How can utilities leverage digital solutions to address the 21st century mission?

Advancements in high speed mobile internet, such as 5G, will provide instantaneous access for all people including those with remote and regional network connections. This will be facilitated through cost-effective satellite connectivity, which will overtake current systems dependent on high-powered transmitters or external antennas for IoT connection.

These upgrades will be supported by high bandwidth radio networks with the capacity to oversee device deployment at a much greater scale.

Recent extensions of LPWAN5 are already making substantial gains particularly in monitoring air quality, traffic, and parking systems as they need fewer sensors to cover more ground. The amount of machine-generated data continues to multiply significantly, and the new LPWAN technology offers aspects where others (WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G/4G networks) simply can’t compete. These include 10-year sensor battery life, 20 km data reach with just a single Gateway, with over 60,000 connections for a single network cell, minimal energy consumption, and extremely low cost. We are expecting to see this being leveraged in water asset management in the coming years.

Substantial amounts of data will be transmitted in real-time through high quality, low cost, and reliable devices, such as long-life batteries. The reliability of the speed and quality of data delivery will play a critical role in the effectiveness of future IoT fleets. IoT and data remain intrinsically linked. Big data means nothing without intelligent and actionable insights to inform decisions relating to the true condition of assets, network emergencies, being able to avert or report on service disruptions for better service delivery and client experience.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will be used to implement data processing hubs along with fully developed cleansing and screening software. This will provide assurance of data integrity, transmission speed and enhance its overall utility.

Thanks to this, companies in the water sector will be able to leverage good quality data to drive the value chain for IoT. This will be done by understanding what data is needed on assets, operations, customer service, demands, safety, and much more. Real-time IoT solutions that can ingest plant sensor data from hundreds of sensors in real-time are being augmented with real-time analytics and monitoring to model, detect and forecast plant failure. By leveraging real-time data analytics and pattern recognition, algorithms can automatically detect abnormalities and signatures in data that signify imminent issues and equipment failures.

IoT innovations will transform procurement and service supply models. The changes will see a greater reliance on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) for device deployment, ownership, and data transmission networks, with internal capability (technology and talent) delivering the value proposition.

IoT technology supports environmental sustainability through intelligence and automation, which optimises the use of natural resources, minimises waste, supports renewable energy, and creates more sustainable cities. The ability to track early failures prevents the escalation of issues before they become a potential environmental disaster. All these factors underpin the transition to a circular economy.

According to the World Economic Forum report on IoT guidelines for sustainable development, about 85 percent of IoT deployments are addressing sustainable development goals. IoT innovation is truly a game-changer for the advancement of a sustainable environment.

Communities on all levels — commerce, industry, and households — will be empowered by their newfound ability to pursue more responsible water use. For the first time, citizens will be able to access and review the consumption analytics of both themselves and other businesses.

This will create a heightened awareness of water wastage, resulting in an engaged public that will demand more efficient and effective management.