With a recent headline “I’d take load shedding over no water any day – a South African proverb” the country’s water woes are becoming the stuff of local legend, and not necessarily in a good way, says Schneider Electric. Soberingly though is the fact that water and its core daily operational features, such as power management, forms the very backbone of not only society but the country’s industrial landscape.

Indeed, with well-publicised infrastructure challenges, stricter environmental regulations, and the need for greater operational efficiency, water and wastewater (WWW) operators are urgently looking for ways to optimise their systems.

And this is where the integration of power and energy management and industrial automation step to the fore to alleviate some of WWW operational challenges.

Power systems

To contextualise the above, it’s important we take one step back.  When discussing water infrastructure, operators tend to focus on the operational aspects of water production and distribution, and rightly so. However, power systems play a critical role; switchgear, transformers, and other power management components form the backbone of a reliable water infrastructure.

“Ensuring that these elements are well-integrated with software solutions enhances both efficiency and sustainability,” says Caroline Baptista, Segment Solutions Leader, Anglophone Africa. Power Systems Division at Schneider Electric “Collaboration between industrial automation and power systems divisions contribute to enhanced water infrastructure operations.

“For example, by connecting field assets with predictive monitoring tools, businesses can address challenges such as energy efficiency, equipment failures, and operational downtime,” she explains.

Adds Johan Potgieter, Cluster Industrial Software Lead at Schneider Electric: “Today, there are three main aspects of water and power management which operators must consider: health and safety, cost management and stakeholder engagement.”

“When looking at health and safety, operators must ensure that the right switchgear and electrical systems are in place. A reliable power system mitigates the risks associated with failures, including electrical hazards and operational disruptions.

“Water production is a resource-intensive process, and energy consumption plays a significant role in overall costs. Here, WWW operators must carefully assess their cost per litre or megalitre of water produced by selecting the right power products, software solutions, and asset management strategies.” adds Potgieter.

Sensors in power monitoring and optimisation

Connectivity and the subsequent implementation of sensors plays a vital, foundational role in the management of water and power.  “The integration of sensors, including thermal, temperature, and moisture sensors, provides real-time data that enables predictive maintenance,” says Peter Marumong, Cluster WWW Segment Leader at Schneider Electric.

“Leak detection for example allows operators to immediately identify leaks and teams to take corrective action, reducing water loss and associated costs.  Furthermore, temperature and moisture monitoring prevent failures due to environmental conditions which could affect switchgear and other power systems,’ he says.

Lastly, notes Marumong, is holistic performance management which combines asset performance and data with industrial automation tools to improve overall production efficiency.

Implementing energy management

Energy, another scarce commodity, is also a challenge faced by the water industry.  Operators must therefore continuously measure and optimise energy use to remain competitive.

Energy optimisation strategies can go a long way in optimising and management energy:

•             Strategic meter placement - positioning energy meters in key locations within water plants to collect accurate consumption data.

•             Monitoring and analytics - leveraging software solutions to analyse energy usage and detect inefficiencies.

•             Process optimisation- implementing automated controls to enhance energy efficiency in water treatment and distribution.

•             Renewable energy integration: exploring alternative energy sources such as solar and wind to reduce reliance on traditional power grids.

“There’s no doubt that collaboration between power system, automation and field services team are vital when addressing the WWW industry’s power management requirements. And at the heart of this management is smart connectivity, analytics and sustainable practices,” concludes Baptista.