**Australia**: Severe weather events are stressing water utilities, necessitating a shift to advanced technologies like geospatial intelligence and remote sensing. These innovations aim to enhance operational resilience, manage ageing infrastructure, and improve response strategies in the face of increasingly severe climate impacts.
Severe weather events, such as storms and floods, are increasingly becoming a significant concern for water management utilities in Australia, notably due to the growing impacts of climate change and an ageing water infrastructure. In light of these challenges, the sector is at a pivotal moment, necessitating proactive measures and the adoption of data-driven strategies to bolster operational resilience and ensure sustainable water management.
The recent history of severe floods in Queensland and coastal storm surges along the east coast highlights the rising frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Water utilities are faced with heightened demands to adapt and effectively respond to these conditions. Traditional water management practices, which often rely on outdated systems and occasional manual assessments, are proving inadequate for the present demands.
To address these challenges, utilities are increasingly turning to advanced technologies such as geospatial intelligence and satellite-based monitoring. These innovations offer critical insights that facilitate real-time awareness, predictive analytics, and improved resource allocation. The ability to identify issues proactively is essential for implementing preventive measures before crises escalate.
Flooding poses one of the most significant risks to water utilities across Australia, as it not only damages infrastructure but also leads to stormwater overflows that compromise water quality and disrupt services. Technologies like Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) are essential for monitoring and managing these flood risks. They enable utilities to:
- Monitor flood-prone areas in real-time, anticipating water movement and identifying potential breaches.
- Assess the performance of stormwater infrastructure by detecting blockages and vulnerabilities prior to overflow incidents.
- Rapidly deploy response teams to critical zones, minimising community impact and facilitating quicker recoveries.
These technologies proved invaluable during the severe east coast floods of 2022 and 2023, when utilities employed satellite-derived imagery to map flood extents and identify at-risk assets, thereby prioritising emergency response efforts. For instance, during the 2022 New South Wales floods, DCS Spatial Services captured aerial imagery to aid government response, while Energy Queensland utilised real-time flood monitoring in 2023 to coordinate response actions, enhancing public safety and minimising damage.
The ageing infrastructure within Australia’s water utilities further complicates the scenario. Declines in the integrity of pipelines, treatment plants, and other assets lead to service interruptions, regulatory infringements, and costly repairs. Remote sensing solutions are pivotal in tackling these issues by enabling utilities to:
- Detect leaks and failures in pipelines through advanced thermal and multispectral imaging to prevent excess water loss.
- Evaluate the structural integrity of facilities, identifying wear, corrosion, and fractures to maintain operational safety.
- Support long-term asset management strategies by providing insights that facilitate smarter budget allocations for maintenance and upgrades.
Additionally, utilities face stringent regulatory requirements, including adherence to the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) and the Water Act. Remote sensing technologies play a crucial role in ensuring compliance by monitoring water quality in reservoirs, rivers, and treatment plants, allowing for early detection of pollutants and changes that threaten water safety. They also provide accurate reporting that strengthens public trust and satisfies regulatory demands.
Looking ahead, the sector anticipates that the challenges posed by climate change will intensify, elevating the need for enhanced water resource management and disaster preparedness. Shifting from reactive to proactive strategies through the integration of imagery and remote sensing technologies could enable utilities to:
- Improve predictive analytics for future climate adaptation planning.
- Optimise the allocation of water resources to avert shortages and mitigate the impacts of drought.
- Enhance emergency preparedness to reduce downtime and service disruptions.
The transition to more intelligent, data-informed decision-making processes, supported by tools such as GIS-based asset management and AI-driven analytics, is seen as a crucial step for ensuring the future viability of Australia’s water systems.
Gordon Sumerling, Principal Consultant for Imagery and Remote Sensing at Esri Australia, a leader in GIS technology and solutions, reflects on the profound potential of these technologies to transform water utility operations, stating the need for a shift to proactive strategies in an increasingly unpredictable climate.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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