Blokker, 8 nov 2018 1

New skills in the time of hydroinformatics drinking water quality conference 2018 KWR invests in strong links with Building the knowledge base valuable partners, in order to needed to provide drinking water build a solid knowledge base of world class quality. realise high quality reference projects 40 years of collective research covering source to tap, create marketable products institutional memory for the drinking water sector

KWR Watercycle Research Institute Knowledge institute of and for Dutch & Flemish drinking water companies Blokker, 8 nov 2018 3

Hydroinformatics

Hydroinformatics (…) concentrates on the application of ICTs in addressing the increasingly serious problems of the equitable and efficient use of water for many different purposes. (Wikipedia)

➔ More data ➔ More information ➔ More knowledge (?) Blokker, 8 nov 2018 4

New skills

Computer skills? • Genetic • Artificial • Datamining • …

Human skills? • Problem definition • System understanding • … Blokker, 8 nov 2018 5

Some examples in drinking water distribution

OPTIMAL NETWORK DESIGN SENSORED NETWORK + REAL TIME MODELLING

Janke, R., Uber, J., Hattchett, S., A. Gibbons, D. and Y. Wang, H. (2015). "Enhancements to the EPANET-RTX (Real-Time Analytics) Software Libraries-2015. ." Blokker, 8 nov 2018 6

van Thienen, P., Vertommen, I. and van Laarhoven, K. (2018). "Practical application of optimization techniques Optimal network design to drinking water distribution problems." Hydroinformatics International Conference, Palermo, Italy.

Computer skills Optimal network design Human skills

Hydraulic model (EPANET) + genetic System understanding: algorithms + code optimization + • formulation of the optimization generic approach problem • network model (all links, Any objective, any scenario skeletonized, pressures correct) • additional data: continuity of supply (valves and actions) • Added features (pressure control on reservoirs, limitations on inflow/outflow of WTP, failure scenarios)

Gathering all required data at required quality level was time consuming Blokker, 8 nov 2018 7

What we tried to bridge the gap 3 parallel paths

Gondwana workshop Applying lessons learnt Hydroinformatics platform BTO experiences, current state of affairs, • management of expectations and • knowledge exchange platform in lessons learnt & outlook, Gondwana the framework of the Joint 101, practical exercises Research Program of 9 Dutch and 1 • more attention to project Flemish water utilities; boundary conditions • data quality and validation issues • adequate two-way discussed and made more explicit; • really understanding what • keep putting data quality, utilities need availability, accessibility, etc. on • really understand what the agenda! optimizing researchers are doing (not technically but conceptually)

• new application models Blokker, 8 nov 2018 8

Sensored network + real time modelling

Computer skills Sensored network + RTM Human skills

New sensors + ICT + hydraulic models + As soon as there is a pipe break or a Be prepared: train many scenarios analysis techniques (outlier contamination I would like to know detection) + … this, and be able to fix the problem Act proactively: trust the model and if quickly and prevent customers from needed improve the real system being bothered or infected Communication: explain to stakeholders how the system and experts strengthen each other Blokker, 8 nov 2018 9

Some projects related to this

Serious game: how beneficial would Future of hydraulic modelling: what Climate change impact: how to an online E.coli sensor in the will the job description of a hydraulic communicate with stakeholders distribution network be? network modeller be in 2025? about urgent solutions Blokker, 8 nov 2018 10

Discussion

It is always easiest to point at someone else, so please let me know which new skills researchers need to develop. Blokker, 8 nov 2018 11

New skills in the time of hydroinformatics drinking water quality conference 2018