Legal obligations for risk management present new challenges for network operators and planning offices. The egeplast Smart Pipe enables digital monitoring and thus sustainably supports supply security and water quality – for resilient networks.
The German water industry faces new challenges: The amendment of the Drinking Water Ordinance obliges suppliers to implement continuous risk management – from the catchment area to the consumer. To offer network operators and planning offices solutions to meet these future legally binding requirements, egeplast has launched a development project for a smart pipe system that identifies risks early and sustainably supports supply security and water quality.
Smart Technologies Increase Operational Security
Digitalization is gaining particular importance: Smart technologies and IoT-based systems already enable real-time monitoring of water flows, pressure conditions, and quality parameters. Sensors and leakage monitoring systems detect damage immediately, initiate countermeasures, and thus minimize losses and risks. Data portals, measuring networks, and warning systems support the planning, control, and operation of the infrastructure – a central field of action for the “Roadmap 2030” for resilient water and wastewater networks. The already noticeable climate change with more frequent dry periods and heavy rainfall events makes the adaptability of networks increasingly necessary.
A look into the future shows: Pipelines could soon not only transport water but also transmit data and actively control network components using fiber optic cables integrated into multi-layer pipes. Combined with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), this opens the way to a fully IoT-based water management system that maps operating conditions in real-time and enables proactive intervention. This makes water management not only safer but also more efficient and resilient – to protect the most important resource of all: clean drinking water.
egeplast Smart Pipe for Resilient Networks
egeplast is currently developing a smart pipe system together with industry partners and universities, which can be seamlessly integrated into a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system using IoT technology and its own secure cloud solution. SCADA systems offer significant advantages in the water and wastewater industry: They enable the central acquisition, monitoring, and control of all relevant
operating parameters in real-time, increase operational security, support early fault detection, and optimize resource utilization. This not only minimizes downtime but also significantly increases the efficiency and sustainability of the entire supply infrastructure.
© envato.com / Alesha Macarosha
IoT-based systems will sustainably improve future water management.
© istockphoto.com / Chepko
