Aquatic Informatics has launched WIMS Process Manager, a digital twin solution designed to help wastewater treatment facilities anticipate process disruptions, optimise resource use and reduce operating costs.
The platform is the latest addition to the Hach WIMS platform and integrates SCADA, laboratory, operational and simulated data within a single environment. Powered by wastewater modelling software and predictive digital twin technology, it allows operators to forecast treatment outcomes up to 24 hours in advance and test process adjustments virtually before implementing them at the plant.
The technology is intended to move wastewater operations beyond reactive troubleshooting by helping facilities identify performance risks earlier, validate potential interventions and optimise existing infrastructure. Operators can evaluate individual treatment stages against regulatory compliance, sustainability and cost objectives using real-time event detection and process performance validation.
“Traditional systems often highlight issues during or after they occur,” said Megan Baxter, general manager at Aquatic Informatics. “This limits the ability to fix issues quickly which can result in plant downtime and costly solutions. With WIMS Process Manager, wastewater facilities can view dynamic, virtual replicas of physical plant processes.”
According to Aquatic Informatics, facilities currently using WIMS Process Manager have recorded reductions of up to 20% in energy and chemical consumption through more precise dosing and optimised aeration setpoints. The company also reported reductions of up to 35% in nitrous oxide emissions, demonstrating how process optimisation can deliver both financial and environmental gains.
Energy use is a significant operating cost for wastewater treatment facilities, especially for aeration-intensive biological processes. The ability to model changes before they are introduced could help utilities lower consumption without compromising effluent quality or regulatory performance.
“WIMS Process Manager allows us to model changes in advance, and helped us identify opportunities to reduce aeration energy costs while keeping effluent quality well within target limits,” said Tanner Thorson, wastewater plant superintendent in Louisville, Colorado. “The digital twin will also help inform decisions related to our upcoming plant expansion.”
Beyond day-to-day optimisation, the technology could support longer-term infrastructure planning by allowing utilities to simulate operational changes, assess capacity constraints and evaluate plant expansion scenarios before committing capital.
WIMS Process Manager is now available across the Americas, Australia and Europe. Aquatic Informatics will demonstrate the platform at WEFTEC at booth #3814.