In response to the ever-growing thirst for more innovative business models in the global water sector, SWAN recently launched its DaaS Playbook, providing a unique, step-by-step guide to enhance water and wastewater utility data management. Despite the widespread use of big data technology in various industries, its implementation in the water sector has lagged. Using this Playbook, more water stakeholders will now be able to take advantage of the strategic opportunity known as “Data-as-a-Service” (DaaS): a performance-based approach to accessing high quality data on-demand. The Playbook makes accessible much needed know-how for implementing a DaaS model and adopting new solutions, including understanding the associated risks and necessary utility maturity factors.
A collaborative effort by utilities and industry experts, the Playbook highlights common business drivers and project barriers with implementation advice on how to craft a DaaS contract, differentiate service level standards, and assess critical success factors. It further features 14 global DaaS water, stormwater, and wastewater utility case studies, serving as a blueprint to improve utility operations and decision-making processes.
According to Dr. Peter Prevos, Manager Data Science at Coliban Water in Australia, “If we had the DaaS Playbook before we started our digital metering project, we could have reduced a lot of complexity in our current deployment.” Likewise, Reeza Palm, Solutions Lead at Ontec Systems in South Africa stated, “The Playbook offers an extensive implementation guide for a smooth integration and maximizes insights for consumers, businesses and utilities.”
Within the water sector, DaaS can be defined as: “A partnership model in which a technology supplier operates and maintains specific hardware equipment for collecting, transmitting, and processing data, and the utility pays only for the delivered results.”
