Water is undoubtedly the most precious natural resource on Earth. It is the source of life, essential for the survival of all living beings, and is a vital element for the maintenance of ecosystems and socioeconomic development.
However, water supplies face growing challenges that threaten the water security of millions of people around the world. And this is also true for the cities of Rio Grande do Norte, in Northeast Brazil.
Therefore, supply systems need to evolve in order to deliver water with the highest possible quality, which means avoiding waste and basically getting the water to the required hydric volume.
That said, let’s talk about a solution that is helping the Water and Sewage Company of Rio Grande do Norte: SISPRESS. Enjoy!
Water Waste: one of the great challenges in water supply
One of the biggest challenges of any water company is managing the problems that the network may face, as well as their consequences.
And with CAERN (Rio Grande do Norte State Water and Sewage Authority), this is no different: managing the operation and ensuring that the water reaches its destination, without losses, is also a lot of work for the day-to-day processes.
In addition, general episodes of shortages also need to be identified quickly.
In summary, some data shows the size of this challenge:
- Provide water, without losses, to more than 2.6 million people — source: CAERN Transparency Portal;
- Avoid leaks that cause water waste – in 2022 there were 36, according to a report by Portal Dido;
- Increase water supply, which already has 95% coverage, but still has room for expansion — source: CAERN Transparency Portal;
- Ensure business continuity and accountability for the more than 2,600 employees in 2022, enabling them to have a dignified life and a stable job — source: CAERN Transparency Portal;
- Provide growth to the company with the reduction of losses and by increasing the operational efficiency of its processes — source: CAERN Transparency Portal.
In order to do all this, it is necessary to monitor the supply network, identify the problems in real time to ensure that steps are taken to reverse any situation. This allows for less inconvenience to society and adds to the perception of service quality.
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SISPRESS: technology as a solution
The good news for the aforementioned problems is that technology is a great ally in this case. In this sense, CAERN is expanding its network of system measuring points – there are already more than 600 –in order to avoid supply issues, which is possible with the technological help of SISPRESS, developed by LogAp.
In practice, SISPRESS uses the data collected from the network of pressure measurement points (by telemetry) in order to perform dynamic analyses in real time and inform the company’s managers of problems that may be occurring in the water supply.
This data is collected and stored through the Athenas software in order to facilitate the administration of the immense volume of information.
SISPRESS then allows the monitoring of the status of the supply, with immediate identification of problems, so that technicians can act quickly and avoid further damage to the population and users of the supply system in general.
Thus, pressure measurement points and SISPRESS work together in order to ensure that supply problems are quickly identified and resolved.
However, it is important to emphasize that the installation and maintenance of the points is the responsibility of CAERN and its contractors.
Still on the operation, there are already more than 15 cities in Rio Grande do Norte state (i.e. Natal, Mossoró, Parnamirim, Pau dos Ferros, among others) that currently make use of this technology. Over time, the expectation is that new cities will also benefit from the SISPRESS system.
Practical benefits of the SISPRESS system
The first major benefit of SISPRESS is to identify the points with high pressure in the supply system that typically cause visible water wastage and end-user shortages.
Similarly, if the water pressure is low, it could mean that the water is not reaching its rightful destination, and thus the end user is also being harmed—prompting CAERN technicians to take action.
In this sense, some surveys show a reduction of 83% of total leaks. This number places CAERN as one of the biggest successes at national level, both for the use of technology, and also for sustainability.
Moreover, constant monitoring makes it possible to evolve the distribution system so that these critical points, when recurring, are eliminated. Thus, SISPRESS can be useful most of the time, even if there are no emergencies to be treated.
In addition to the above points, there is also an active network implemented when it comes to the protection of the environment and implementation of sustainable practices.
As widely known, water is a finite resource, yet it exists in abundance on the planet. Therefore, it is necessary to protect it and make its use more conscious. So in that sense, CAERN is looking toward the future and doing its share in order to make it better.
The next step
Now that the more than 600 points served by SISPRESS show how it is possible to have a smarter supply system, the challenge is to expand and contemplate more regions that require the use of this resource.
In this sense, some ambitious objectives are in the pipeline in order to expand the scope of CAERN and allow more families to benefit from the improvement of the supply system (as mentioned in the company’s Transparency Portal) namely:
- Expand water coverage to 99% of the population by 2033;
- Expand sewage coverage to 90% of the population by 2033;
- Offer basic sanitation services with zero impact on the environment and social concerns in its core in order to bring its benefits to the entire population in a fair way.
With these goals in mind, all that remains is to continue investing and carrying out high-level work that brings real impact to the families of Rio Grande do Norte. Thus, over time, it will be possible to raise the quality of the population and certainly transform the future of millions of people.
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