`Digital Water' Paving a Way towards Resilient Urban Water Systems

拟议的研究计划将为弹性城市水系统（UWS）制定一个框架，该框架在技术上可行、经济上可行、环境上稳健、社会上可接受。现代UWS包括饮用水、废水和雨水资产及其相关服务。该项目的主要目标是提高UWS的弹性，以确保在小型到中型UWS的生命周期内提供高水平的服务（LOS）。弹性是抵御外部破坏性力量并从破坏中迅速恢复的能力。近年来，由于频繁的破坏性力量（如洪水、干旱、快速需求变化等），在水安全和服务质量方面面临着前所未有的挑战。在加拿大，高人均用水量使这些问题进一步复杂化，大约25%的饮用水，30-40%的废水和30-50%的雨水基础设施处于相当差的条件下。为了抵御破坏性力量，需要大量的基础设施投资，这可以通过重新思考UWS的资产管理来缓解。物联网（IoT）和基于人工智能（AI）的数据驱动方法等数字技术的应用为做出更明智的决策提供了巨大的潜力。拟议的研究计划将利用这些新兴方法和技术，探索、分析和发展中小型UWS的弹性和LOS之间的相互联系，并实现以下子目标。1.定义、描述和开发性能指标，以确定中小型UWS的服务水平（LOS）和弹性。2.在包括水、废水和雨水系统在内的所有水基础设施的使用寿命期间，调查互联性并建立弹性和LOS之间的关系。3.使用基于人工智能的数据驱动方法建立预测模型，以调查常规和破坏性力量对UWS短期和长期预测范围内规划和管理的影响。4.在UWS使用云物联网架构服务开发创新的“数字水”仪表板，用于实时监控和决策应用。5.提出最佳的管理实践、策略和政策，以改善加拿大和全球中小型社区的城市水规划和管理。主要成果将是一个“数字水”仪表板，以增强中小型UWS的弹性。这种首创的工具将为整个UWS的数字孪生铺平道路。它将帮助公用事业公司确定在不同管理水平的UWS生命周期中所需的适当干预和决策行动。该计划将培养高素质的人才，他们将获得技能，使未来在市政当局，水行业和学术界产生影响，这是保持加拿大在城市水管理方面的全球领导地位的关键一步。

The proposed research program will develop a framework for resilient urban water systems (UWS) that are technically feasible, economically viable, environmentally robust, and socially acceptable. Modern UWS include drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater assets and their related services. The program's main goal is to improve resiliency of UWS, in order to ensure a high level of service (LOS) over the life cycle of small to medium-sized UWS. Resiliency is the ability to withstand against external disruptive forces and recover quickly from damage. In recent times, there have been unprecedented challenges related to water security and service quality, due to frequent disruptive forces (e.g., floods, droughts, rapid demand variation, etc.). High per capita water use has further complicated these issues in Canada, where around 25% of drinking water, 30-40% of wastewater, and 30-50% of stormwater infrastructure are in fair to very poor conditions. A substantial infrastructure investment is required to sustain against the disruptive forces, which can be mitigated by rethinking asset management of UWS. The application of digital technologies such as internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI)-based data-driven approaches offer great potential to make smarter decisions. The proposed research program will explore, analyze and develop interconnections between resiliency and LOS for small to medium-sized UWS using these emerging approaches and technologies, with the following sub-objectives. 1.Define, characterize, and develop performance indicators to determine the level of service (LOS) and resiliency of small to medium-sized UWS. 2.Investigate interconnectedness and establish relationships between resiliency and LOS over the service life for all water infrastructure including water, wastewater and storm water systems. 3.Build predictive models using AI-based data-driven approaches to investigate the impacts of regular and disruptive forces on the planning and management of UWS in short to long-term predicted horizons. 4.Develop an innovative `digital water' dashboard for real-time monitoring and decision-making applications using Cloud IoT architecture services in UWS. 5.Propose best management practices, strategies, and policies to improve urban water planning & management for small to medium-sized communities across Canada and globally. The major outcome will be a `digital water' dashboard to enhance the resiliency of small to medium-sized UWS. This first-of-a-kind tool will pave a path towards digital twinning an entire UWS. It will assist utilities to identify appropriate interventions and decision actions required over the life cycle of UWS at different management levels. The program will train highly qualified personnel who will acquire the skills to make a future impact within municipalities, the water industry, and academia, and it is a key step towards maintaining Canada's global leadership in urban water management.