Leveraging Data to Create a Paradigm Shift from Reactive to Proactive Utility Management

Transcription

1 Leveraging Data to Create a Paradigm Shift from Reactive to Proactive Utility Management Chuck Scholpp Director, Integrated Information Management Hach Company Brent Fewell VP, Environmental Compliance United Water

2 Words of Wisdom The goal is to transform data into information and information into insight - Carley Fiorina, Former CEO, Hewlett-Packard

3 DATA what is it? Individual facts, terms, numbers It is meaningless without CONTEXT Requires CONTEXT for conversion

4 CONTEXT what is it? Drawing data from various sources provides context Includes data about data (metadata) Context provides meaning to data Appropriate metrics help convert data into information What Context is Needed for Infrastructure?

5 Excel for information management?

6 Change Paradigms! Experience based vs. data based decision making Management programs with proven track records Lean Water Operations Six Sigma Effective Utility Management Focus workforce on analyzing and acting on data; not on collecting it Remove barriers that hinder paradigm shifts and hide waste Definition of Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results Albert Einstein

7 Paradigm Shift Barriers Lack clear goals, metrics, and visual management Staff too busy gathering data to have time to analyze it Lack of secure, easily accessible, long term storage (ie. data stored in Excel vs. database) Fear of change; fear of regulatory repercussions Lack of inoperability of systems; lack of industry standards With changing workforce, experience-driven approaches must morph into data-driven approaches What Paradigms Do You See Limiting Progress?

8 Examples of Waste at Utilities Transportation Manual (vs. electronic) transfer of data; travel to view, collect, verify, validate, and troubleshoot; snail mail Inventory Sample backlog; excess consumables & instruments; unnecessary capital; maintenance; and energy expenditures; excess people due to inefficiencies Motion handwritten logs; computer entry; typing onto forms; printing and copying Waiting waiting on samples, analysis results, data approvals, reports, and guidance Over-Processing data touched many times; more QC than necessary; data transformed many times without adding value; reports with duplicate information Over-Production - excessive sampling and analysis for process control and regulatory reporting; mistrust readings; non-optimized production (chemical costs, energy, water) Defects transcription; missing data; invalid samples; wrong calculations; instrumentation not calibrated and/or maintained properly; fines Unused Creativity lack of understanding of how existing data could be leveraged; data is not being shared with interested stakeholders; no time for thinking only doing How Could Technology Help Eliminate Waste?

9 New Proactive Paradigm Less Data Gathering: Spend less time gathering and more time analyzing and acting Greater Data Accessibility: Interoperable software systems; data where, when, and how you want it More Focus on Using Data: Data mining, modeling, analysis, customer service, control, decision making Better Reporting: Use dashboards, KPIs and reports to achieve sustainability, prevent future issues from occurring, and meet federal regulations Lean Culture: Culture that embraces metrics, data, and cross-functional problem solving to drive results Other New Proactive Paradigm Shifts?

10 United Water: Case Study United Water s Mission: We provide innovative water and waste management solutions that improve the quality of life in the communities we serve America s water challenge: EPA estimates TRILLION-PLUS dollars required over the next 20 years to restore the country s crumbling water systems EPA lists 89 contaminants that could affect people s health American Society of Civil Engineers gives US water infrastructure a D grade Unprecedented issues: extreme weather, new contaminants We believe America s future will be defined by its ability to maintain clean, sustainable water supplies

11 United Water expertise Providing Water and Wastewater services for more than140 years In addition to owning and operating 20 water utilities, we operate 100 municipal and industrial water and wastewater systems, serving 5.7 million people in the US Facility sizes vary from very small to some of the largest in the world Meeting America s water challenge will require expertise developed from experience and innovative solutions

12 From United Water s perspective, data management is critical Risks for inaccuracy Environmental or public health impact Reputation critical for all current and future contracts Fines / regulator scrutiny Citizen complaints Inefficient operations = higher costs Compliance is critical to business success Trust of communities and municipalities Strong, productive relations with regulators Maintaining compliance with ISO standards Top Down Directive to Improve Data Management

13 From the customer s viewpoint we can offer more innovative solutions Commodity service Smarter water systems

14 United Water s previous data management situation Waste: Manual data entry into spreadsheets Waste: Time spent inputting data for reporting Waste: Managers/auditors couldn t use the data Data was gathered but not converted into actionable information

15 Our change objectives Increase Efficiency Automatic data inputs One central location for data storage Data consistency across entire organization Manage unique data requirements Increase Confidence in Data Ensure data accuracy Provide accurate compliance reporting Anticipate compliance issues before they occur Reduce Costs Enable Lean Water Operations

16 We created Lean Operations Took Holistic Approach: Networked, centralized database Automated Manual Processes: e-interfaces and electronic entry forms Ensured Data Accuracy: Auto incoming data checks and audit trails Turned Data into Information: Graphing, statistics, alerting & reporting Achieved Sustainability: Dashboards highlighting key information Implemented Networked Data Mgmt Solution

17 Results Objective 1: Increase Efficiency Achieved data consistency with common database Provided easy access to accurate, organized data Provided tools to monitor sustainable improvements Freed Up Time for More Value-Added Work

18 Results Objective 1: Increase Efficiency Dashboards provide transparency and focus Division Compliance Report Reference Documents Dashboard Changed Focus from Data Collection to Analysis

19 Results Objective 2: Confidence in Data Improved incoming data accuracy Improved report timeliness and accuracy One source of truth Enabled Data Driven Lean Culture

20 Results Objective 2: Confidence in Data NPDES report easily generated with data transposition Enterprise-wide data is organized and accessible Data turned to meaningful information Enabled Easy Visual Management

21 Results Objective 3: Reduce Costs Savings in excess of 6 figures Took advantage of time freed from data collection Improved process for cost analysis and budgeting Progress made at managerial and operational levels is significant and continues to advance

22 With smarter water we can better serve clients, meet America s water challenge Data without meaning Innovative solutions

23 Contact Information Chuck Scholpp Director, Integrated Information Management BU w ext 2547 c Hach Company Brent Fewell VP, Environmental Compliance w United Water Download a white paper on Lean Water Operations and learn more about Hach WIMS by visiting: