Millions of pipes lie underneath the ground of cities, suburban areas, and in every space where people are living. Every day water is delivered through a complex network of pipes to homes, schools, and businesses. The fact that water travels underneath the ground means it is a case of ‘out of sight and out of mind’, yet when there is a failure with water systems it becomes a very real problem. The effects can be widespread. As an example, take what happened in Milwaukee in 2014 where a total of 82 water breaks occurred in just 5 days that left thousands of people scrambling for water.
Last year, the country was shaken by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. They caused billions of dollars of destruction, damaging the water systems of the cities they blitzed through. Untreated water combined with floods from storm surges posed significant health threats for people that were trying to return to normality in the aftermath of the storm.
In Florida, city pipes were overwhelmed despite being built to hold more than twice their capacity. Hurricane Harvey caused pipes to overflow with millions of gallons of untreated water flowing into streets, homes, and water ways. Texas water systems were also damaged to a similar extent by Hurricane Irma. Thousands of wastewater treatment centers were destroyed.
Is there more than one solution to the water infrastructure problem?
Problems for the water utilities and the industry are manifold so there needs to be a variety of solutions that tackle different problems. The following are different approaches to solve the multi-layered challenges faced by consumers and the water utility industry:
Advanced Asset Management Strategies Solution
Among the major problems common to both water utilities and the consumers are the growing costs of water maintenance. These increased costs have resulted from old infrastructure, the changing environment, and lack of qualified staff.
A resolution gaining momentum is the increased use of advanced asset management strategies. Bluefield Research forecast that these new strategies will save water utilities 41.9 billion in capital expenditure by 2027.
Bluefield Research says that these savings are due to the widespread use of technology solutions by water utility companies. Another key aspect of this shift is water utility firms are placing increased value on using data collection and analytics. This is leading to more predictive decision making rather than reactive decision making.
The vibrant technology landscape is also leading to more collective decision making. Some municipal water utility firms include many departments “managing disconnected data silos to make complex strategic decisions” (Bluefield: New Report Concludes Advanced Asset Management Drives Savings). Today all this is changing as technology is being used to bring different teams from engineering and finance departments together. This is enabling them to share new and innovative insights.
The 3D Printing Solution
3D printing is now used in almost every industry. In healthcare it has been used to create implants and organs, in architecture they print complex design models. Rod Priest, a mechanical engineer part of GMW’s Asset Forward Planning Team, has developed a program to see how 3D printing can be implemented to produce parts for water assets. 3D printing has the potential to minimize the cost of asset life, or extend the life of a specific asset. Priest argues that 3D printing will prolong the life of assets and reduce manufacturing costs.
3D printing can assist water utilities to help design parts that are not possible using traditional manufacturing. A focal part of Priest’s organization GMW’s 3D printing program includes repairing aging infrastructure around dams (some over one hundred years old). They made pump station parts used for run-off drainage water and irrigation. In addition Priest and his team, designed parts for smaller pump with the goal of improving the cost of pumping.
An innovative Robotic and AI solution
A new device called the HiBotUSA combines AI technology, robotics, and Big Data. This technology comes equipped with a databiotics system that algorithmically calculates which piping networks in areas of a city or town have a higher risk of failure.
• The HiBotUSA in action
The HiBotUSA is small with three sections that give them the agility to move and turn inside piping. They are made to expand in proportion to the size of the pipe allowing the wheels touch the insides. This makes it easier to place them into piping and remove them. On the front of the HiBotUSA is a camera and it pulls an RFT magnetic sensor that enables the HiBOt team to determine the extent of material loss in the pipe.
Water utilities use a rating system ranging from A-F for piping. This system is established on leak and age history. The HiBot USA examines the pipe and confirms whether the rating was accurate. This is where this technology uses its big data feature.
• The AI and Big Data feature
The HiBot is able to look at the overall collection of data and then compare the rating system used by water utilities to maps including data on soil properties as soil is one of the main indicators of corrosion. The HiBot manufacturers believe their device can better predict where pipe failures will happen. Rather than using leak and age history, the HiBot utilizes AI and data to show the real causes of leak.
What to take away
The cost incurred by both the consumer and water utilities is rising and the problems of age-old infrastructure remain. The added concern for everyone is how environmental conditions will affect water in the future. The damage caused by hurricanes and other extreme conditions should not be forgotten.
If asked what is more valuable, water or gold? Many will say gold. However, the industrial world will cease to function without water. The approach of water utility leaders needs to change. Technological and data-based solutions are positively affecting this change as leaders of water utilities are using predictive thinking. This is steadily replacing an all too common reactionary approach. The innovations of AI and 3D printing are now becoming widely used to benefit the water utility industry. These solutions have the potential to save millions of dollars and make operations more efficient.