The operation of water and wastewater treatment plants is inherently complex, requiring trained personnel to maintain high situational awareness. It’s why the aggregation of data is so critical for efficient water treatment processes.
Various systems and processes have been developed and supported by compliance, asset management, planning, and management teams to ensure the supply of safe drinking water while safeguarding against environmental harm from discharges.
However, the use of different tools and systems by each team often leads to data silos. A common workaround is using Microsoft Excel for manual data extraction and manipulation, which is time-consuming, error-prone, and lacks version control. To address these challenges, Lutra works with water utilities to aggregate operational and compliance data into a single platform called Infrastructure Data (Lutra ID).
The implementation process begins with defining the desired outcomes, whether compliance-based or operational insights-driven. For compliance-based reporting, the first step is understanding the treatment processes within individual plants and defining the standards they need to comply with. This helps identify the required datasets and build knowledge between the Lutra team and the municipality.
The next step involves integrating data from various sources, starting with SCADA for process variables. Data points from the historian are identified, and appropriate data cleansing and adjustments are made. This creates a specific dataset that aligns with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles. Following SCADA integration, the focus shifts to external and internal laboratories, establishing connections for data transfer and converting static PDF documents into live datasets.
Field measurements and observations are also digitized, replacing paper-based logbooks with digital forms. This allows for real-time data capture and immediate usability within reporting or trending applications. Once the datasets are identified and staff are onboarded to the platform, Lutra works with the operations and compliance teams to develop regulatory reports and operational dashboards.
The benefits of data aggregation are many and various. For instance, combining SCADA data with digital field forms helps understand maintenance events and troubleshooting issues. Another example is modelling pump efficiency in near real-time, allowing asset management teams to make data-driven decisions for asset renewal. Chemical usage tracking provides insights into plant efficiency and helps identify maintenance issues or changes in raw water conditions.
Weather data and historical consumption patterns are also used to model water demand during summer periods, informing water restriction levels and plant shutdown schedules.
Data aggregation with tools such as Lutra ID helps municipalities bridge the gap between teams, improve trust, and create cross-pollination between operations and office-based teams. By removing data silos and aggregating data into a single source of truth, municipalities can gain valuable insights, improve operations, and highlight issues ahead of time. Lutra’s work with over thirty-five municipalities across New Zealand and Australia has resulted in significant time savings and improved operational efficiency.
For more information, visit lutra.com
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