Digital solutions
AQUADVANCED WATER SUPPLY USER FORUM 2025: A Landmark Event for Digital Transformation in the Water Industry
Last week, the Aquadvanced Water Supply User Forum brought together SUEZ experts, consultants and water company representatives for a highly successful exchange of ideas, experiences, and future vision. The event helped underscore the significant strides being made in water management technology and highlighted the shared commitment to harnessing digital innovation for the benefit of water supply systems in the UK and worldwide.
The day opened with a reminder on why we should optimise; the three key areas – energy and cost reduction; network and asset management; and data-driven planning, all for more efficient, cost-effective long-term investment.
Showcasing the Proven, the New, and What’s Next
One of the key themes of the forum was the evolution of Aquadvanced Water Supply. Attendees had the opportunity to revisit the first UK implementations of this real-time optimiser—the ‘old’ but proven backbone of the Northumbrian system that has supported operators since 2012. Equally exciting was the case study of the recently launched Production Planning – the ‘new’ addition that is already proving invaluable in optimising the medium- and long-term scheduling of water resources to meet demand across the network. Looking ahead, participants were given a glimpse into the ‘future’ of Aquadvanced with the 2026/27 planned delivery of Digital Adaptive Planning, a longer timeframe capital investment and source supply planning tool with an up to 30-year ahead horizon.
Expanding Energy Monitoring Across All Equipment
Aquadvanced Water Supply has always excelled in energy prediction and monitoring for pumps, developed over 20 years ago and continuously refined since. This capability is being modularised so it can be embedded in the rest of the Aquadvanced Suite. The energy monitoring capabilities are also now being extended to cover all energy-using equipment across water and wastewater treatment plants—including blowers, pumps, UV and more. As well as calculating KPIs, detecting changes and adverse behaviour, it will also include operator guidance so that improvements in energy efficiency can be achieved and reported. This comprehensive approach enables operators to gain deeper insights into energy consumption patterns, identify savings opportunities, and promote more sustainable operations across a diverse range of facilities.
Unified Digitisation: From Long-Term Planning to Real-Time Control
A compelling discussion centred on the unification of the Aquadvanced platform and the broader digitisation journey underway in the water sector. The Aquadvanced technology stack facilitates planning horizons ranging from 30 years down to 30 minutes, reflecting an unprecedented level of operational proactivity rather than reactive operations. This level of digital integration meets a growing appetite within the industry for tools that enable proactive management and optimisation at all time scales, empowering operators to anticipate challenges and respond dynamically to the realities of the planned and unplanned changes in their networks.
A Fundamental Shift in Water Operations
The development and adoption of AI, machine learning and data analytics are central to achieving data-driven optimisation across the industry. Beyond the technology itself, there was widespread recognition at the forum that the adoption of digital solutions is about much more than simply installing new software. It represents a fundamental transformation in the way control rooms function, fostering a culture that embraces proactivity, data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, and collaboration. This paradigm shift requires new mindsets, skills, and workflows. The benefits in terms of efficiency, cost cutting and sustainability were clear and compelling.
Looking Ahead
The Aquadvanced Water Supply User Forum clearly demonstrated the strength of collaboration between SUEZ and its clients in the water industry. The utilities involved were able to share and exchange experiences and highlight opportunities. As the industry embraces these digital advancements, the path towards smarter, more efficient, and sustainable water management was shown to be achievable and worthwhile, leading to an exciting future for all.
Showcasing the Proven, the New, and What’s Next
One of the key themes of the forum was the evolution of Aquadvanced Water Supply. Attendees had the opportunity to revisit the first UK implementations of this real-time optimiser—the ‘old’ but proven backbone of the Northumbrian system that has supported operators since 2012. Equally exciting was the case study of the recently launched Production Planning – the ‘new’ addition that is already proving invaluable in optimising the medium- and long-term scheduling of water resources to meet demand across the network. Looking ahead, participants were given a glimpse into the ‘future’ of Aquadvanced with the 2026/27 planned delivery of Digital Adaptive Planning, a longer timeframe capital investment and source supply planning tool with an up to 30-year ahead horizon.
Expanding Energy Monitoring Across All Equipment
Aquadvanced Water Supply has always excelled in energy prediction and monitoring for pumps, developed over 20 years ago and continuously refined since. This capability is being modularised so it can be embedded in the rest of the Aquadvanced Suite. The energy monitoring capabilities are also now being extended to cover all energy-using equipment across water and wastewater treatment plants—including blowers, pumps, UV and more. As well as calculating KPIs, detecting changes and adverse behaviour, it will also include operator guidance so that improvements in energy efficiency can be achieved and reported. This comprehensive approach enables operators to gain deeper insights into energy consumption patterns, identify savings opportunities, and promote more sustainable operations across a diverse range of facilities.
Unified Digitisation: From Long-Term Planning to Real-Time Control
A compelling discussion centred on the unification of the Aquadvanced platform and the broader digitisation journey underway in the water sector. The Aquadvanced technology stack facilitates planning horizons ranging from 30 years down to 30 minutes, reflecting an unprecedented level of operational proactivity rather than reactive operations. This level of digital integration meets a growing appetite within the industry for tools that enable proactive management and optimisation at all time scales, empowering operators to anticipate challenges and respond dynamically to the realities of the planned and unplanned changes in their networks.
A Fundamental Shift in Water Operations
The development and adoption of AI, machine learning and data analytics are central to achieving data-driven optimisation across the industry. Beyond the technology itself, there was widespread recognition at the forum that the adoption of digital solutions is about much more than simply installing new software. It represents a fundamental transformation in the way control rooms function, fostering a culture that embraces proactivity, data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, and collaboration. This paradigm shift requires new mindsets, skills, and workflows. The benefits in terms of efficiency, cost cutting and sustainability were clear and compelling.
Looking Ahead
The Aquadvanced Water Supply User Forum clearly demonstrated the strength of collaboration between SUEZ and its clients in the water industry. The utilities involved were able to share and exchange experiences and highlight opportunities. As the industry embraces these digital advancements, the path towards smarter, more efficient, and sustainable water management was shown to be achievable and worthwhile, leading to an exciting future for all.
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