Forward of a three-day water startup matching occasion, organized by WaterCitizen.Org and hosted by DC Water on 19 February, Dr Robert Bornhofen, director of innovation at DC Water, shares his views on the challenges confronted by the US utility and the way they’re being addressed.
DC Water offers ingesting water and wastewater providers to 700,000 DC residents and wastewater providers to a different 1.8 million individuals within the US states of Maryland and Virginia. What are the utility’s important challenges?
There are three key challenges going through DC Water that come to thoughts. One is ageing infrastructure reminiscent of previous and leaky pipes and valves in want of restore and/or alternative.
One other is the transformation towards digital applied sciences that result in smarter methods. This includes sensor know-how and the appliance of synthetic intelligence (AI) and enormous language fashions. Little doubt, it is a difficult endeavor that requires deliberate thought, sensible funding, and alter administration.
The third space includes the placement of DC Water in serving our nation’s capital. We’ve only one supply of water for public consumption – the Potomac River. Technique is presently underway to create one other sustainable supply of potable water ought to this one supply be compromised.
What choices are being thought of?
As a extremely progressive utility, DC Water is formulating numerous choices as we communicate. We’re guided by a five-year strategic plan referred to as Blueprint 2.0, which lays out 5 strategic imperatives from which our innovation technique aligns as our guiding compass.
As for a extra sustainable water supply, as famous, a number of concepts are into account, reminiscent of utilizing effluent from handled wastewater as a brand new supply of potable water to reinforce the normal sources of rivers, lakes and aquifers.
Different sources of renewable power are being pursued. As an illustration, DC Water is investing in photo voltaic panels to generate renewable power.
We’re additionally seeking to additional leverage district power as a renewable power supply. This includes tapping underground sewer pipes the place temperature variations exist with above-ground temperatures.
This temperature differential permits us to create cool air in the summertime and heat air within the winter months. The result retains buildings snug whereas lowering the necessity for grid electrical energy powered by fossil gasoline.
Leak detection is yet one more space of curiosity. We’re taking a look at options that contain such applied sciences as fiber optics and synthetic intelligence (AI), together with machine-learning, to assist pinpoint water leaks.
Experimentation can be underway with AI-enabled chatbots in a few areas inside DC Water for added effectivity financial savings.
How would you evaluate innovation technique growth and execution for DC Water, in contrast with non-public companies?
The comparability in industries may be very totally different. In contrast to different industries, the water utility sector holds an enormous public accountability for offering clear water, sewer assortment, and wastewater remedy – in full compliance with federal, state, and native rules. It’s a life-giving business that usually goes unnoticed, however is all the time on, serving the general public 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, twelve months a 12 months.
Given their important position, the place mishaps can probably result in severe penalties, water utilities are typically danger averse to alter, greater than I skilled in different industries. Take generative AI, for instance, initially, there was some resistance when it was first promoted at DC Water. Nonetheless, this apprehension has since been reconciled by better consciousness of AI and related controls.
The mindset shared amongst management and employees is likely one of the largest variations I’ve skilled when evaluating the water utility sector to different industries. In my view, utilities are typically overly affected person and complacent towards performing on issues identified to exist.
By comparability, lots of the for-profit firms I do know, the place ‘time is cash’, act with better agility in addressing urgent issues.
At DC Water, innovation is being superior in a number of methods. Our Chief Government and Common Supervisor David Gadis is a strategic chief who has made innovation a precedence. His imaginative and prescient for an enterprise-wide method to innovation based mostly on greatest practices, framework fashions, instruments, and outlined roles is making a optimistic affect.
The WaterPitch! Water Startup Matching Extravaganza is being held at DC Water’s headquarters on 18-20 February 2025. Why are occasions like this necessary for utilities and municipalities?
Innovation is about variety of thought, expertise and opinion. I imagine that the water sector wants new views, recent concepts, and an ecosystem of sensible companions. Occasions like WaterPitch! make this attainable.
Quickly, WaterCitizen will host its third Annual WaterPitch! occasion at DC Water’s headquarters. That is the place innovators scout new applied sciences and capabilities.
I participated in final 12 months’s occasion and was impressed by the various alternatives shared for startups and supporters of water entrepreneurship. WaterPitch! is the place we community, study from each other, and generate recent concepts. It is a superb venue for addressing water challenges in all sectors, contemplating all options, and all phases of startups.
Finally 12 months’s WaterPitch, I witnessed one of many Greatest Pitch Award winners ship their presentation – Alberto Lopez from Sunfish.AI. The truth is, we introduced Sunfish to DC Water afterwords for discussions on potential use of his know-how, and really helpful Alberto’s pitch be included in a Technical Advisory Group assembly with utility leaders, traders, and startups all through the northeastern US.
Via WaterPitch! I used to be in a position to meet numerous Startup Founders and perceive how their improvements assist the water business with new capabilities and trendy know-how for added affect.
At this 12 months’s WaterPitch, DC Water’s Vice President of Water Operations, Chris Collier, will current a reverse pitch on a problem. He’ll interact a roomful of native and regional companies in dialogue, hoping to listen to of capabilities and concepts that may probably clear up this problem.
I’m impressed how WaterCitizen founder and chief government Dr Cat Shrier and her crew work to convey collectively the totally different individuals and organizations concerned in water entrepreneurship – together with entrepreneurs, traders, funding companies, innovation-focused shoppers and entrepreneur assist applications – right into a cohesive neighborhood.
The WaterPitch! Water Startup Matching Extravaganza takes place 18-20 February at DC Water’s HQO Waterside Occasions Middle in Washington DC. To register, go to WaterPitch.Org
The occasion is organized by WaterCitizen.Org and consists of pitches from as much as 60 water startups and reverse pitches by as much as 50 potential traders, funders, shoppers and accelerators. There are additionally alternatives for liaison with Members of Congress, federal companies, commerce representatives, and different policymakers.
