Aqualus Water - Utility Management Software
Aqualus Water Overview
Core Meter Data Management (MDM)
The core MDM capability collects and processes data from digital meters and automatic meter reading systems.
The home screen module displays the data as a property dashboard with comprehensive search options as well as a range of reports to assess consumption patterns. It includes functionality to report on network status and exceptions.
It also provides comprehensive and customisable data query functionality, which enable the extraction of data into spreadsheets for external analysis or upload into other systems. A library of APIs also assists with standard integrations and can be extended where required.
The CRM functions integrate with the Leak Detection algorithms to provide automatic letter, email and SMS notifications of high-usage and leak alerts. The CRM module keeps a history of all customer interactions for continuity, record-keeping, and traceability.
Finally, the core system incorporates a suite of reports which provides actionable management information on multiple aspects of the water network. Almost all reports contain data extraction capabilities (usually CSV or excel). Where applicable, report data can also be visualised spatially.
User management and access control is used to restrict the access of individual staff to specified modules. The level of access to each such module for each staff member can also be defined (i.e. read-only, update, full access etc.)
Leak Detection
A built-in algorithm enables the detection of water leaks with a high degree of accuracy within a day of occurring. This functionality integrates with the Customer Relationship and Consumer Engagement modules to facilitate an automated alert process (periodic as well as on-occurrence).
Steadily growing water leak
Customer Relationship Management
The Customer Relationship Management functions of Aqualus Water manage the relationship of the water meter and consumption data with the property and owner/tenant/agent for each property.
Network Management and DMA
The District Metered Area (DMA) module within Aqualus Water is able to fully manage the most complex of water networks in order to partition network segments for reporting and analytics. By comparing supply and consumption data within the DMA, a rolling mass balance calculation can be performed in order to identify not only non-revenue water through network leaks, but also specific events such as short- term unmetered consumption. Reports within Aqualus can utilise AMR data to highlight areas of high or low pressure, as well as revealing trends in customer behaviour based on season, property type and customer profile.
Private Networks
Special provisions have been made in Aqualus Water to facilitate private metered networks (PMNs) which are networks that include privately owned meters such as in high-rise multi-unit dwellings or large commercial precincts (more commonly referred to as Sub-metering solutions). This functionality allows the utility to provide value-added services to the property managers of such complexes in a very cost- effective manner.
Property managers can access private meter consumption data through the customer portal and can extract period-end meter readings for incorporation into their own billing systems.
Water delivered versus water supplied highlights leaks in the network and pipe bursts.
Supplier Management
This module within Aqualus Water maintains a comprehensive range of supplier, make and model details for meters, accessories and AMR devices as well as technical details related to the equipment. Where non-integrated meters are used (separate meter and communications transmitter), identifying the sensor required for each meter brand and model can be complicated even for the more common suppliers. Functionality within this module enables this information to be maintained for easy access. It can also maintain information such as calibration requirements (for electromagnetic meters).
Billing Integration
This functionality enables the utility to extract meter reads at defined instances (date/time) for upload into the billing system. Where a read is not available at the exact required instance, the user can lay down parameters within which a meter read can be estimated by interpolating or extrapolating the available data.
Aqualus Water has three built-in data schema (Aqualus Water Internal, UDS & MV-RS) for export of meter reads to third party billing systems. Where a need exists, additional customer-specific schema can be developed where the required information is received from the third party system.
Meter Reading and Auditing
The Meter Reading and Auditing module contains the functionality to undertake check-reads and audit system performance automatically. Using existing meter-reading routes, this module enables the creation of meter-reading batches using standard sampling techniques. Users can determine the extent of sampling that is required.
Once the batches are created, field crews can undertake the reading using the Aqualus Water tablet module, which eliminates the need to maintain specialised hand-held reading devices. Validations and warnings are built into minimise data entry errors. The MiWater tablet also supports taking photos from the tablet with GPS geotagging and uploading these directly into MiWater to support the meter reading, if desired.
Customer Portal
The Aqualus Water customer portal enables a utility to take CRM functionality a step further by providing consumers with an opportunity to directly access their own water consumption data on a self-serve basis.
This customer portal permits property owners, tenants and real-estate agents to gain access to relevant water consumption data in a secure, moderated environment. This solution facilitates self-service by permitting each user to configure and activate their own alerts for high consumption, high cost or leak detection and then to receive such alerts via SMS or email. It encompasses a mobile-web solution for use on smart-phones.
The customer portal is developed with a fully configurable user interface to allow seamless integration with a water utility’s other web- based services through the ability highly configure the look and feel of the portal in keeping with its branding and style guidelines.
The Customer Portal provides a utility with a turn-key way of providing access to customers to their own water consumption data, allowing them to configure their own alerts and communication preferences.
The Aqualus Water Field Tablet App automates the process of installation, record keeping and testing conducted by field crews. Data is automatically synchronised back to the Aqualus Water MDM.
Field Tablet Application
To complement the business processes within Aqualus Water Core module for managing a fleet of digital meters, Aqualus Water also includes a fully functional tablet-based mobile application for use by the utilities field crews and contractors.
The Field Tablet has been developed to capture information by operators in the field undertaking meter/AMR installations, changes or removals. This application can function in online and offline modes and synchronises either to an organisation’s existing work order system or to MiWater’sown batch processing for water meter and AMR advices.
Aqualus Water’s job management functions helps create batches of work which can be despatched to field crews for execution. The tablet application incorporates several validation mechanisms to minimise field data entry errors. These are supplemented by a further suite of validations on the upload of data. The module also contains functionality that enables the easy management of records failing validations.
Field crews using the tablet application can use the in-built features to capture multiple photographs of the meter (before, after etc.), with a simple press of a button. The photographing process triggers the automatic capture of additional related data such as date/time and location coordinates.