The largest water management company in Lithuania "Vilniaus Vandenys" now inspects the capital's sewage and water supply wells with modern three-dimensional scanning equipment. The high-precision innovation not only fundamentally changes the way infrastructure is maintained, but also allows the company to move towards its digital twin - virtual network management - creating future solutions based on accurate 3D data.
Instead of tools - a tablet
"Vilniaus vandenys" currently operates about 80 thousand wells, of which 30 thousand allocate water supply, and 50 thousand – for sewage infrastructure. Here, dampers, valves and other equipment perform vital functions in regulating the flow of water and sewage. These systems require constant maintenance to ensure they are working properly.
According to Viktors Matonis, head of Vilniaus vandenų's Production Department, with the help of this innovation, Vilniaus vandenys digitizes the infrastructure, assesses its condition and plans its maintenance work accordingly, thus ensuring high quality of services to customers.
"Employees check wells, the depth of which is equivalent to a two-three-story house, and from now on, we also use 3D scanning equipment for scheduled inspections. With the new scanning technology, a tripod and a tablet are all you need. This means that the employee, standing by the well, controls the scanner, which, using laser beams, assesses all aspects of the infrastructure in detail and accurately within a few minutes", says V. Matonis.
According to him, 3D scanning makes work faster, more accurate and safer. "Now, with the help of smart technologies, we collect extremely accurate data and draw up a schedule of planned works based on it. This technology reduces the probability of errors and ensures greater employee safety," says V. Matonis.
Taking into account the possibilities of the new 3D scanning technology, "Vilnius vandenys" not only optimizes repair work, but also improves the overall management of the infrastructure. Accurate well dimension data and high-quality 3D photos also allow for more efficient planning of the installation of new networks. It is planned that the technology will be used for scanning any other important infrastructure structures of "Vilnius Waters" - reservoirs, pumping stations.
Respond promptly to situations
"Vilniaus vandenys" manages over 1,5 thousand kilometers of sewage and 1,8 thousand long water supply networks, therefore it is important for the company to use advanced technologies that will allow real-time monitoring and analysis of system activity in the future. In the wells, the data collected by the 3D scanner is transferred to the geographic information system GIS, which also integrates data from other sources, including sensors. In this way, a comprehensive picture of the water management system is created, which allows for prompt response to emerging situations.
"With accurate data about water and wastewater systems, we manage the infrastructure more efficiently. This helps predict maintenance needs more accurately, detect problems faster, allocate resources better and avoid accidents. Accurate data and the ability to simulate the situation in real time help us make more accurate decisions, which means better quality services and lower costs," says V. Matonis.
"Vilniaus vandenys" carries out scheduled network inspections throughout the year - pipelines and their devices are inspected in wells and collectors, water and sewage routes are evaluated, operational data is evaluated.
