• Water Agencies to Leverage Smart Grid Technology for Higher Revenue Opportunities in Developed Asia-Pacific Countries, Notes Frost & Sullivan
• Higher investments in automation and analytics to give an edge to utilities across the region
While developed nations in Asia-Pacific are completely digitizing their water assets and establishing smart water grids, the developing nations are focusing more on building the infrastructure needed to provide safe and reliable drinking water and sanitation facilities. The urban water infrastructure market is expected to surge ahead with key investments in the replacement of old pipes, expansion of the existing pipe network, water treatment, water reclamation, storm water harvesting, quake resilience, and improving the consumer infrastructure.
“Digital water assets apply data science and augmented intelligence techniques to business challenges to enable accurate, real-time monitoring, and quality control of water assets. Greater digitization will not only reduce response times but also protect water assets and lower energy use,” noted Melvin Leong, Director, Energy & Environment, Asia-Pacific at Frost & Sullivan. “Besides, advanced technologies allow utilities to predict failures, giving them an edge in proactive resolution.”
Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Advanced Opportunities in the Urban Water Infrastructure Market in APAC, 2019, examines water and wastewater treatment technologies, distribution facilities, stormwater management, and consumer infrastructure. It covers the regions of Oceania (Australia and New Zealand), East Asia (Japan and South Korea), India and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam).
“With smart cities becoming a new area of focus across APAC, there will be numerous opportunities for new advanced infrastructure development,” noted Leong. “Developed nations such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia are experiencing greater investments in automation, data analytics, and smart metering; meanwhile, countries like Japan and South Korea are also investing in developing countries such as India and others in Southeast Asia.”
In addition to R&D spending and technological innovation, water utilities can generate further growth opportunities by:
- Integrating ICT into the water infrastructure so water service providers can reduce costs and water losses, streamline operations and maintenance, and improve data and asset management.
- Providing smart sensors that enable accurate reporting and compliance comparison.
- Offering financing options or leasing options for technologically advanced or expensive products.
- Gaining awareness about procedures and documentation requirements to better handle the application and tendering process.
