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Enhancing Standardisation strategies to integrate innovative technologies for Safety and Security in existing water networks

Presenter: Spyridon Kintzios

Centre for Research and Technology Hellas - Information Technologies Institute

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION SYMPOSIUM FOR EUROPEAN SECURITY AND DEFENSE 2023 | MAY 29^TH – MAY 31^ST | RODES, GREECE

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CONTENTS

Project
Consortium
Aspects
Pilots
Technologies
Beyond Technologies
Pilots
Policy
Standardisation
Impact

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EU Call & aqua3S

Pre-normative research and demonstration for disaster-resilient societies

Sub-topic 1: [2018] Pre-standardisation for the security of water supply : “…The focus of action should be on networking testing facilities developed by water utilities to demonstrate the use of current sensor technologies for the purpose of both safety and security of water, including methods to monitor reservoirs, and sea or river levels for early warning.”

aqua3S

“Enhancing Standardisation strategies to integrate innovative technologies for Safety and Security in existing water networks”

Period: September 2019 – December 2022

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The project

Challenge

Disasters have led to vulnerable societies that require risk reduction measures
Drinking water is one main source of risk when its safety and security is not ensured
Although there have been proposed several technologies for the analysis of drinking water, there is a gap on how we could integrate them in the existing water safety networks

aqua3S combines novel technologies in water safety and security, for standardising existing sensor technologies complemented by state-of-the-art detection mechanisms

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The project in a nutshell

aqua3S integrates a series of SoA technological achievements from multidisciplinary fields

high precision key point spectroscopic sensors & widely spread refractive index sensors, data from UAVs, CCTVs, satellite images, social media platforms, and call complaint centres for detecting harmful substances
high-level analytics, innovative threat detection algorithms, DSS, crisis management and situational awareness on water sector

aqua3S supports practitioners from water, medical sector, FRs and utility providers in decision making and situation monitoring

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The consortium

First responders

Water utility operators

Water authority

Research

SMEs & companies

Ethics & legal

Public security

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The aspects

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Technologies

Enhanced sensing

Refractive Index sensor
MIR sensor for ammonia detection
Pollutant identification by satellite imagery
Object detection through CCTV and UAV data
Social media data and Call Complaint centers
End users’ legacy systems

End user requirements and technical partners expertise guide the technologies under development

Enhanced sensing for the water security and safety:

Selection & customization of Refractive Index sensor

Implementation of a mid-infrared (MIR) sensor for ammonia detection

Use of satellite imagery for pollutant identification in regard to inland water

Use of CCTV and UAV data for detecting objects for security purposes

Collection and processing of data from Twitter and Call Complaint centers

Consumption of data from end users’ legacy systems

Multi-sensor semantic data fusion for intelligent event detection:

Development of aqua3S ontology capturing information from sources and crisis events

Deployment of FIWARE solutions for consuming all data created and processed

Development and optimization of threat detection algorithm selecting the optimal locations for sensor placement for picking up anomaly signals

Development of tool that evaluates an organization's level of preparedness against hazardous events

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Technologies

Multi-sensor semantic data fusion for intelligent event detection:

aqua3S ontology capturing information

from sources and crisis events

FIWARE solutions
Threat detection algorithm - optimal

Locations for sensor deploy

Assessment tools for organization's level

of preparedness against hazardous events

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Technologies

Early Warning & Decision Support Systems:

Visualization platforms integrating data from sensors, and derived from satellite data
Algorithm assessing the consequences of potential/ongoing threats in the water distribution network
Flood hazard and risk maps: real time estimation of the severity level of an ongoing event
Incorporation and communication of the technologies via the FIWARE-based aqua3S platform that considers security requirements

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Transcending the Technologies

Social interaction and communication with the citizens

Analysis of social media posts to provide guidelines
Standardized messages creation to warn the public via social media and other communication channels
Define guidelines, and best-practices on post-crisis mitigation actions

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The Pilots

Botevgrad

Monitoring Desalinated and treated (surface) water monitoring in Lemesos

Monitoring safety and security in the Trieste aqueduct

Monitoring of Iskar dam and drinking water network in Sofia

Monitoring of the water quality parameters in Botevgrad, Bulgaria

Monitoring Aliakmonas river and Thessaloniki Water Treatment plant, Thessaloniki

Monitoring the water supply system in the city of Brussels

Pilot data of the SEPG Sénéo drinking water supply system in Western Paris

1^st cycle

Table top exercises

Nov. 2020

2^nd cycle

Operational and on-field demonstrations

Feb. – Jun. 2022

3^rd cycle

Operational and on-field demonstrations

Oct. – Dec. 2022

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Pilots, Validation Scenarios & Evaluation Methodology

Achievements

Setting up the trial methodology process

Adapting/ enhancing driver+ paradigm
Define trial steps: gaps, objectives,

research questions, techniques and tools

Design of pilot scenarios

Incorporate aqua3S platform in daily routine
Use of aqua3S platform during crisis events
Description of action per step

Objective:

Development of tests in collaboration with first responders, for demonstrating the efficiency, feasibility and performance of the aqua3S technologies applied drinking water risk management for simulated events and evaluation of the tools and the platform with regards to these tests

Achievements

Setting up the trial methodology process

Adapting/ enhancing driver+ paradigm
Define trial steps: gaps, objectives, research questions, techniques and tools

Design of pilot scenarios

Incorporate aqua3S platform in daily routine
Use of aqua3S platform during crisis events based either on past events handled by operators or on similar situations
Description of action per step capturing time of events, the involved aqua3S and legacy tools and the triggering events

Roles in pilots:

Player: directly “acts” in the script, operating the aqua3S platform during the exercise (pilot partner)
Observer: attends and watches the exercise, supervising it (pilot partner)
Participants: watches the exercise and evaluates the system, etc. (aqua3S consortium or external)

Pilots evaluation via:

Observer forms
Questionnaires including information on: Personal information, KPIs fulfillment, Exercise dimensions, System usability, Per module evaluation in terms of usefulness, efficiency, and effectiveness

PUC demonstrations enabled actual observation in test environment, that provided helpful insight on what should be included in the manual and where users need additional guidance and training information.

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Pilots, Validation Scenarios & Evaluation Methodology

Achievements

Roles in pilots:

Player: directly “acts” in the script, operating the aqua3S platform during the exercise (pilot partner)
Observer: attends and watches the exercise, supervising it (pilot partner)
Participants: watches the exercise and evaluates the system, etc.

Pilots evaluation via:

Observer forms
Questionnaires including information on: personal information, KPIs fulfillment, exercise dimensions, system usability, per module evaluation in terms of usefulness, efficiency, and effectiveness

PUC demonstrations enabled actual observation in test environment (training manual and more insights)

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Policy framework and information management

Achievements

Grasp the concept of WS; EU legal framework analysis; gaps & synergies
Sector’s experts reflections detailed
Dissemination activities
Policy brief “Digitalisation in the water sector recommendations for policy developments at EU Level”, in collaboration with synergy group “DigitalWater2020” (including 5 Horizon projects: aqua3S, DWC, SCOREwater, Fiware4Water, NAIADES

Policy brief has been published on the official website of the Publication office of the EU: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/6eb837b2-54df-11ed-92ed-01aa75ed71a1

Objective:

explore the current and proposed European legal framework regulating water security, understand the policy requirements, make policy recommendations related aqua3S technologies, disseminate them.

Understand the extension of the Concept of WS, analysis of the EU legal framework; identification of gaps & synergies
Conduct a survey from sample of experts of the sector
Extensive dissemination of the analysis & Policy recommendation in project workshops both in external events and international conferences (e.g., aqua360° conference).

Outcomes of this work have been also included in the policy brief “Digitalisation in the water sector recommendations for policy developments at EU Level”, in collaboration with Synergy group “DigitalWater2020” (including 5 Horizon projects: aqua3S, DWC, SCOREwater, Fiware4Water, NAIADES)

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Standardisation

Achievements

Liaison CEN and ETSI committee
Bridge market stakeholders and standardisation committees

CEN TC 164 EN 15095-1&2 and CEN TC 391

Direct contribution to improve standards
ETSI ISG CIM NGSI-LD standards (supported by H2020 projects

including aqua3S & French national projects)

CEN TC 230 EN 17075 standard
Discussions and contribution with CEN TC 230 WG4 in 2nd period on EN 17075
Liaison with AFNOR during 2022 for submitting aqua3S contribution at WG4 meeting
Spotlight the importance of Water Sector security Promotion of importance of the Water Sector

Achievements

Establishing contact and liaison with CEN and ETSI committee

Feedback from market stakeholders to report to standardisation committees

CEN TC 164 EN 15095-1&2
CEN TC 391

Direct contribution to improve standards:

ETSI ISG CIM NGSI-LD standards

Work was supported by several EU Horizon 2020 projects including aqua3S & French national projects

CEN TC 230 EN 17075 standard

Discussions and contribution with CEN TC 230 WG4 in 2^nd period on EN 17075
Liaison with AFNOR during 2022 for submitting aqua3S contribution at WG4 meeting

Promotion of importance of the Water Sector in the overall security and crisis management via events such as CERIS

Lessons learnt

Reporting market stakeholders’ feedbacks of implementing standards
Following standardization committees process
Considering innovations into standards
Trade-off between high level and detailed standards

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Impact

Societal impact

Improved water authorities situation awareness
Collaborative sharing information environment
Interaction with affected communities through crowdsourcing

Scientific impact

Innovation
hazards detection using satellite data
substance detection sensor
social awareness via social media monitoring
threat detection and localization
crisis management modelling and detecting crisis severity level

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Impact

Economic impact

Platform’s modularity allows future users to minimize the investment required to deploy a detection solution
Reduction of cost of water network surveillance by having a water network surveillance based on multiple sources

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Impact, end users’ perspective�

Easily operated real time monitoring
Data driven decisions
Predictive Maintenance
Improved customer service
Optimal resource management

Easily operated real time monitoring : Sampling data remained difficult to access, having data in so many locations and formats makes it difficult to pull the data together for comparison and analysis, especially when it is needed quickly. Online data provides real-time monitoring of water usage, water quality, pressure, and other important parameters. This allows water managers to detect and respond to issues quickly, reducing the risk of leaks, bursts, and other water network problems. Online data is often backed up in secure cloud servers, which can be more secure than local storage options. This helps to ensure that your data is protected against loss, theft, or damage.

Data-driven decision making: Even when users could get data in and out of the system, it wasn’t built for collaboration and often became disorganised with too many hands in the pot. Additionally, spreadsheets were being used as databases, creating data opacity and discouraging proactive data management. Using aqua3S and analysing online data, water network managers can make data-driven decisions about what and how to improve the water network. This can help improve the overall reliability, efficiency, and sustainability of the water system.

Predictive maintenance: Water networks are extended in km in every city. aqua3S could help predict when equipment and infrastructure will need maintenance or replacement. (historical data – comparison – suggestion). By monitoring trends and analysing data, water managers can identify potential issues before they become major problems.

Improved customer service: aqua3S can also help improve customer service by providing accurate and timely information to customers about water usage, risks and service disruptions.

Optimal resource management: aqua3S and the data management that carries, can help water managers optimize the use of resources such as water and energy. By analysing usage patterns and identifying areas of waste, managers can make informed decisions about how to allocate resources to maximize efficiency.

aqua3S could transform the way that users managing water data and network. Merging multiple data sources and processing into a single collaborative platform, is paving the way for a more proactive, collaborative and resilient water data and network management. To succeed aqua3S integrates compliance, sampling and all other aspects of water data management into one integrated, centralised and easy to use platform.

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Highlights

A harmonised overall platform
Built new sensors and features while integrating legacy systems
Developed generic and reusable components
Seven pilots (live trials), six different MS, TGM adapted methodology
Unified emergency management plans

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The work presented in this paper received funding from the European Commission, under the DRS-03-2018 Sub-topic 1: Pre-normative research and demonstration for disaster-resilient societies entitled aqua3S (Enhancing Standardisation strategies to integrate innovative technologies for Safety and Security in existing water networks) under Grant Agreement No 832876

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Spyridon Kintzios

sp.kintzios@iti.gr

Anastasia Moumtzidou

moumtzid@iti.gr

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION SYMPOSIUM FOR EUROPEAN SECURITY AND DEFENSE 2023 | MAY 29^TH – MAY 31^ST | RODES, GREECE

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