Water utilities are realizing that data create insight and are willing to invest in gathering data and exploring data science. Reports are revealing that investments in this respect over the next three years will outstrip past investments in information management. In the water utilities sector the core driver for investments will be efficiency and cost focus. Sensor technology will become crucial as the basis for data-driven operations. Which sensors are on the verge of breaking through and why? An overview is presented and reviewed.
Introducing speaker(s): Corina Carpentier and Hans Wouters
Anna di Mauro (Ctrl+SWAN), Karel Keesman (WUR)
Presenter 1
Corina Carpentier, Aquatic Ecotoxicologist and Water Quality Expert / Managing Director (Benten Water Solutions, the Netherlands)
Title
Trends in sensor technologies for the water industry
Current state, developments and outlook to the future of online monitoring technologies and deployment strategies
Bio
Corina Carpentier (PhD in aquatic ecotoxicology) has more than 20 years’ experience in water quality monitoring, both inside and outside the laboratory. She started Benten Water Solutions to supply research and consulting services related to water quality, online (field) monitoring and environmental sciences. Her technical background knowledge on water quality sensors and monitoring strategies forms the basis of the Sensileau Sensor Platform, the information and community platform for all users of online and real-time sensor technologies for the monitoring of water quality such as water companies, water boards, wastewater treatment plants, industrial water users and government authorities. Additionally, the platform offers valuable information for technology suppliers or investors on research and market developments.
Corina is also the coordinator of the EIP Water Action Group on Realtime Water Quality Monitoring, which aims to support and promote the development and use of online water quality monitoring techniques in research and at water utilities.
Water utilities are trying to keep track in meeting the demands of a dynamic, highly deregulated and competitive market. Climate changes are generating water shortages and altering flood patterns. Global warming is giving rise to extreme weather conditions – causing urban water supplies to dry down. Various pollutants in water resources are a challenge for new water and waste water treatment technologies.
These issues require long-term impact assessments and management tools for monitoring ecosystems. Water utilities are challenged to respond and adapt quickly to new circumstances. Yet along with these challenges come opportunities.
Globally, utilities are the beneficiaries of advances in digital technology and analytics. Some of these (predictive analytics; machine learning and artificial intelligence; unstructured data analytics; sensor technology; spectral imagery; cognitive computing) can resolve many of the problems faced by water utilities.
Presenter 2
Hans Wouters, business developer and managing director at Brightwork BV, the Netherlands
Title
RFID technology in the water industry, a profitable business case in fast data
How to implement existing monitoring devices from outside the water sector in the water industry
Bio
Hans Wouters, M.Sc. Civil Engineering, Delft University, the Netherlands, with over 25 years of experience in water and waste water treatment technology, both as a consultant and as a technology supplier.
Hans is entrepreneur and co-founder of consultancy firm Brightwork BV (www.brightwork.nl) for strategic water and waste water studies. The company develops new treatment technologies and monitoring tools to optimize water and waste water treatment facilities.
Recently, the company successfully launched Sand-Cycle, a RFID technology- based monitoring tool for monitoring and controlling water treatment processes. The development has paved the way to setting up a data-management-based infrastructure, as a servicing tool for clients.