The book addresses the challenges faced by water utility operators due to aging infrastructure, declining water resources, and a growing global population. To manage water efficiently, utilities must improve their operations, from bulk supply to human resource management. The goal is to help operators better understand their water supply systems, enabling improvements through better control and eventually developing intelligent, self-managed systems with minimal human intervention.
The book introduces the Water System Improvement Matrix, developed based on International Water Association (IWA) best practices. This tool helps utilities assess their current operational level and identify steps for improvement across seven key areas, each with three levels of improvement. A scoring system allows utilities to evaluate their performance and plan for enhancements.
By investing in technology and innovation, utilities can improve daily operations, network data collection, decision-making, and future planning, ultimately leading to a positive return on investment.