FLOWatch
A Universal Enterprise Data Management Vision for the Water Utility Sector

In the utility sector operators play an essential role that is often overlooked and undervalued by technology providers. With the adoption of mobile solutions and advanced analytics, organizations are looking to empower its staff with real time data management tools. Understanding the need of the hour Bruno Levine, Kapal Madireddi, PhD and Arvind Pang founded FLOWatch. Equipped with first hand water/wastewater utility experience and a strong operational and technical background, the FLOWatch Team developed the first of its kind enterprise class operational data management platform.

Headquartered in PA, the firm provides web-based data management solutions for utilities and highly regulated industrial sectors. Its mission is to drive operational excellence and empower operators and organizations to take control of their data in a cost effective, secure and adaptive environment. FLOWatch brings together the internet of things, with the internet of users.

Its flagship application FLOWatch 3.0 is the next generation of Operations Data Management System. This application pro- vides utilities and industrial/chemical facilities managers with the ability to manage key operational data from one centralized system. Its unique bottom-up approach enables authorized users to set up and define their information management needs, log both on-line and manual data and to produce all types of reports and notifications. This tool was developed to empower plant managers with tools normally reserved for advanced IT professiona ls. In the nutshell, the application also enables organizations to manage an infinite number of facilities and bring together lab, process, asset, maintenance, compliance, performance and operational data critically viewed for running a site. While most systems fall short here, FLOWatch 3.0 is able to put the data to use through a series of functional services including real time modeling, ad-hoc and custom report generation, workflow, and asset management and maintenance. “We are a one stop shop data management solution for water and environ- mental systems operators,” says Bruno.

FLOWatch values team efforts and builds amicable relations with clients. The list of names includes Middlesex Water Company, Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD).

There are many examples to highlight FLOWatch’s services to its customers. In one such instance, Middlesex Water Company, publicly traded water utility providing full range of water, waste water utility and related services in New Jersey and Delaware needed help to bring under one platform six business units, each operated as an independent system. In one such business unit, operators had to travel tens of thousands of miles each year for capturing data manually. FLOWatch and the client worked on different platforms but came together on a hybrid solution for 20 users combining compliance and operational data on over 50 sites. This resulted in FLOWatch uploading data and generating reports with incoming alerts saving the utility time and increased reliability. Once the vision set, the application was up and running within 6 months. This in turn resulted in significant expansion. Today Middlesex has close to 50 users on line.

We are a one stop shop data management solution for water and environmental systems operators

FLOWatch partners and customers have recognized poorly organized data as a major contributor to sub-optimal water and environmental operations. The company was able to resolve such difficulties by means of progressive data management and analysis. For future prospects, FLOWatch continues to closely work with partners such as Greater Cincinnati to enhance its services, while advocating for an industry data exchange standard. This approach to a more collaborative environment and true partnership will give space for improvement, through new service offerings and gained operational efficiency, reliability and transparency while strengthening the notion of community and knowledge sharing across the industry.