Melbourne Water has completed a pilot program using digital twin technology that facilitates the prediction of recycled water quality.
The pilot program found that the digital twin technology had an accuracy rate of 75 per cent and has been used to forecast recycled water quality up to 48 hours in advance, providing valuable insights for water management and ensuring the highest standards of water safety and quality.
Developed in collaboration with ARQ Group – an AWS partner specialising in cloud, digital data, and analytics solutions – Melbourne Water’s digital twin technology represents an advancement approach towards water resource management. By leveraging the power of AWS pilot technologies, ARQ Group created a digital replica, or twin, to support a component of Melbourne Water’s Class A recycled water system.
The digital twin pilot technology provides real-time monitoring and analysis of various water management parameters. By combining historical data, machine learning algorithms and predictive analytics, the digital twin can be used to forecast the quality of recycled water. This could enable Melbourne Water to proactively respond to potential water quality issues, ensuring the delivery of safe and reliable recycled water to its customers.
Melbourne Water Innovation Lead, Blair Smith, said, “We are thrilled to introduce our innovative digital twin technology during the pilot program, to enable us to predict recycled water quality with an impressive accuracy rate of 75 per cent.
“The pilot provided valuable insights into twin technology capabilities and how it can be used to optimise the treatment processes to deliver high-quality recycled water to our customers and the environment,” Mr Smith said.
The digital twin technology was used in a three-month pilot project to support Melbourne Water’s ongoing efforts to optimise water management and ensure sustainability.
By continuously monitoring and analysing water quality parameters during the pilot project, Melbourne Water identified trends, detected anomalies, improved processes and promptly implemented corrective measures.
ARQ Group Head of Smart Cities and Digital Twin Program, Steve Avery, said, “This collaboration with Melbourne Water has allowed us to test the power of AWS technologies in the water management sector. We are proud to be part of this pilot project, delivering innovative solutions that could help organisations like Melbourne Water optimise their operations and achieve their sustainability goals.”
Melbourne Water’s digital twin technology pilot was helpful in predicting recycled water quality and optimising water resource management. With its accuracy rate of 75 per cent and advanced predictive capabilities, the digital twin technology has the potential to transform the way water utilities manage their operations, ensuring the delivery of safe and sustainable water solutions for communities.
Featured image: Melbourne Water workers on site. Courtesy of Melbourne Water.
