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Efficiency optimization of urban water systems is a growing concern for water utilities worldwide. This case study aimed at evaluating the impact of using cloud-based tools on the reduction of both real (real-time network monitoring) and apparent water losses (integrated customer meters management) in two water utilities. The incorporation of smart water solutions with a methodology for the management and operation of the systems allowed us to diagnose, prioritize areas and define actions to improve efficiency. Using a real-time monitoring tool allowed us to categorize bursts and to evaluate their impact on water loss volumes and to identify operational inefficiencies regarding detection and repair times, particularly in small and medium bursts. Additionally, the implementation of an integrated customer meters management tool allowed for an optimized meter management reducing apparent losses by estimating metering errors more accurately, enabling the water utilities to replace meters based on specific lifespan. Digitalization, through the implementation of optimized algorithms and early warning systems, allowed the analysis of data in a methodical and prompt manner resulting in non-revenue water reduction up to 8% in 3 years while improving the digital organization of data and its quality (reliability and accuracy), interdepartmental organization and communication, capacity building and utilities’ image among stakeholders.

iGPI, the National Initiative for Infrastructure Asset Management is a Portuguese collaborative project led by LNEC (National Civil Engineering Laboratory, Portugal) through which 19 water utilities develop their own infrastructure asset management (IAM) systems and plans in a joint training and capacitation programme. Technical assistance to the participating utilities is ensured by LNEC, IST (Technical University of Lisbon) and Addition, a software development company. The water utilities get collective as well as one-on-one support and specific training. They benefit from networking with the other utilities in a common and simultaneous process, with similar difficulties and challenges, leading to an effective sharing of solutions. The developed products, including training materials, templates and guidelines for developing strategic and tactical IAM plans, are available to the general public. This project has greatly contributed to the establishment of reference methodologies and standards for IAM planning, in a range of utilities of widely diverse size and context, effectively defining an accepted best practice. This paper discusses the project's format and its advantages, and goes on to describe the main outcomes, including selected cases and final products.Keywords: urban water services; infrastructure asset management; collaborative project; strategic planning; tactical planning CASE 1 LargeFeatures: utility is the result of the recent merger of 10 municipal water and wastewater services; very diverse contexts, challenges, and data availability and quality among the municipalities; certified BSC management system; GIS available, but reflecting the disparity in information availability, depth and quality among the municipalities. † iGPI was seen by the utility as a golden opportunity to help establish sound organizational processes. † One of the challenges for this utility was to prioritize the municipalities with higher rehabilitation needs, in a sound, transparent and accountable way, in a context of local political sensitiveness where consensus-driven negotiation is crucial. The results from iGPI helped respond to this challenge, particularly through a sound IAM metrics system. † The existing BSC implementation did not address the long-term effect of the managerial decisions. Although changes are more difficult to implement given the size and complexity of the organization, several new metrics have been included and a transition process has been devised towards a fully satisfactory BSC implementation. † iGPI also gave rise to multiple new data collection procedures, particularly related to GIS, work orders, and harmonization among information systems. CASE 2 MidsizeFeatures: technologically developed utility; well-trained human resources available; good inventory; full coverage, reliable GIS; good monitoring systems; hydraulic models available for the entire water supply system. † The availability of a large amount of information, mostly reliable, including all-mains calibrated hydraulic models for the e...

Human resources are one of the most important assets of water utilities (WUs), being responsible for assuring systems management and playing an important role in the tacit forms of organizational knowledge. In organizations with responsibility for managing extensive, diverse infrastructure with long life-cycles, with adequate service and acceptable risk levels, knowledge transfer between peers should be assured to maintain a stable human resources framework. In WUs, strategic asset management should include the long-term planning of human resources alongside urban water infrastructure assets, to ensure service sustainability. Based on these assumptions and driven by the legal obligations in developing infrastructure asset management plans, Administração e Gestão de Sistemas de Salubridade, S.A. (AGS) created and implemented a novel personnel aging index (PAI) with the main goal of evaluating the human resources framework, including employee ages and professional categories, and the remaining time needed to transfer knowledge to new members of staff. This paper describes AGS' approach to human resources management under the asset management policy and PAI's formulation. A case study with 10 AGS WUs is presented, aiming to evaluate their teams' maturity level and allowing comparison between WUs.

Performance assessment of water supply and wastewater services is today a major issue. Over the past six years, the National Civil Engineering Laboratory (Portugal) has been developing performance assessment systems for drinking water treatment plants (WTPs) and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In 2009, a national field-test was launched in Portugal, ‘PASt21’, involving 27 plants (10 WTPs and 17 WWTPs). This paper presents an overview of the second generation of the performance indicator (PI) systems for the overall performance assessment of WTPs and WWTPs, the extent to which the systems were applied in the 5-year study period (2006–2010), and the aggregated results (average, median, percentiles 25 and 75, maximum and minimum) of representative PIs in each assessment group. It was concluded that all indicators are relevant, and the results show the ability of the proposed PI systems to assess the overall performance of a given treatment plant. The aggregated results are very important for the continuous improvement of the plant performance through benchmarking and periodic reassessment of targets.