Veolia North America — a leading provider of environmental solutions in the U.S. and Canada — recently joined New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans Executive Director Ghassan Korban at the city’s East Bank wastewater treatment plant to open a new digital control center that will for the first time use advanced data collection and analysis to improve how New Orleans treats its wastewater, protects public health, improves environmental quality and advances its smart city goals.
The control center is the first location in the United States to use Veolia’s Hubgrade suite of digital tools for wastewater treatment, which have successfully been deployed in other global cities to provide advanced monitoring and control systems. Veolia has partnered with SWBNO for 31 years to improve the city’s wastewater treatment system, and recently renewed its partnership to reimagine how the city treats and manages its wastewater.
At a ribbon-cutting event in the new Hubgrade control room, Cantrell, Korban and other community leaders joined Veolia for a demonstration of how the digital system works, featuring a map-based interface that shows operators key performance indicators and simplifies complex processes.
A digital solution
Hubgrade combines digital tools with human expertise to continually collect data from wastewater treatment, analyze it with proprietary artificial intelligence systems, and use those findings to make operations more efficient and effective.
Its centralized secure data platform brings together information about chemical use, energy consumption, weather-related and seasonal variations and process performance for dynamic monitoring and advanced analytics. Reports that took hours to compile are now available with just a few clicks. AI tools can detect subtle operation changes over time and identify potential energy savings across all operations.
“The new Hubgrade center we’re launching today is an important step on New Orleans’ path to become a smart city," says Veolia North America CEO Frédéric Van Heems. "We can adjust operations to perform better, cost less, save energy and cut emissions, while positioning New Orleans as a model for other cities worldwide. This helps drive economic growth, enhance the overall quality of life and build a more resilient, sustainable and prosperous New Orleans for generations to come.”
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell says it's a monumental moment for New Orleans and the nation. "We are setting the standard for cities across the country, making innovative investments that are transformative and building a legacy for future generations. What we’re doing is unprecedented, and New Orleans is ready to lead. Our city is at the forefront of digital transformation, embracing groundbreaking solutions that will safeguard our water resources and improve the quality of life for all our residents.”
