Schneider Electric, Suez Partner on AI Solutions for Water Management

Schneider Electric, a provider of energy management and automation solutions, is joining forces with French multinational Suez to accelerate the deployment of digital solutions in water management systems.

According to Unicef, half of the world's population could live in water-scarce areas by 2025.

Schneider Electric said it will integrate Suez’s AquaAdvanced range of products into its water cycle management software, Ecostruxure. Suez provides water and waste management services.

AquaAdvanced is a software solution that water network operators can use to detect problems with the water supply.

Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure, meanwhile, allows water suppliers to build, operate and maintain energy management and industrial automation systems.

Integrating both solutions enables the use of AI and machine learning to process thousands of data points in real time to monitor water treatment infrastructure for leaks, pollution and the potential impact of extreme climate events, such as floods and droughts.

The pair claim the combined suite can reduce energy use by up to 30%, reduce non-revenue water by 15% and cut in half the volume of wastewater discharged.

“Digital transformation that addresses the full water cycle is a key enabler to secure our journey to a more sustainable world,” said Alain Dedieu, president for water and wastewater at Schneider Electric, in a statement.

The news comes after Schneider Electric launched a machine learning-powered cybersecurity service for operational technology environments. Managed Security Services (MSS) scans for threats to protect networks, systems and data.