WSAA Towards the Digital Water Utility, Hybrid Conference 2014 - Live Online.

Towards the Digital Water Utility Conference - the convergence of big data, digital metering, information systems, devices and technologies enabling efficiency and customer excellence.

A two day hybrid conference you can attend in person or participate Live Online from a conveniently located meeting room and attend just the sessions you want to.

You will join other national and international water utilities, researchers, regulators, communication, data and device technology and service providers.

An initiative of WSAA, supporting Members in their engagement with other members, and their pursuit of innovation and always seeking smarter ways of doing things.

Agenda & FAQs

Agenda - scroll down below the FAQs

Location - meeting room(s) that organise. See Meeting Room requirements below.

Do I have to attend the whole conference? - Nope, just choose the session(s) you want. The conference Agenda comprises ten sessions, typically 60 to 90 mins duration. Scroll down to see the Agenda below.

Meeting Room Requirements. Your meeting room will require the following 7 items for us to guarantee technical quality.

1. Seating capacity of 6-10 people.
2. Access to the internet, plug in Ethernet, not Wi-Fi
3. Screen or white wall
4. Data projector
5. Teleconference standard speakerphone
6. Plug in speakers that connect to a laptop
7. Modern laptop with a built in mic

Why attend and what I will leave with - practical insights into the utility efficiency and customer benefits that are being achieved, latest trends and lessons learned from the convergence of big data, digital metering, information systems, devices and technologies. Scroll down below the Agenda for more information.

Live Online same as a webinar? - Live Online is very different to a webinar. You will join other Live Online participants in a convenient meeting room, ideally 6-10 people, discuss what you are hearing from live Speakers and Panels and share your insights and questions in Q&A with the Conference and other Live Online participants around Australia and New Zealand. The conference room will be switching between in room cameras so you will see and hear the audience, the Speaker or Panel, and their PowerPoint screen. There will also be an online discussion blog, an online master of ceremonies, and access to downloadable documents from the 2013 and 2014 presentations and case studies, including the Australian Review of Intelligent Water Networks & Smart Metering.

Who else is participating? - The invitation is open to the industry. Scroll to the bottom of the screen to see a list of industry people that have expressed interest in participating to date.

Price? Ticket pices are per person per session, with a heavy discunt for WSAA Members. WSAA Member: $39 per person per session. Non WSAA Members: $59 per person per session.

Group Registrations? You can register individually or as a group, whetever is most convenient for you. For example: 3 people participating in 4 sessions, could register once and purchase 12 Session tickets, or each person could register individually and purchase 4 session tickets each.

Why do we pay for Live Online? There will be a team of people and equipment dedicated to delivering Live Online. This includes in room camera operators, a camera mixing desk, an on line master of ceremonies, online technical helpdesk, plus work done in advance of the conference like testing of your Room's internet compliance, training of Room Chairs to familiarise them with the technology, detailed planning and more. It is like producing a TV show and requires an investment on top of running a traditional conference. We believe it offer utilties a step change in productivity, enabling people to fully participate in the conference for about 1/2 the price of attending in person, as well as saving on travel and time away from the office.

Is my registration/ticket transferrable? Yes

Other Questions? Please contact your organisation's Live Online Coordinator, Event Facilitator Joe Flynn, joe@joeflynn.com.au or WSAA Manager Asset Management Greg Ryan, greg.ryan@wsaa.asn.au

Agenda Day 1 (all times AEST Melbourne)

8.30 to 10.25 Day 1 Session 1 - What's New? National & International Case Studies of what is being achieved in Digital Water Utilities and Intelligent Water Networks.

8.32 Kevin Young, MD Sydney Water & Chair WSAA Asset Management Committee.
Welcome. Why we are meeting today and why it is important.

8.40 David Brooker COO Water & Waste Services Mackay Regional Council
Case Study: Nearing completion of a role out of 34,000 automatic meter reading project. Business Case, customer benefits, asset management and operational efficiencies, delivery model, and how our views have changed.

8.50 Andrew Grant GM Goldenfields Water County Council NSW
Case Study: Goldenfields Water County Council & Taggle, working in an innovative franchise partnering model, installed a 22,000 sq km data network within three months, enabling digital metering and connection to Customers' devices such as soil moisture sensors to create additional value for customers.

9.00 name TBC Cleveland Water USA
USA Case Study: Cleveland deployment of 440,000 device, 2 way AMI network with hourly data. Lessons learnt during the deployment.

9.10 Dr. Piers Clark MD Retail Non-Household Thames Water & Chair Isle Utilities
Global snap shot of results being achieved by digital water utilities and intelligent water networks

9.20 Panel Session 1: Lessons learned from implementing and operating. How our thinking changed. Planned versus actual benefits? Surprises? Audience Q&A with Panel Members including Session 1 Speakers above and joined by Ivan Fernandez, Industry Director Frost & Sullivan Australia and New Zealand.

10.25 to 10.30 Break

10.30 to 10.37 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Elster

10.37 to 10.45 Break

10.45 to 12.20 Day 1 Session 2 - Latest global and national trends and developments from Data, Communications and Devices

10.45 Andy Newland, Regional Sales Director, Asia Pacific & South Asia, Sensus
Case Study: UK Field trials of smart water networks focusing on communications infra-structure necessary to deliver enhanced customer applications and services.

10.55 Glen Garner Leader Global Centre of Competency for Utilities IBM
Case Study: The way utilities engage with their customers, the global shift from ‘systems of record’ to ‘systems of engagement’. Smarter Water Community Engagement Pilot with Townsville City Council.

Associate Professor Rodney Stewart, Griffith University
Collaborative Industry Project with Yarra Valley Water, City West Water and South East Water: Fully automated water end use analysis software providing near real-time analysis of end use to Customer web/phone interfaces and the utility, e.g., shower, tap, clothes washer.

11.15 Panel Session 2: Latest trends and developments emerging in data, communications and devices. Audience Q&A with Panel Members including Session 2 Speakers above and joined by Tim Day Smart Grid Subject Expert South East Water and Jamie Chard Chief Technology Officer Freestyle Technology

12.20 to 1.55 (inc break) Day 1 Session 3 - National Review. Business Case, trends and insights from deployments. Industry Shared Resources

Belinda Jones Program Leader, Metering Network WSAA
Progress from 2013, 2014/15 plans & Intro Day 3

12.30 to 12.54 Break

12.55 to 1.02 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Outpost Central

1.03 to 1.10 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Sensus

1.11 to 1.18 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor TBC

1.19 to 1.26 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Water Group

1.26 to 1.30 Break

1.30 Dr Cara Beal, SMART Water Research Centre, Griffith University
Present 2014 update on the 2013 Australian Review of Intelligent Water Networks & Smart Metering in Water Utilities.

1.40 Neil Brennan MD Western Water & Victorian Intelligent Water Network
Victorian Water Industry collaborative program to provide future shared services, invest in technology collectively to reduce future operating costs and share the risk in research and development.

1.55 to 3.00 Day 1 Session 4 - Why do we need Digital Water Utilities and Intelligent Water Networks? What is the Business Case imperative? In an era of price and cost sensitivity, what are the customer and utility benefits?

1.55 David Mann, Managing Partner Accenture
Digital Utilities: With rising prices and rising consumer expectations, utilities need to embrace digital business as banks and Telco’s did a decade ago, through Technology, Social Media, Mobility, Analytics and Cloud.

2.05 Dr. Piers Clark MD Retail Non-Household, Thames Water
UK experience in leading Thames Water towards digitisation and intelligent networks.

2.15 Jon Langford Asset Strategy Team Leader, Watercorp
Development of a comprehensive business case for smart meters - not a single technology solution to Smart metering, and there is not a single business case to cover all situations.

2.25 Panel Session 4: Why do we need intelligent Water Networks? What is the Business Case imperative? In an era of price and cost sensitivity, what are the customer and utility benefits? What are the customer and utility benefits? ROI? Planned vs actual benefits? Audience Q&A with Panel Members including Session 4 Speakers above and joined by Marcus Cruden, Manager Water Essential Services Commission Victoria, Dr Cara Beal Specialist Intelligent Water Researcher SMART Water Research Centre, Griffith University and Dean Anderson Project Manager Yarra Valley Water

3.00 to 3.15 Break

3.15-3.22 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Itron

3.22-3.30 Break

3.30 to 4.30 Day 1 Session 5 - Co-opetition? Open Vs Closed Systems. Internet of Things. Shared Infrastructure challenges and opportunities?

Panel Session 5: Co-opetition. Open Vs Closed Systems. Shared Infrastructure challenges and opportunities? What do we need to be doing together? Shared infrastructure? Open vs closed systems? Do we need a smart meter standard? Audience Q&A with Panel Members: Glen Garner Leader Global Centre of Competency for Utilities IBM, Neil Brennan MD Western Water Victorian Intelligent Water Network, Chris Andrew CEO Taggle Systems Taggle & joined by Mirko Sramek Customer Metering Manager Sydney Water

4.30 Close Day 1

Agenda Day 2

8.30 to 9.00 Day 2 Session 6, Recap Key Points Day 1

Workshop - Audience generate Key Insights from Day 1

9.00 to 10.30 Day 2 Session 7 - Extracting value and information from data, for the Customer and the Utility.

9.00 Adrian Blinman Group BD Manager Iota One Box
Case Study - Low Pressure Sewers with OneBox Automatic Pressure Management reducing the pressure on existing waste water assets and reducing cost to Developers.

9.10 Edgar Johnson GHD & IWA Nonrevenue Water Specialist Group
The lack of a holistic and objective approach to address the weaknesses of current meter management strategies are adversely influencing the way in which intelligent water networks and smart metering is rolling out in Australia and New Zealand.

9.20 Stephen Fernando Water & Waste Services Mackay Council
Case Study. Developing Big Data & Cloud Solutions including client leak detection, predicting pressure in water mains and predicting residential population and occupancy rates.

9.30 Associate Professor Rodney Stewart, Griffith University
Using big data to enhance infrastructure planning and management including just-in-time network modelling, infrastructure augmentation decision making, and source substitution infill developments.

9.40 Panel Session 7: Extracting value and information from data. What additional value can we create? Mistakes to avoid? Audience Q&A with Panel Members including Session 7 Speakers above and joined by Ralph Klaassen Intelligent Water Solutions IBM

10.30 to 10.45 Break

10.45-10.52 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor TBC

10.52-10.55 Break

10.55 to 12.35 Day 2 Session 8 - Distilling the Why and What, the purpose and vision, of Digital Water Utilities and Intelligent Water Networks

Workshop - Why Digitisation? IWN? Is there an imperative? What if we don't pursue it?
Workshop - What would success look like?

12.35 to 1.35 Break

12.55 to 1.02 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Water Group

1.02 to 1.09 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Itron

1.09 to 1.16 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Elster

1.16 to 1.23 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Outpost Central

1.23 to 1.35 Break

1.35 to 3.00 Day 2 Session 9 - Implementation Experience: Pitfalls, risks, and lessons learned

1.35 Adrian Petzer MD Deploy Partners
Case Study: Business Case, Deployment and lessons learned relating to Meter Data Assurance, Smart Grid Device Management and Grid Analytics deployed in electricity networks and what it means for water networks.

1.45 Lance Hock Director Oakley Greenwood
Lessons for the water industry from rollout of smart meters in Victorian electricity industry: Technology risks, Economics, Stakeholder engagement and ensuring barriers aren't created to realising benefits.

1.55 David Brooke-Smith Director Sales Australia & NZ Itron
Deployment lessons learnt in global deployments.

2.05 Panel Session 9: Implementation Experience: Pitfalls, risks, and lessons learned. What are the mistakes and pitfalls we can learn from? What can we learn from electricity smart grids? Audience Q&A with Panel Members including Session 9 Speakers above and joined by UK Utilities Leader Paul Haggerty Capgemini and Darren Cash Area Manager, Networks South Sydney Water

3.00 to 3.15 Break

3.15 to 3.22 Interview with Trade Expo Exhibitor Sensus

3.22 to 3.25 Break

3.25 to 4.30 Day 2 Session 10 - The future. What can we do to accelerate knowledge sharing, inform decisions and reduce risks of implementation? Role of WSAA?

3.25 Panel Session 10: The future. What can we do to accelerate knowledge sharing, inform decisions and reduce risks of implementation? What do utilities need form suppliers? What do suppliers need form utilities? From WSAA? Audience Q&A with Panel Members: Andrew Grant GM Goldenfields Water County Council NSW, Greg Ryan Manager Asset Management WSAA, Jon Langford Asset Strategy Team Leader Watercorp, David Brooker COO Water & Waste Services Mackay Council and joined by Simon Vardy Accenture

4.10 Recap Day 1 & 2

4.30 Close

Why attend?

There are a variety of digitisation device, smart meter and communication networks operating and being trialled in Australasian water utilities. Evidence form the 2013 National Review* revealed the successful ones that are delivering efficiency and financial value for the utility and benefit for the Customer are being led holistically and integrating with the entire organisation - Customers, Operations, Asset Management, Networks, IT, Planning, Metering.

Collaboration and information sharing is not evident with some trials repeating previously held trials and various communication systems emerging, some are 1 way, some 2 way, some support open communication standards, some don’t, and there appears to be little involvement or leveraging of other non-water communications network providers such as electricity networks or NBN.

Does the patchy rollout of smart meters reflect the substantial investment required not being supported by a compelling business case in all locations and the risk of technology redundancy being judged unacceptably high, or does it reflect the business case and risk mitigation strategies, developed by utilities already proceeding with smart metering rollouts, not being shared or widely understood?

*Australian Review of Intelligent Water Networks and Smart Metering, Beal 2013.

What you will leave with

• Practical management tips and lessons learned on how to progress digitisation and intelligent networks within your utility

• Sharing of the business cases used by utilities to justify their digitisation, intelligent water networks and smart metering investments and an assessment of the actual benefits they have delivered.

• Insights into the value that can be created when different data sets are analysed and integrated with core utility systems

• Materials and resources made available for sharing by utilities that are already implementing intelligent water networks, smart metering and data integration with core systems.

• Valuable relationships with other utilities and with technology solution providers that may be invaluable when you develop a smart metering and intelligent water networks strategy.

Who should attend?

Water Utility and Local Government Senior Managers and Managers responsible for Retail, Asset Management, IT, Billing, Metering, Customer Service, Planning, Strategy and Non Revenue Water.

Consultants and vendors who offer solutions related to smart metering and intelligent water network technologies, including smart metering, customer portals, communications networks supporting smart metering, data integration solutions with core utility systems such as Billing, CIS, and GIS.

Electricity and communications sector representatives that have infrastructure or experience that may be valuable to water smart metering.