Driving Asset Performance Management Through the Power of Digital Solutions

“We partner with our customers to combine real-time sensing and condition data with advanced analytics that helps them maximize the 'risk-return on investment' of asset management spending.”

Michele Samuels - Global Practice Manager, Asset Performance, Xylem

Throughout my career in the water sector, I have been lucky enough to work on both sides of the table – both as a utility manager and now as a consultant for a global water technology company. This gives me a unique perspective in that I understand first-hand what it takes for utilities to keep the taps running and water moving – and how solutions can be applied to make this vision a reality.

From severe weather events to budget constraints and aging infrastructure, water has become harder for utilities to provide. Many utilities are using outdated systems that are no longer fit for purpose, particularly given the complexities of the challenges they face today. Add the impact of a global pandemic, and the true vulnerabilities of our water systems are really laid bare.

Despite these challenges, there are many reasons for optimism. I have seen the powerful impact that digital solutions can have on transforming the operation of utilities. By harnessing digital technologies, coupled with consultative partnerships that help turn data into insight, utilities can optimize their networks in practical ways, leading to better decision making and cost savings.

I decided to join Xylem because I was impressed with the breadth and depth of the innovative solutions we have to offer. Smart solutions, coupled with our team of consultative experts, power a unique offering that allows us to partner with our customers to help them solve water right across the wastewater and drinking water cycles.

Take asset management, for example. For most utilities, water and wastewater systems are the most capital-intensive services, with buried infrastructure claiming a large stake of asset value. Traditionally, asset management programs are based on limited information on the actual condition or criticality of a system, and capital spending is often wasted on replacing assets with significant remaining useful life.

However, we can partner with our customers to combine real-time sensing and condition data with advanced analytics that helps them maximize the “risk return on investment” of asset management spending. For example, smart solutions like Xylem’s RiskView allows utilities to identify, prioritize and quantify potential challenges in water pipeline networks before they even happen.

By identifying parts of the network most in need of attention, RiskView provides customers with actionable insights on the condition of their pipeline, allowing them to prioritize available dollars accordingly and minimize the likelihood and impact of asset failure.

Not only does this help make our customers’ critical infrastructure more reliable, it also reduces operating costs, which can ultimately be passed on to the rate-payer. Using our RiskView system, one utility was able to reduce customer outages and improve service reliability – all while cutting replacement spending by over 70%.

I’m so proud of the work we do at Xylem. A lot of people take water and wastewater services for granted. We turn on the tap, water comes out, we turn it off. There are so many cogs in the wheel that need to fit together to make the system work.

With the right innovative technologies, the right expertise and the right partnerships, the possibilities are endless.

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