An integrated system approach to characterise a drinking water infrastructure system

Abstract

The object of this article is the drinking water infrastructure (DWI), a critical societal infrastructure. To make effective decisions it is important to characterise and understand the complexity of DWI systems. DWI systems can be seen as a system of systems, consisting of the social-ecological system and the social-technical system. The social-ecological system determines the location and seize of the water resources, while the social-technical system is about the technical infrastructure. The two systems with different characteristics must align to work effective together in the DWI system. The tension between different lifecycles of the assets and dynamic changes in both systems, the time of change, is important to take into account. The SoPhyTech infra framework was developed based on the two systems and time of change. The advantages of applying the SoPhyTech infra framework is studied in a case comparing two very different DWI systems: Indonesia (Semarang) and the Netherlands (Vitens). The SoPhyTech infra framework was shown to be effective for characterising a DWI system with different interacting lifecycles in different systems and it is expected that it also can be used to characterise other infrastructure systems.

Drinking Water Pollution Prevention and Control Engineering Model Based on Random Forest Algorithm and Electronic Information Intelligence

“…With the rapid development of information technology such as the Internet of Things, 5G networks, artificial intelligence technology, big data and cloud computing, the intelligence of water pollution problem treatment has become the focus of people's thinking. For a certain water problem, building a complete and universal intelligent treatment system can effectively reduce, or even get rid of, human involvement and improve the efficiency of dealing with the problem [13]. For DW pollution, there is an even greater need for intelligent treatment.…”

Enhancing the resilience of drinking water infrastructures

“…Source: Kloosterman and van der Hoek (2019) In Figure 1 the DWI is presented, with interactions at the interface between the two underlying systems (STS and SES). Technical network systems are designed to meet the needs of society and rely on resources from the SES, which are affected by this use.…”

“…Comparable with other societal infrastructures, DWIs can be seen as socio-technical systems (STS) (Kloosterman and van der Hoek, 2019;Herder et al, 2008), because DWIs consist of a network with technical objects like wells, pipes and water treatment installations, which are regulated by regulators, and operated and managed by actors, like technicians and managers. However, DWIs are more complex, because the STS is not the only system in which DWIs operate.…”

“…However, DWIs are more complex, because the STS is not the only system in which DWIs operate. DWIs extract water from the environment that is not part of the STS, but can be seen as a socio-ecological system (SES) that is used, governed and regulated by different actors and institutions (Kloosterman and van der Hoek, 2019;Biggs et al, 2015;Ostrom, 1990Ostrom, , 2007Ostrom et al, 2006). The land and water use of an actor in the SES can cause problems for other land users, like drought, flooding, issues in the water quality and space that is not available on the desired location.…”

“…The technical network consists of all kind of technical installations like the piped network, pumping stations and reservoirs. This can cause limitations and fluctuations in the water quality and quantity (Kloosterman and van der Hoek, 2019;Vitens, 2016). Fluctuations in the water quality of water resources is a challenge in the design of water treatment plants and the piped network.…”