Xylem, a leading global water technology company, recently presented to DC Water the first installation in North America of Flygt Concertor, the world’s first wastewater pumping system with integrated intelligence. 

Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant also hosted a demonstration of the technology, which was developed by Xylem in collaboration with customers. The Flygt Concertor aims to advance the wastewater sector by consuming less energy, reducing inventory needs, ensuring clog-free wastewater pumping while also reducing the overall cost of ownership, according to Xylem President and CEO Patrick Decker.

TPO magazine got the chance to interview Decker and DC Water CEO George Hawkins at the event about the new smart pumping system. Check out the footage below:

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“DC Water is working on many innovations focused on leveraging digital technologies to maximize operation and maintenance efficiencies,” says Biju George, chief operating officer of DC Water. “The Concertor pump will enable us to achieve this not only through the new capabilities of the pump itself, but also with the embedded data for efficient asset management.”

In the wake of a renewed interest in federal investments in infrastructure, DC Water and Xylem are coming together to highlight the need to invest in smart water infrastructure to maximize operational productivity and benefit customers. 

In a report released earlier this month, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimated that the U.S. needs to invest a minimum of $123 billion per year in water infrastructure over the next 10 years to achieve a good state of repair.

In order to advance research and development in the area of smart water infrastructure and advanced data analytics in the sector, Xylem and DC Water recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on future innovation initiatives. The two organizations expressed a commitment to accelerating innovation through field-driven pilots that focus on increasing the productivity of managing water and wastewater and improving the resilience and sustainability of those operations. 

“In the U.S., our water and wastewater infrastructure faces a daunting investment gap that places these critical systems at risk and leaves our communities vulnerable to the consequences of system failures,” says Decker. “We are so pleased to be able to partner with DC Water, a true industry leader, to address these challenges, leveraging technology to develop new, more sustainable solutions. Our Flygt Concertor is a great example of the type of breakthrough technology that we believe will fundamentally alter the way water and wastewater is managed. Working together, we will be able to bring those solutions to fruition even faster.”

Hawkins says he’s always looking for the next innovation to help do a better job at less cost.

“This new technology accomplishes that and I’m excited about the implications not just for us, but for the industry as a whole,” he says. “It’s also an important demonstration of partnerships between the best elements of private sector innovation and public sector operational know-how, and I’m proud to be on the forefront of this effort.”