G. Herrin (Bentley Systems): “Digital twins detect issues that are difficult to spot otherwise”

At Bentley Systems’ Year in Infrastructure 2024 conference, the company unveiled bold initiatives to advance open data ecosystems in infrastructure engineering. Key highlights included a partnership with Google to integrate Google’s geospatial content with Bentley’s software and digital twin platform, enhancing design, construction, and operations. Bentley also introduced OpenSite+, the first generative AI-powered tool for civil site design, aimed at boosting design quality and productivity.
Bentley’s latest innovations signal a commitment to a more connected, sustainable future for global infrastructure. But what do these advancements mean for the water industry? To find out, we spoke with Gregg Herrin, Vice President of Water Infrastructure at Bentley Systems, who leads the team behind Bentley’s industry-leading hydraulics and hydrology applications.
In this exclusive interview, Herrin offers insights into Bentley’s groundbreaking OpenSite+ — the first engineering tool to harness generative AI for civil site design — and its potential to transform productivity standards in water infrastructure projects. Herrin also discusses Bentley’s ambitious vision for open data ecosystems, setting the stage for a new era in infrastructure engineering.
A digital twin enables water operations to integrate all this information, offering insights that no individual system can provide alone
How is Bentley Systems transforming the design of new water infrastructure projects with tools like OpenSite+, and what impact do you anticipate these capabilities will have on design productivity and precision?
The most immediate impact of a tool like OpenSite+ is in how it connects site design with infrastructure considerations, which is already central to what water management encompasses. Often, we think of water infrastructure as simply networks of pipes, but in reality, every treatment plant, water tank, and pump station exists on a specific site. The same types of capabilities you’d expect for any site design application can be applied here. Whether you're constructing a new treatment facility, retrofitting an existing one, or expanding or modifying infrastructure, these tools can support that type of work effectively, using the technology we have available right now.
Additionally, some of the features demonstrated in OpenSite+ — like natural language processing that allows users to ask questions via voice and receive responses — aren't available yet for specific tasks like network design. However, it’s not a significant leap to envision them being integrated soon.
How are Bentley’s digital twin solutions helping water utilities enhance transparency and efficiency in service management and make more informed decisions based on real-time data?
The digital twin approach for water utilities builds on the recognition that a wealth of information is already available. Most utilities have a GIS system, some form of hydraulic modelling, and at least a SCADA system for pump control. Increasingly, additional data flows in from smart meters and IoT devices. A digital twin enables water operations to integrate all this information, offering insights that no individual system can provide alone. For instance, a hydraulic model is valuable but requires boundary conditions, which IoT devices and SCADA systems can supply.

Consider the example of understanding the customer impact if an issue arises. The GIS system contains spatial data, but it needs to be combined with customer information, possibly from billing systems, and viewed within a digital twin to provide a comprehensive picture. This integration enables operators to quickly assess which areas and customers would be affected if, say, a pipe break requires part of the system to be isolated.
One of the biggest challenges for water utilities is that the thousands of km of pipes are buried; it’s impossible to inspect them directly
By bringing together data from various sources, digital twins help detect issues that might be difficult to spot otherwise. Simulation tools within the digital twin allow utilities to evaluate “what if” scenarios before taking action. This way, operators can anticipate the impact of turning off a valve or adjusting a pump, helping them make informed decisions and avoid unintentional complications. Once decisions are made, the system can guide crews on where to go to turn valves and instruct operators on when to adjust pump settings, streamlining response and minimizing disruptions.
How is Bentley helping utilities maintain and optimize existing water infrastructure assets in the face of aging systems and the need for greater resiliency?
One of the biggest challenges for water utilities is that the thousands of kilometres of pipes are buried, making it impossible to inspect them directly or observe the water inside. This creates a double layer of visibility issues, unlike a cell tower where a drone can be flown to quickly capture information and locate problems.
Our tools help bridge this gap by providing insights into the behaviour of the network, allowing utilities to understand where water is flowing and, in turn, assess the potential condition of various pipes. This information helps utilities identify areas that may need closer attention or intervention based on flow patterns and pressure data.

Another area where these tools extend asset performance is with equipment like water pumps. While a pump may turn on, it’s not immediately clear if it’s operating efficiently. Visual inspection alone won’t reveal this, but by understanding how the pump functions within the broader system, we can identify inefficiencies — such as pumps consuming excessive energy without achieving desired outcomes. This analysis enables us to provide actionable insights, helping utilities decide when to repair or replace a pump, and even guiding them on the appropriate pump size for replacement. In this way, we’re offering support that goes beyond surface-level monitoring, aiding in more informed and cost-effective asset management.
How is Bentley Systems leveraging AI to enhance decision-making and streamline operations for water utilities through solutions like OpenSite+ and Bentley Asset Analytics?
The AI aspect, as I mentioned, ties into natural language processing, enabling it to interpret user questions and rapidly retrieve information that might otherwise take hours to find manually. It also excels at recognizing patterns within system data to identify potential issues that would otherwise require extensive analysis. In the context of a city-wide water network, for example, IoT devices constantly stream vast amounts of information. If someone notices that flow rates are unusually high while pressures are unusually low, they might wonder if there's a pipe leak or another underlying issue. Manually sifting through all that data to diagnose the problem could take weeks, by which time the issue could worsen significantly.
The AI aspect ties into natural language processing, enabling it to interpret user questions and retrieve information rapidly
AI can process these large data volumes efficiently, allowing it to highlight areas where potential problems might exist. It doesn’t replace engineers or operators but helps them focus their attention where it’s most needed. So instead of saying, "We think there might be a leak, let’s wait for customer complaints or send crews to search across a large area," AI can pinpoint specific areas, such as, "Start your inspection between these two intersections — that’s likely where the issue is." This targeted insight helps crews respond faster and more effectively, reducing both downtime and resource waste.
How is Bentley integrating diverse data sources, including geospatial data from Google Maps, into the iTwin platform to support water utilities in visualizing and managing their infrastructure in a more holistic manner?
It’s a bit early to say that we’ve fully integrated all of Cesium’s tools into our platform. However, it’s clear that everything we do for the water industry has a strong geospatial component. When we’re talking about things like river flooding, dam management, or even city-scale water distribution and sewer systems, geospatial data is critical. Many of the capabilities demonstrated during the Bentley Systems’ Year in Infrastructure 2024 — such as those we can achieve with Cesium and Google tools — align well with extending the GIS functionalities we already have. Our water tools are built on combining engineering data with GIS, for example, with built-in integration to ESRI’s ArcGIS Pro, allowing utilities to visualize entire citywide water networks. In fact, within iTwin, utilities can gain a citywide view of Google Map Data and accurate terrain data from Cesium 3D tiles, using open standards. With the integration of these new tools, we’ll potentially be able to see aspects like “How is ground movement impacting this system?” or “Is there something occurring that’s visible from space but undetectable by our current IoT devices?”
By next year, we’ll likely have some user stories to share about real-world applications, as we’re currently developing these capabilities. This announcement is new for us as well, but the vision is exciting. The more data sources we can incorporate, the stronger and more versatile the digital twin becomes. Some people mistakenly think of a digital twin as a single, static entity, but it’s really a combination of many interconnected systems. For example, when modelling how a water network will respond to different scenarios, there’s no reason to rely on just one model; we could use multiple models to understand a range of possible outcomes.

Right now, IoT devices can alert us to changes like a drop in pressure or an increase in flow, which may indicate a leak. But imagine pairing this with satellite imagery — if we see unexpected vegetation growth in a normally dry area, it might suggest a leak because, otherwise, where is the water coming from? This multi-layered approach allows us to detect and address issues more proactively.
What key innovations are Bentley Systems focusing on to support the continued digital transformation of the water sector, and how do you see these technologies shaping the future of water and wastewater management?
The key principle for us remains openness. We understand that water utilities operate within a broad ecosystem, and Bentley alone won’t have all the tools every utility needs. That’s why it’s essential for us to build an open platform — one that allows us to integrate with other vendors’ capabilities and enables them to use our data and tools as well.
Within iTwin, utilities can gain a citywide view of Google Map Data and accurate terrain data from Cesium 3D tiles, using open standards
Openness is also crucial when we consider the future of technology. We can’t predict exactly what tools or systems utilities will be using five or ten years from now, but we do know it’s inevitable that new technologies will emerge, so keeping data and systems open and accessible are essential for future adaptability.
Consider that a treatment plant built today might be in service for the next 50 or even 100 years. After just 20 years, new water quality regulations or population changes might necessitate significant upgrades. Because we can’t predict these changes precisely, the most effective way to prepare is by ensuring our systems remain adaptable. Instead of locking everything down in a rigid structure, we focus on flexibility and openness, which are the only ways to truly prepare for an unpredictable future.