How Automated Monitoring Systems Help Utilities Combat Software Fatigue

The thing is, water utilities are already deeply invested in their existing software, such as asset inventories, geographic information systems (GIS), maintenance management systems and billing systems—and the thought of adding one more may be exhausting.

Users can get tired of logging into one software to download data so it can be uploaded to another system, only to produce more data that must still be analyzed before useful actions can be determined and taken. Furthermore, each system brings with it a cybersecurity risk that must be evaluated before procurement.

Resolving this "software fatigue" comes down to two main objectives. The first is integration: users want a single point of entry for all data systems. The second is sophistication: the recommendations produced by these systems shouldn't require special expertise to understand.

Advanced automated monitoring systems are answering the call, streamlining user activity so that they can get everything they need in one place, in a format that they can easily understand and use to inform decisions.

Single Access Point

With the ability to pull data from a wide range of water system databases—including SCADA, GIS and the growing inventory of distributed data collection devices—advanced automated monitoring solutions allow all information to be accessible with a single login. Data transfers can be set up to occur automatically at preset intervals or can be done manually as needed. The system can be customized to only take the data that is needed for the desired analyses, which means if there are concerns about security or proprietary access, restrictions can be managed through a single interface.

When an analysis is ready, it can be pushed out through a range of formats—including emails, texts, and alerts within the app—based on the users’ preferences and needs. For example, our RADAR Cloud Data Platform can send users an email notification that an uncharacteristic event has occurred or that an analysis output is ready to review. This email usually contains a quick snapshot of the data and conclusions. In some situations, the system can send a less detailed alert via text.

Within RADAR there is an events page where users can subscribe to notifications, such as tolerance alarms, event locations and device status alerts. There is also a dashboard area where those notifications can be viewed. Users also have the option of using a map view to see when and where in the system different events may have occurred.

Analysis You Can Use

To reap the benefits of any software solution, water utilities need it to produce actionable insights. Advanced automated monitoring accomplishes this with near real-time information about how a system is performing. Event notifications can be sent within minutes of a change occurring, and automated software analytics can inform operational decisions without requiring any manual calculations.

The most useful advanced monitoring systems prioritize a user-friendly design and intuitive interfaces that make it easy to understand results without any prior expertise, training or support from software experts. Programming the software is simplified as well; no special expertise is required to produce results. The algorithms recognize the most relevant information and intuit the types of analyses that are most helpful based on the data received.

Robust Security

Cybersecurity is now top of mind with any third-party software. Years ago, when cloud-based solutions first appeared in the market, they were seen as less secure than software hosted on-premises because they required an ongoing open connection to the internet. However, as cybersecurity protocols have advanced, many providers of cloud-based solutions have put more resources into the security of their offerings than a small or midsize utility could do on their own. In addition, industry standards for IT security have become increasingly sophisticated. Certifications, such as ISO 27001, as well as regulatory compliance requirements are vastly minimizing the cybersecurity risks of cloud-based systems.

A Solution for Utilities of All Sizes

By providing a single access point to integrate data from a wide range of sources, advanced automated monitoring systems offer a solution to software fatigue. Streamlined data transfers, automated analyses and customizable notification options reduce touchpoints for users at all levels. The result is a simplification of infrastructure management that can meet the needs of water utilities of any size.