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

拟议的研究计划将制定一个框架，弹性城市供水系统（UWS），在技术上可行，经济上可行，环境稳健，社会上可接受的。现代UWS包括饮用水，废水和雨水资产及其相关服务。该计划的主要目标是提高UWS的弹性，以确保在中小型UWS的生命周期内提供高水平的服务。复原力是抵御外部破坏性力量并从损害中迅速恢复的能力。 近年来，由于频繁的破坏性力量（例如，洪水、干旱、需求快速变化等）。高人均用水量使加拿大的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非常恶劣的条件下。需要大量的基础设施投资来抵御破坏性力量，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。 拟议的研究计划将探索，分析和开发弹性和LOS之间的互连为中小型UWS使用这些新兴的方法和技术，与以下子目标。 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.调查所有水基础设施（包括水、废水和雨水系统）在使用寿命期间的相互关联性，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构建预测模型，以调查常规和破坏性力量对短期到长期预测范围内UWS规划和管理的影响。4.利用UWS中的云物联网架构服务，为实时监控和决策应用开发创新的“数字水”仪表板。5.提出最佳管理实践，战略和政策，以改善加拿大和全球中小型社区的城市水资源规划和管理。主要成果将是一个“数字水”仪表板，以提高中小型水资源系统的复原力。这一首创工具将为整个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级别的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，他们将获得在市政当局，水务行业和学术界产生未来影响的技能，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.