White paper aims to accelerate the digital utility
Houston — Grundfos, a global leader in water technology, has released the new white paper “Accelerating the Digital Utility” at the American Water Summit in Houston, Texas. Written in partnership with Global Water Intelligence, the paper examines why so few water utilities are using digital systems for greater efficiency and why many others are experiencing digital poverty.
Robert Montenegro, Grundfos USA executive vice president of water utility, discussed the learnings from the paper in a panel forum, underscoring how the water sector can benefit from digital water solutions, which operate at a lower cost and are more efficient overall.
“There is a tremendous pressure to not jeopardize the water supply and treatment services all of us count on,” said Montenegro. “So many municipalities are quite conservative and want to do their job how it’s been done. In the same respect, other municipalities are very progressive. They want to utilize technology in a smarter way to make their jobs better and provide greater value to their constituents. We are developing and offering a wide range of digital solutions, all aimed at the same goal—to help our customers join us on the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability journey that we are on.”
Initial inspiration for the white paper came from 2018 American Water Summit in Philadelphia. At this year’s summit, Christopher Gasson, Publisher at Global Water Intelligence, recognized that Grundfos is not only the largest pump manufacturer in the world but also one of the biggest investors in water’s digital revolution.
“Pumps are the hidden giants of the water industry. The more data its pumps produce, the more visible their value becomes, and the stronger the argument is for treating pumps not as a capital asset, but as an operational service—and this makes the pump manufacturer of vital importance for utility leaders or industrial facility managers,” said Gasson.
Industry leaders from public and private sectors across the country joined together at the American Water Summit in Houston to address the challenges to provide clean, safe water across the United States. The challenge is being compounded by climate, demographic, political and economic changes. Attendees examined how the American water industry can lead the way with proactive technological development and adaptation.
Grundfos offers a full range of technologically advanced water and wastewater transport, distribution and treatment solutions for municipalities. A product portfolio of pumps and controls is available for the entire water distribution system, including main and local pumping stations, ensuring reliable management of pressure zones throughout the piping network and minimizing costs and water loss.
As part of its commitment to improving the quality of life for people, Grundfos has adopted the United Nations’ Sustainability Goals 6 and 13. SDG #6 calls for clean water and sanitation for all people. The company uses its experience and expertise in water pump technology to intentionally design more efficient pumps and solutions that make a positive effect in people’s lives. SDG #13 is a pledge to take action to combat climate change and its impacts. Grundfos has made the commitment to cut its carbon footprint in half by 2025 and be climate positive by 2030.
