UNITYWATER
the task of creating a refreshed , agile and people-focused business .
The technology challenge The legacy systems in use back in 2010 included two asset management systems , no fewer than 11 different supervisory control and data acquisition ( SCADA ) systems to remotely monitor and control water and sewerage assets , two geographical information systems ( GIS ), two people management and payroll systems and two finance platforms . On the other hand a proper document records system was non-existent , and the process for managing customer bills on a daily basis linked to consumption was inadequate . Clearly it was vital to replace the old technology systems with best-of-breed software .
Theo saw this as an essential part of the strategy to place Unitywater ’ s customers at the heart of the business by improving their customer experience with the organisation . The last six years have seen a huge amount of time and effort going into the task of transforming the IT platform and creating an agile and forward-thinking identity , and an inclusive culture .
The company delivered a consolidated asset management system based on IBM Maximo and ESRI ArcFM , a geographical information system to replace all those legacy systems . The result has been that staff working on managing the network , its treatment plants , its remote pump stations and water and sewerage fittings are able to tap in on portable devices to look at the condition of the assets , capture further information on condition and performance of assets and at the same time plan and cost any interventions that may be required . Our field workers are no longer just maintenance workers , he says , but information workers . “ In SCADA alone we are now monitoring more than 1,000 different sites and operating them remotely using ClearSCADA installed by the IT automation specialist AIT . We have a human
92 September 2016