Smart Water Magazine’s most viewed content in 2023
In a year marked by growing climate-change-related hurdles and scientists confirming it as the hottest year on record, the water sector has faced countless challenges, including aging infrastructure, tightening budgets and other obstacles, including the threat of cyberattacks as we have witnessed in the recent episode that took place in the United States. Nevertheless, the water sector has continued to work tirelessly to improve water systems, futureproofing them and their operations. Said this, there have also been positive shifts in 2023, including a higher profile of water in global climate summits like COP28 and thus moving towards water being integrated into global climate policy at all levels, and understanding that the climate crisis is a water crisis, and climate solutions must be water solutions too.
In these past five years, our online media platform has cemented itself as one of the top international water media available
The year 2024 also marks Smart Water Magazine’s five-year anniversary. In these past five years, our online media platform has cemented itself as one of the top international water media available, offering the latest news and detailed analysis of the sector in near real-time. This year, we are delighted to share news of our sustained progress, witnessing a relevant surge in annual users in 2023, reaching a total of 680,000. We have also maintained a strong presence on social media, reporting a 29,7% surge on LinkedIn, reaching 14,500 followers.
As we head into 2024, we would like to thank all those who contributed to making Smart Water Magazine Bimonthly an enormous success. We take this opportunity to look back at the 10 most viewed content by Smart Water Magazine readers in 2023:
Algeria faces water management challenges due to its arid climate, prompting the construction of five new desalination plants to increase production from 17% to 42%. Filtralite® filter media is utilized in the Beni Saf desalination plant, reducing production losses by 45%, optimizing costs, and saving energy. The plant's director, Mr. Mohamed Chaffi, recommends Filtralite® for its positive impact on water treatment and cost efficiency.
A water treatment plant in Hong Kong serving 7.5 million people implemented Envirosuite’s Plant Optimiser, a digital twin technology, to reduce coagulant costs in its drinking water treatment. The technology, using machine learning and modeling, created a digital twin model for plant processes, providing hourly recommendations for optimal coagulant dosage. Over the project period, the technology led to a 23.3% reduction in alum use, demonstrating cost savings and maintaining high-quality drinking water.
VA SYD, one of Sweden's major utilities, addressed the global issue of water leakage by implementing an innovative project led by Siemens that employs artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and eliminate leaks from drinking water pipelines. The initiative aims to help VA SYD achieve its ambitious goals of becoming a climate-neutral, energy-positive water utility with zero unplanned disruptions of service by 2030. The use of Siemens' SIWA LeakPlus, an AI-based solution, proved successful in reducing non-revenue water from 10% to less than 8%, comparable to Denmark's benchmark. The system demonstrated the ability to detect leaks as small as 0.5 liters per second, contributing to efficiency gains and aligning with broader environmental and economic objectives.
The water industry is shifting towards increased control and responsibility due to water resource scarcity and aging infrastructure. Technologies like desalination and pipe renewal have advanced, but around 20% of channeled water is still lost, especially in large-diameter networks. Aganova's Nautilus System, a sensor-equipped sphere, helps identify leaks without service interruption. The Jabega System, introduced in 2023, offers real-time, detailed diagnostics of water networks, detecting issues like corrosion and leaks.
The Ashford Common water treatment plant in Surrey, England, is a key water supplier for London, producing 7,870 liters of water per second. In 2018, facing equipment breakdown, Thames Water chose WEG to replace motors due to high failure rates. WEG's turnkey solution, including a custom 600 kW motor, improved reliability.
PFAS, known as "forever chemicals," have been linked to various health problems. European governments are imposing regulations to limit PFAS exposure, with a focus on detection and remediation. ECT2, a Montrose Environmental Group company, offers SORBIX™ PURE, a highly efficient technology for removing PFAS from water. The system utilizes a combination of adsorption and ion exchange, making it 13 times more effective than other technologies. Additionally, ECT2's SORBIX™ RePURE allows for on-site regeneration of PFAS-saturated resin, reducing waste and costs in the remediation process.
HRS Heat Exchangers discusses the crucial role of heat exchangers in wastewater treatment, emphasizing the need for selecting appropriate technologies to maximize process and energy efficiency. The challenges in water security, including population growth and climate change, highlight the importance of wastewater treatment. The choice of a heat exchanger depends on factors like material viscosity and fouling potential.
A partnership led by Severn Trent Water, called the 'Net Zero Hub,' aims to eliminate direct process emissions from wastewater bacterial digestion, a first in the industry. The project, backed by £10 million from the Ofwat Innovation Fund and additional funding, will use advanced technology, including Siemens' gPROMS digital twin, to reduce and remove CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions. The digital twin, involving 60,000 data points, will allow real-time monitoring of energy use and emissions during wastewater treatment. Scheduled for completion in 2024, the initiative could serve as a global model for achieving net-zero wastewater treatment.
Veolia, a global leader in water technologies, will lead a consortium to build the Mirfa 2 desalination plant in Abu Dhabi, making it the third-largest in the UAE. The Reverse Osmosis Desalination plant, with a capacity of 550,000 cubic meters per day, aims to supply clean water to about 210,000 households, reducing energy use by 80% compared to the 1980s. The €300 million project, commissioned by TAQA and ENGIE, is set to begin construction in Q2 2023, targeting completion by 2025. This initiative aligns with the UAE's strategy to enhance desalination capacity sustainably and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Schneider Electric has appointed Peter Herweck as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. For the past two years, Herweck served as CEO of AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software, driving innovation and sustainability. The company was acquired by Schneider Electric in January 2023.
