Digital transformation for the water industry: how a data-driven business intelligence platform can improve operations

Abstract

Abstract The management of a water network is a complex and challenging job. Nowadays, thanks to the technology available, there is the opportunity to move to a data-driven decision process. To meet the increasingly stringent technical quality requirements from the Authority, water utilities need to increase the operational efficiency. The solution is to integrate and organize operational and business-related data into a common data lake and use these data as a source for a business analytics software able to assist and support daily operations and future investment programs. This paper describes the activities and results of a digitalization case study carried out in Italy where a leading water utility serving over 2 million residents implemented an integrated water management system to enhance the business performance by leveraging a data-driven approach. The project resulted in the establishment of an advanced control room at the company's headquarters, featuring real-time dashboards that are fully integrated with the utility's operational tools and software. The integrated system allows faster responses to operational needs and supports business decisions through streamlined access to relevant data.