In-Booth Presentations

Tuesday, June 13


Going Digital

One Utility Leader’s Perspective and Actionable Insights for Powerful Outcomes

10:00AM EST

Visit us for an in-booth presentation to hear how utilities are unlocking the value of data through a thoughtful, systematic approach to “going digital” with insights from one of the utility leaders featured in Xylem’s new paper, Ripple Effect: A Movement Towards Digital Transformation.

Speaker: Indra Maharjan, Director of Innovation, Technology, and Alternative Delivery, Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) & Michele Samuels, Global Practice Manager, Asset Performance, Xylem

Implementing a Digital Twin for Proactive Pressure Control and Demand Optimization in Toronto Water

2:00PM EST

Toronto Water is one of the largest water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities in North America, supplying safe drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment, and stormwater management services to over 3.6 million residents and businesses in the City of Toronto in addition to portions of the York and Peel regions located in Ontario, Canada. Learn how Toronto Water leveraged GoAigua’s Smart Water Engine and Digital Twin to integrate key operational data from SCADAs, GIS, smart meters (AMI), CMMS/ work orders, and hydraulic models to provide more proactive water production and pressure & demand management.

Speakers: Arash Farajian, Manager, Smart Water & Technology (SWAT), Toronto Water & Pablo Calabuig, VP Americas, GoAigua

ACE Presentations

Monday, June 12


The Journey of Digital Transformation

How Numerous Utilities Incorporated a Smart Water Network
2:00PM EST, Beanfield 201A

Water operations can be complicated, but your digital transformation doesn’t need to be. Whether you’ve just pressed “go” on your journey to a smart water network or you’re identifying ways to amplify your network further, this session will explore how you can easily connect and leverage data across your entire system. Join us in this panel discussion to hear from several utilities and their path to digital transformation. You’ll hear about their successes, hurdles and tactics and have a chance to ask questions of your own.

Speakers: Christopher Thomson, Nicole Pasch, Drew Scranton, Michele Samuels, Matthew Thomas, & Brian Vu

Product Innovation from the Perspective of a Manufacturer

3:00PM EST, Beanfield 203A

When an organization practices Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I), a natural outcome is Innovation. Bringing people with new perspectives into an organization is diversity, providing the necessary tools to support those brought into the organization is equity and actively creating an environment where those new perspectives are welcomed and recognized is inclusion. These components encourage a culture where new products, processes and problem solving can thrive, which is the key to innovation. This session will provide an understanding of how each component of DE&I leads to innovation followed by case studies from 3 different perspectives – manufacturing (product), consulting (process) and utility (problem solving) – where this has been successfully demonstrated followed by a moderated panel discussing the commonalities and unique attributes of the case studies and how these successes can be replicated to advance the water industry.

Parent Session: MON06 – INNOVATION IN PRACTICE: TAKING DE&I TO THE NEXT LEVEL (2:00PM-5:00 PM)
Speaker: Allison Stroebele

O&M Planning and Optimization

3:30PM EST, Beanfield 200BC

Review the continued work of the O&M Planning and Optimization Subcommittee (such as its AWWA Journal articles and “Gamification of asset management” research, Introduce O&M Hot Topics, and Facilitate Panel/Audience Discussion

Parent Session: MON03 – ASSET MANAGEMENT JAM SESSION (3:30PM-5:00PM)
Speaker: Peter Kraft

Tuesday, June 13


Best Practices for Strategic Management of PCCP

09:00AM EST, Beanfield 201A

This presentation will cover best practices for the strategic management of prestressed concrete cylinder pipe and bar-wrapped pipe using near-field and remote field electromagnetic assessment options.

Parent Session: TUE03 – DEMYSTIFYING HIGH-RESOLUTION INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES FOR PCCP AND BAR-WRAPPED PIPE (8:30AM-11:30AM)
Speaker: Alan Blair

Total Pipeline Management

10:30AM EST, Beanfield 200BC

Combining asset management of valves and pipeline appurtenances along with condition assessment of critical mains is a best-in-class strategy for maximizing assessment projects and ultimately reducing both the likelihood of failures and minimizing the consequences, should those failures actually occur.

Parent Session: TUE02 – UTILITY AND ASSET MANAGEMENT (8:30AM-11:30AM)
Speakers: Wayne Pratt | Co-Author: Alex Fleet

Wednesday, June 14


Comprehensive Pipeline Assessment and Repairs in Ottawa

09:00AM EST, Beanfield 205A

This presentation is on how the City of Ottawa used the results of their condition assessment program to plan an efficient rehabilitation outage. The three repair locations were identified based on condition assessment data from three different technologies. The first location was based on the results of their acoustic fiber optic (AFO) monitoring system, which indicated one pipe was quickly deteriorating. The second location was a leak which was identified in a leak detection inspection. The third location was based on information collected via electromagnetic inspection. This complex comprehensive rehabilitation project has resulted in continued confidence in their critical watermain.

Parent Session: WED11 – CONDITION ASSESSMENT SUCCESS STORIES (9:00AM-11:30AM)
Speakers: Allison Biggar | Co-Authors: Derek Phillips, Renjit Varghese, Birgitte Alting-Mees, Ashwini Shanmugam

Route 1A

A Comprehensive Management Route of Large Diameter PCCP Mains

11:00AM EST, Beanfield 205A

This study will examine the comprehensive Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP) management strategy implemented by Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (MDWASD), the 5th largest water utility in the US. A 12-year study of Route 1A will serve as the conduit to showcase the full range and completeness of the management strategy employed throughout MDWASD’s system and how a failing pipeline can be stabilized and seemingly managed in perpetuity. The strategy is built upon recurring electromagnetic inspections and continuous acoustic fiber optic (AFO) monitoring, but is augmented using visual/sounding practices, leak detection, transient pressure monitoring, design checks, finite element analysis, and remaining useful life studies.

Parent Session: WED11 – CONDITION ASSESSMENT SUCCESS STORIES (9:00AM-11:30AM)
Speaker: Parvesh Dsingh | Co-Author: Alan Bair

Risk-Driven Sensor Placements and Pressure Management

2:00PM EST, Beanfield 200BC

The deployment of remote metering infrastructure has many operational and fiscal benefits. However, since most systems do not have the budget to install remote sensors on every service connection, a strategic allocation of these assets is needed for the best return on investment. Despite being a well-studied topic in the engineering literature, the high barrier of data requirements makes it difficult for utilities to apply the state of the art. Our approach provides an alternative method for the sensor placement problem with much lower data requirements and is generalizable for a much broader cohort of utilities. The workflow uses geostatistical analyses and mathematical optimization to guide the selection of sensor locations.

Parent Session: WED23 – PIPELINE ASSET MANAGEMENT (2:00PM-3:30PM)
Speaker: Thomas Chen | Co-Author: Joseph Dryer

Predicting the Performance of Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipes (PCCP)

An Updated Case Study With 5 More Years of Data

03:30 PM EST, Beanfield 200BC

In 2017, the Lake Huron Primary Water Supply System (LHPWSS) undertook a study to examine and predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of its 47-kilometre-long 1200mm PCCP Pipeline. This pipeline was previously assessed using electromagnetic technology to determine the number of broken wire wraps as well as continuously monitored for breakage with an acoustic fiber optic (AFO) cable along the length of the transmission main. This paper is a comparative study of the initial RUL analysis and the updated study based on the new data collected. In particular, the new analysis highlights how sections of the pipeline which resulted in high probability of failure in the 2017 study reacted to operational changes in the intervening 5 years.

Parent Session: WED24 – ASSET MANAGEMENT – CANADIAN PERSPECTIVES (3:30PM-5:00PM)
Speakers: Heather Edwards, Billy Haklander | Co-Authors:Sepideh Yazdekhasti, Craig Daly, Clinton Loe

The Paris of the Prairies Leads the Way for Pipeline Management

04:00PM EST, Beanfield 200BC

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan may not get the global attention of Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal or Calgary, but the “Paris of the Prairies” should have everyone’s attention when it comes to critical water pipeline asset management. Since 2014, the City has undertaken a proactive condition assessment program to maintain its aging primary water mains and to ensure water services meet the needs and expectations of its citizens today and into the future, all while improving system reliability and overall customer satisfaction.

Parent Session: WED24 – ASSET MANAGEMENT – CANADIAN PERSPECTIVES (3:30PM-5:00PM)
Speaker: Joshua Greenberg | Co-Authors: Justin Hebner, Stephen Wood

Private Sector Path to Environmental Justice and Water Equity

The Private Sector’s Role in Partnering with Water Utilities To Advance Environmental Justice

4:20PM EST, Beanfield 204BC

Since COVID-19 there has been significant volatility relative to the availability and cost of materials as well as labor scarcity. Moreover, stakeholders have increased expectations to be informed and involved in the decision-making process. Similarly, utilities and stakeholders alike have mutual interest in understanding how to improve environmental justice and community service outcomes. This session will provide a foundational understanding of these challenges and expectations while also presenting examples of strategies and tactics used to address them.

Parent Session: WED36 – STRATEGIES FOR ADAPTING TO CURRENT CAPITAL CHALLENGES AND ADDRESSING STAKEHOLDER EXPECTATIONS (2:00PM-5:00PM)
Speaker: Lindsay Birt