’t perform and rewarded them if they did. There are of course areas, on top of the WINEP programme, that the water companies need to concentrate
on and devote resources to. In the latest AMP ODIs the penalties if water companies do not perform in certain areas are very severe as it is expected by both
the regulator and the customers that the water company performs in these areas. On the potable side of the industry most people would be familiar with
targets around leakage. On the wastewater side the targets are more focussed around elements such as flooding of both the customer and the environment
outside of what is expected to discharge in times of storm. The majority of these issues are caused by blockages within the wastewater network caused by
sewer misuse. Most people will have seen in recent years the issues around fat’s, oils and greases that have combined with wet wipes to cause fatbergs. The
water companies have been very active in talking about the 3Ps (Pee, Poo & Paper) as being the only thing to flush down the toilet to prevent blockages within
the sewer network. This public engagement must continue, and the water companies must work with their customers to prevent more of this happening or the
financial implications are, to be frank, extreme. This is demonstrated in Figure 4 which shows the cost implications if water companies can’t meet their targets
in this area. In total across the industry the implications of not achieving any target and incurring the full penalty is in the region of £3 billion or achieving all of
the targets at their maximum benefit is in the region of £780 million for the wastewater side of the industry. In reality some companies will be able to achieve
some of the targets and some will incur some of the penalties but the reality of not achieving anything or achieving everything is highly remote.
So where does the customer come into this? It is in the continuation of the water & wastewater services to the nation and in the improvement of the aquatic
environment that the customers will see the benefit in what the industry will deliver in this AMP. The investigations and the monitoring that will take place will
also inform the future of the water industry. Instrumentation, data and the smart water industry is at the centre of the investment as monitoring and data of
the water industry becomes an even greater fundamental part of how the industry operates.
Figure 3 Projects in the 2020-2025 WINEP Programme
Figure 4: Cumulative Cost Implication of achieving (right hand side) or not achieving the target around external sewer flooding
Page 18

Water, Wastewater & Environmental Monitoring Conference & Exhibition
25th
- 26th
May 2021 - Telford International Exhibition Centre, Telford, United Kingdom
The biennial WWEM conference & exhibition is the premium instrumentation & monitoring conference in the UK Calendar and is an
event that WIPAC gets heavily involved in. This year there will be the WIPAC Flow Forum, a joint Digital Transformation Conference
with the SWAN Forum as well as a the Instrumentation Apprentice Competition and a new and improved Learning & Development
Zone with some of the UK’s leading professional institutes including CIWEM, the Institute of Measurement & Control, the Future
Water Association and British Water.
International Water Association Digital Water Summit
30th
November - 3rd
December 2020 -Euskalduna Conference Centre, Bilbao, Spain
In 2020, the first edition of the IWA Digital Water Summit will take place under the tag-line “Join the transformation journey”
designed to be the reference in digitalisation for the global water sector. The Summit has a focus on business and industry, while
technology providers and water utilities will be some of the key participants that will discuss and shape the agenda of the Summit.
The programme includes plenary sessions, interactive discussions, side events, exhibition, technical visits, and social events
SWAN Forum Conference
22nd
- 23rd
July 2020 - Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow,United Kingdom
The SWAN 10th Annual Conference taking place 22-23 July 2020 as a virtual conference! This year’s theme, “Moving Beyond Data
to Value Creation” will showcase smart water/wastewater solutions that demonstrate societal, environmental, and financial value
benefits for utilities, customers, and other key stakeholders. The Conference will feature over 30 leading, global utility speakers and
diverse industry leaders. There will also be a Digital Twin pre-conference workshop on 21st July 2020
Sensor for Water Interest Group Workshops
20th
May - Migration to Smarter Communications - Interactive Webinar
10th
June - Odour Measurement & Control - Interactive Webinar
1st
July - Measuring Water Resources
The Sensors for Water Interest Group has moved their workshops for the foreseeable future online. The next workshop on 1st April
is free for SWIG Members to try out the concept.
Future of Utilities Summit
Dates to be confirmed - Bishopsgate, London, United Kingdom
Future of Utilities Summit brings top-level energy and water executives together to transform business models and adapt to the
disruption in the market. Learn from board-level executives from EDF Energy, Thames Water and SP Energy Networks, and join
senior representatives from every important industry player to exchange ideas, raise your profile, unlock solutions and accelerate
industry change.
Page 19
Conferences, Events,
Seminars & Studies
Conferences, Seminars & Events
2020 Conference Calendar
Due to the current international crisis there has been a large amount of disruption in the conference calendar. A lot of workshops have
moved online at least in the interim and a lot of organisations are using alternative means of getting the knowledge out there such as
webinars popping up at short notice. Do check your regular channels about information and events that are going on. Also do check on
the dates provided here as they are the best at the time of publishing but as normal things are subject to change.

wwem.uk.com
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Tel: +44 (0)1727 858840
email: info@wwem.uk.com
Over 100 Free workshops,
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water, wastewater and
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Page 20

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