BlueEdge: unlocking the potential of data with Badger Meter

You’ve spent your career in the water sector, what changes are most profound?

It’s a little scary to look back at how different the world was only a short time ago. I joined the industry in the late 90s — crazy to think I shared a work cell phone when I started, email was king, and the internet was pretty basic. But looking back, the change to digital was already well underway for utilities by then. My first job was digitizing paper plans of pipe locations as part of a team creating a Geographic Information System (GIS), then building network hydraulic models to be able to compute how water was getting safely across the city to consumer taps. I love to remember those days because those technologies that I started working on still underpin the foundations of most utility’s digital journeys today — measuring what’s happening, mapping, looking for patterns in data and trying to avoid problems by bringing all those things together.

What does the digital landscape look like for water utilities today?

I think we all see that the world is now a very different place, and it’s no different for water utilities. I have been extremely lucky to have worked with and for water utilities in many different parts of the world in my time and it’s fair to say no two utilities are the same. Despite differences, the challenges being faced by utilities today all do seem to converge on the same things to a greater or lesser extent: there is pressure to be more efficient, extreme weather changes are unsettling water cycles, and increasingly demanding consumers and stakeholders with higher expectations around the services provided.

Thankfully, the water sector is blessed with some game-changing technologies that continue to transform the industry and help meet these ever-tougher operating needs.

New technologies from our everyday lives undoubtedly raise consumer expectations of what great service looks like, and utility customers do expect to receive the same if not higher quality, level of convenience, speed and quantity of communication that they have become accustomed to in other areas of their lives.

Technology can really help keep utilities up to speed with customer service and also bring some awesome improvements to almost all of the challenges faced by water utilities today.  It’s obvious that utilities are all at different stages of their digital journeys but it’s comforting to consider that it is the same journey because ultimately everyone is heading toward an understanding that, “if you can't monitor it, you can't manage it,” and most utilities are driven to work smarter.

The world of metering has changed beyond recognition in recent years. Driven in large part by today’s meters and the data they provide bring significantly greater value than the simple billing transaction they were first meant for. In the U.S., where advanced metering infrastructure is more widely adopted than in many other places, the advantages that utilities have now compared to only a few short years ago are staggering.

The decision to go wider on our core offerings brings us to BlueEdge, our suite of solutions that can be custom deployed according to customer needs

Today Badger Meter brings visibility to our utility customers through a wealth of new measurement devices and platforms to bring that data together. Measuring water consumed is a great starting point but by measuring pressure as well it’s also possible to make sure that hydraulically water is reaching consumers in the right way – hitting the pressure sweet spot is one of those next-generation consumer expectations that utilities should be striving for by now. A bit like measuring heart health, we can’t just measure one or two parameters anymore; we need to look at the whole picture, and that’s why Badger Meter has extended its measurement capabilities to offer utilities a whole picture of what might be happening in their networks — measures like pressure transients, or real-time water quality data that help us diagnose and possibly treat issues before consumers become aware. This is the starting point for the next generation of water supply and one of the key things we as Badger Meter are aiming at supporting utilities to move from reactive to proactive response to issues and ultimately helping improve consumer satisfaction.

What that might look like is different for each customer. What is the same for all customers, regardless of size or location, is the potential for data to be transformative, if the right solutions are deployed at the right time.

These solutions are not one-size-fits-all. Every utility has its own unique needs and challenges that must be carefully considered when selecting and deploying a smart water solution. Whether your utility serves a few hundred customers or millions, the BlueEdge suite has a solution that is right for you.

Most advanced utilities these days are perhaps suffering with too much data and not enough knowledge, which can lead to data fatigue. We hope to simplify this process through thoughtful solutions that fit to your exact needs.

A big part of what we're delivering through BlueEdge is supporting utilities with managing that quantity of data and going beyond measurement for measurement’s sake by squeezing out insights that are highly valuable for them, keeping in mind the way that they manage their consumers and their operations.

Why is connectivity an important consideration for utility adoption of smart water systems?

Connectivity is key as a utility goes further into its digital journey. It is of no real use to have data that does not connect the dots. When done correctly, this data powers the proactive management of assets, people and processes.

At Badger Meter, our utility customers expect connectivity because they see how the world has moved on with digital connectivity in their own lives. Connection and being able to tie things together electronically or digitally are important for our customers and us. That is why it is a big part of the way we talk about ecosystems rather than individual products.

With BlueEdge and our "Choice Matters" approach, our customers can select the tools that will address their needs today and add to that deployment in the future, knowing that they can expect the same level of connectivity and performance across all our offerings.

How should utilities approach data collection and software selection to make these tools work best for their unique circumstances?

I would urge utilities to assess where they are today, and to look at the kinds of data they are collecting and match that against the problems that they're trying to solve.

We aim at supporting utilities to move from reactive to proactive response to issues and ultimately helping improve consumer satisfaction

So, if we take a utility customer that has issues with water quality, for example – let’s say they experience turbidity issues from time to time - there's a whole set of devices out there that can measure different elements of water quality. But many water quality issues can be difficult to spot or see; or only shown under certain circumstances. More complex issues need a wider view of what’s going on, so looking beyond the problem, in this case, measuring hydraulic factors, connecting events and being able to see the connection with those events is really powerful. We have one customer in London, England, who is looking at pressure transients and connecting the root cause of these transients with water quality events. Equally, we have a customer in Texas, in the U.S., who is using a full combination of our latest pressure, flow and water quality measurements and using our analytics platforms to solve problems going back many years caused by poor water reticulation. When you have the software components to be able to interpret that data and turn it into actions and insights, that is where the data collection becomes most powerful, and it is something that we're extremely passionate about.

What about connection to consumers?

The relationship between a utility and consumers can be very different in different parts of the world. We tend to see utilities judged on their performance as well as how they respond and react when unexpected things happen. The more a utility can support their customers and be able to communicate with them, even when things go wrong, creates more trust. We look at consumer engagement as a real opportunity for utilities to build a positive relationship with consumers.

Our consumer application EyeOnWater® offers the customer a means of understanding their own water use supporting their efforts to manage their water, and to reduce their bill. And then it goes beyond that transaction by providing the consumer with real usage data, along with advice on how to manage their consumption. If the only real connection you have with your utility is via an app, you need to be sure the app is reflecting the image you want your customers to take. We get very positive feedback from consumers who choose to use the app, and that positivity is directed at our customer, the utility. It really is a magical moment when consumers are delighted with their service, and we are proud to support utilities with that.

What we see is that we're scratching the surface of what those opportunities could be and that's where Badger Meter comes in. We recognize the value that information holds to our utility customers is massive, so we’re working with them to unlock that potential. When you've got such a wealth of data being captured at the very end points of the network, it can deliver new insights into how to operate your utility.

What is the Badger Meter approach to keeping sensitive customer and utility information safe and secure?

It is difficult to emphasize the degree to which security is our number one priority. It is business-critical for Badger Meter, and we take the security of our customer data extremely seriously. We pride ourselves on having the accreditations that prove how seriously we take data security. We are ISO 27001 certified, and we regularly examine our systems against SOC 2 requirements.

We know the risk of data security and the problems that can result from data breaches, so we work very clearly within the different regulations for data security and data management that exist in different regions around the world. There can also be some very specific requirements from country to country and we set ourselves up to support utilities appropriately in the places we operate.

It is not flippant to say that data security and cybersecurity are a number one priority for us. It is certainly my number one priority to make sure that our customers feel comfort in the way that we manage their data, and we take this role very seriously.

How does Badger Meter support utility water customers on their journey to technology adoption?

BlueEdge, our suite of solutions spanning the complete water cycle, represents the stretching of the boundaries of what can be done with utility data. It is exciting to hear some of those customer stories.

Our portfolio features a network of sensors, smart water meters and intelligent infrastructure that provide continuous and historical data to improve system intelligence, visibility, automation and control. With the ability to tailor to a utility’s specific needs, we can introduce solutions now and continue to build upon them in the future for a bespoke deployment.

Above all, it is truly satisfying to see utilities around the world implementing smart water technologies that monitor water quality, find leaks, detect pipe bursts, streamline processes, improve operational efficiencies and conserve water and it is fantastic to see the real benefits that flow through to consumers from all of the efforts that utilities put into delivering their services.

With BlueEdge, achieving excellence in water management is possible. Learn more at https://www.badgermeter.com/blueedge/.