Digital OneWater: Going from a Data-Driven to Insights-Driven Organization

At Jacobs, we’re adopting a Digital OneWater approach to assist our clients with data-enabled solutions across the water cycle – and throughout the entire asset lifecycle. To make this happen, we think not only about collecting, managing, and analyzing data, but, critically, how we turn that data into actionable insights. We start by determining the digital maturity of an organization – drawing on our experience of adopting data solutions at Jacobs. Then, we develop the steps to analyze the available data, determine what insights can be derived from that data, and identify any other information that is required.

For instance, our Operations, Management and Facilities Services (OMFS) group operates facilities across the world. Within OMFS, we identified that we could use data more effectively, so we’ve performed our own digital transformation. We partnered with Palantir, using their innovative Foundry platform, to better organize and house analyzed data with machine learning algorithms. These algorithms can be used to more efficiently operate blowers to reduce energy usage, dose less chemicals while still meeting permit limits, and prioritize maintenance activities. Instead of letting the data drive the actions of the operators, they get a text alert with a recommendation. The operator still makes the decision of what action to take, applying their experience and knowledge to use the data as insights into the plant’s operation. With this Intelligent O&M solution, we’ve realized efficiencies at our own facilities of 20-30% energy and/or chemical savings. We knew that we could improve performance using insights gained from the data that we collect, but even we were surprised at these impressive results.

In the U.K., we’ve developed a solution, called AquaDNA,  that uses information from sensors out in the wastewater collection system. If an organization is data-driven, they would only use data from the individual sensors to make operations decisions. Instead, we look at the system as a whole and how each sensor contributes to insights at a network-wide or basin-wide level. The benefits of this application have included a 13% decrease in sewer blockage, 20% reduction in sewer flooding, a 37% decrease in customer complaints and 25% reduction in lift station call-outs across the entire system.

We’re also working alongside our clients to understand how the capabilities and maturity of water companies can be addressed and improved to realize their ambitions for long-term digital solutions. Through our work with multiple partners, we’ll be providing learnings and artefacts to the whole industry on how we can create and embed smart solutions. How data is organized, structured and accessed is proving to be key in creating trust, and therefore enabling insights-driven decisions. This trust will initiate the capability to take proactive actions, and transition from reactive operational responses.

This question of using data and Digital OneWater solutions to be become a more insights-driven organization is one that I’ll be addressing at the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN) Annual Conference, May 9 – 11, in Glasgow. With my colleague Shervin Tabatabai, who serves as Head of Network Systems and Solutions at Jacobs, we’ll be hosting a roundtable to discuss how we can turn data into actionable insights. You can find out more about Jacobs’ activities at SWAN here.