Exploring the potential that AI offers to water utilities in achieving their sustainability goals
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to make a significant impact across various sectors, including the water sector, by assisting in data collection for asset management, energy conservation, and improved cost-efficiency, enabling water utilities to achieve their sustainability goals. Siemens, a leader in the field, offers scalable solutions that can be effectively implemented in real-world scenarios. Through proven technology, the firm showcases how AI can revolutionize the water industry worldwide.
On Thursday, September 28th at 9am (CEST)/8am UK time, Smart Water Magazine will host a webinar in collaboration with Siemens that will explore the potential of smart digital tools in the water sector as these solutions become increasingly available to support water utilities in their quest to become carbon-neutral, promising resource, energy, and cost savings. During the webinar, attendees will have the chance to engage with industry experts Adam Cartwright, Global Head of Industry Strategy for Water Industry and Holger Hanss, Business Developer of Digital Apps for Water Industry, both from Siemens, allowing for valuable interactions and enabling a deeper understanding of the company’s AI-based solutions tailored for the unique challenges of the water industry. In this interview, we sat down with Adam Cartwright to learn more about the innovative solutions Siemens offers and what to expect in next week’s webinar.
Can you comment on the potential of AI to increase efficiency and achieve sustainability goals in the water and wastewater industry?
When striving for improved efficiency we are familiar with the law of diminishing returns. At Siemens, we have seen how AI allows that curve to be shifted to the right. Challenges that could not be cost-effectively tackled before now can be.
We have worked with Swedish water company VA SYD to develop a smart leakage detection system using artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce water waste
For example, in non-revenue water AI allows us to stretch our ambition to identify smaller leaks, more quickly. Enabling better operational and capital decisions. In complex systems where we are looking to separate out the contribution of environmental factors like rainfall in combined sewer systems, the AI allows 24/7 processing of large volumes of data in a way that an operator never could.
In other sectors, we have seen the difference AI can make. We have also seen the challenges to realising that potential. Everything fails if staff are not ‘bought in’. We have seen that in our use of AI to monitor treatment systems in water and wastewater. The AI identifies early if a pump will fail, but someone has to act on that notification and manage the workflow that results.
No one in water or wastewater is sitting on their hands with nothing to do. AI tools capture decades of knowledge and make that available to existing operators so they can do more with the time they have available, and complement their existing insight into how their specific plan or network operates.
Please tell us about a recent project involving the use of AI to optimize processes within water treatment plants.
We have worked with Swedish water company VA SYD to develop a smart leakage detection system using artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce water waste. Engineers aimed to cut down the 10% water loss due to leaks to less than 8%. The system we implemented can efficiently detect even small leaks in water pipes, a crucial step towards VA SYD's goal of being a climate-neutral, energy-positive water utility by 2030. The AI-based solution, SIWA LeakPlus, has shown promising results, detecting leaks as small as 0.5 liters per second and contributing to improved customer service and significant cost savings. Future plans include expanding this solution to other areas in the network.
By attending this webinar, we would like to demystify how AI can make a difference
In the UK, Siemens collaborated with Yorkshire Water and the University of Sheffield to develop a system using AI and IoT to detect blockages in sewer systems and prevent pollution incidents. The SIWA Blockage Predictor application uses AI to analyze data from sewer sensors and rainfall, providing early warnings of potential blockages. The system proved highly effective, reducing pollution incidents and false alarms while allowing for timely maintenance. The success has led to plans for a broader rollout and interest from markets beyond the UK.
Siemens is hosting a webinar with the title “Harnessing AI for optimization and sustainability in the water and wastewater industry”, scheduled to take place on September 28th. What is the purpose of this event?
By attending this webinar, we would like to demystify how AI can make a difference. It is not magic. It has its limits. Our environment is complex and must be managed with caution. By using real-world examples, and tools that are available now, we will show how there are steps that every company can and should take to improve their operations.
Siemens is a key industry leader, actively integrating AI into design, engineering, operations, and maintenance to enhance efficiency and sustainability
Who will be the speakers participating in the webinar, and what will be the key topics discussed?
In this webinar, we'll explore the significant potential that artificial intelligence (AI) offers to water utilities in achieving their sustainability goals. Currently, AI-based technologies are being successfully applied to optimize various processes in water treatment plants. Siemens is a key industry leader, actively integrating AI into design, engineering, operations, and maintenance to enhance efficiency and sustainability. Moreover, predictive modeling using AI plays a crucial role in accelerating the transition to net zero emissions by optimizing network efficiency and reducing the environmental footprint of water infrastructure.
Predictive modeling using AI plays a crucial role in accelerating the transition to net zero emissions
My colleague Holger Hanss, Business Developer of Digital Apps for Water Industry, Siemens AG, will be responsible for showing the attendees a live demo of Siemens’ AI-based solutions and I will give a presentation on three major AI-based topics, including the challenges of AI using industrial data, adapting the data science in complex use-cases in water and wastewater industries and then I will showcase the best practices and real-world case projects that demonstrate successful AI implementations in water and wastewater industries.
Finally, who should attend the webinar, and what will the audience be able to learn?
This webinar is for anyone who is involved in designing or delivering water or wastewater operations. This includes private/public municipal water and wastewater utilities, OT and IT system integrators, from C-Level to operational level. We also welcome any interested parties from the water market, research institutions and associations. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about:
- The availability of smart digital tools that can support water utilities to be more sustainable, ultimately leading to resource, energy, and cost savings.
- Proven scalable solutions from Siemens that can be implemented in real-world scenarios.
- Best practices and real-world case projects that demonstrate successful AI implementations in the water industry.
- Interact with industry experts from Siemens and ask questions to gain a deeper understanding of AI-based solutions for the water industry.
At the end of the webinar, there will be time for Q&A for the attendees. We invite you all to join us on Thursday 28th of September!