Water Systems Optimization, Inc. –
United States of America
Water Systems Optimization, Inc. is the group’s USA-based subsidiary. The company was formed in 2002 and has since become an industry leader in carrying out water audits in North America using the recently introduced IWA methodologies. The company is active within the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and has employees that are established members of the AWWA Water Loss Control Committee.
The company is carrying out several interesting projects including, amongst others, a research project for the American Water Works Association Research Foundation to investigate the transferability of UK and international leakage management methodologies into North American water utilities. Several USA and Canadian water utilities are participating in the project. The company is also advising the Californian Urban Water Conservation Council on regulatory parameters relating to water loss management.
In addition to consultancy services, the company is also carrying out a major leak detection service contract for the City of Nashville. This 5-year US$ 5 million contract includes the setting up of temporary DMAs (district metered areas), flow and pressure measurement and analysis to determine leakage levels, prioritisation of the DMAs for leak detection, and leak detection survey to identify unreported leaks. All these services are provided in-house by WSO, whist the detected leaks are repaired by the City’s direct labour workforce.
Water Systems Optimisation –
Papua New Guinea
Water Systems Optimisation (PNG) Limited was established in 2003 and, through its associated joint-venture company, has been working on the country’s first major non-revenue water project. The project team is around 20 in number and comprises a mixture of expatriate staff from UK and Austria along with a large team of PNG engineers and technicians. In this ‘turnkey’ project, WSO provides all technical design, supervision, labour and materials that are required to implement the project. Close co-operation with the local water utility, EDA RANU, is an essential element and one of the reasons for the success of the project so far. On-job training of the local water utility’s staff, some of whom are seconded to the project team for the entire project duration, is a key element to the longer-term sustainability of the NRW reductions that have been achieved.
Water Systems Optimisation – Malaysia
Water Systems Optimisation Sdn. Bhd. was established in 2009 and, through its associated joint-venture company, is already engaged on four non-revenue water projects for the Sabah state waterworks department (JANS - Jabatan Air Negeri Sabah) in Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Semporna. The company is rapidly gaining a reputation for service excellence in the provision of the specialist services that is providing.