**2. Industry 4.0—a model for sustainable water management?**

The digitization offensive of the industry, known since 2013 in Germany as Industry 4.0 and initiated by the Federal Government, is intended to turn simple machines using the Internet into so-called Smart Machines. These are self-regulating production units (they are also called CPS = Cyber-Physical Systems) which leads to significant cost savings. For example, they are fed with orders directly from commercial databases, receive their technical instructions directly from CAD/ EPLAN tools of development engineers, order necessary materials independently from suppliers, coordinate their interdependencies and report the completion of the manufactured products to logistics for dispatch. The entire industrial value chain is recorded in data form, analyzed and controlled or optimized by automatic processes. Can this approach be transferred to the level of water infrastructures as a model?

In water management, the possible applications of intelligent and smart solutions are being intensively discussed and are already being used (see e.g. at [3–6]). Modern automation technology for water management already has elements in its core that need not fear comparison with Industry 4.0 solutions. Real-time-based control or monitoring solutions are just as much in use as numerous intelligent sensor technologies. They form an important basic framework for future digital strategies. In order to obtain innovative and thus sustainable digitization solutions, such automation and IT systems must be extended by suitable analysis and evaluation tools (Big and Smart Data). Only this enables an intelligent networking of several objects with each other.

For the municipal user, the question now arises with whom he can start digitization. There are many specialist providers for individual application solutions, but how will be done a well integration into a future platform solution? Whoever is faced with the procurement of new IT systems, e.g. in the GIS/PLS-SCADA/ERP/ BFS areas, that is not an easy task to master. If there is a high degree of network compatibility due to a close technological relationship between the individual

solutions (see example MS Office), this facilitates the start incl. a step-by-step development of a complete digitization.

In the fields of municipal water management that are eligible for digitization, there are already a large number of established providers whose solutions in principle include these useful and expected functions. With regard to the basic functions, normal companies are moving forward in small steps. The differences in the functions can be recognized and evaluated more precisely after intensive use. If providers have several applications, there is concern on the user side not to obtain the supposedly best software for every task. If, however, a provider understands the current requirements of networking and has its own development of its product lines, this also has significant, clear advantages for the user compared to the sole availability of a special function. These range from interoperability up to the elimination of un-useful complex parameterizations. The importance of standardized user interfaces and dialogs, administration, data formats, menu navigation, etc., can be seen again when considering the development of the office world. For the KOMMUNAL 4.0 product lines, the overall system selection is based on the aspects of secure investment through technological sustainability as well as networking and usability. In this case, the technology is concerned with the methods, technologies and resources used in product development itself. They are essentially responsibilities for what is working today, in the future and what does not fit. At this point the user must inform himself accordingly early enough in order not to wait too long or also in vain for the necessary adaptations of his (special) provider in the future.

In particular, the currently pending change through digitalization is a good way to orient himself comprehensively and to make new decisions if necessary. If the user succeeds in procuring systems from one platform and possibly from one provider, the networkability and operability of the overall solution will be simplified. The solution should also offer the possibility to integrate already existing software applications. The conversion and renewal of software and its entire technological basis also requires a lot of orientation, strength, competence and investment at the providers side. A changeover from classic client-server software to web systems, for example, also requires new thinking in development. As a result of the high challenges, only small steps or adaptations of the outer shell are often successful but no innovative progress or better results have to be achieved. Fitting usability and an intuitive using of a software can only be determined after several days of practical work. On the other hand users expect more today. They want deep horizontal and vertical networking of the systems, e.g. with asset/maintenance and SCADA systems. This has taken on a new and higher significance and it is the most discussed topic of interfaces or integration capability or networkability of the systems. Synchronization functions, uniform grammar, file formats, reliability and warranty are more and more in focus. Regarding these requirements the KOMMUNAL 4.0 world is already one step ahead and offers compatible web systems for GIS/PLS-SCADA/ERP/BFS tasks as well as integrated measurement and data technology applications and smart machines. The company HST (consortium leader of KOMMUNAL 4.0) for example has converted all its systems to platforms and web technology in recent years and comprehensively networked its systems. The widely used asset/maintenance management system KANiO and the process control system SCADA.web are today highly communicative networkable solutions with open standard interfaces as well as integration and synchronization functions also for third-party systems. Reliability and optimal operability have priority.

An IT-supported ISMS (Information Security Management System) is already available (KANiO-ISMS) for secure compliance with the requirements of the IT German Security Act. It represents an important building block for the individual steps on the way to a legally compliant IT security structure and is available as a

**23**

*Smart Water—How to Master the Future Challenges of Water Management*

separate application and also as a component of the KANiO system. The use of the tool avoids uncoordinated individual measures that do not guarantee sufficiently secure IT operation. In addition, the tool ensures that the company's own efforts to ensure secure IT operation can be proven to customers or legislators. Earlier measures can thus also be better aligned with the current security standard. In addition, almost all process engineering machines of HST are gradually being equipped with sensors and actuators (so-called IntelliSystems) so that SCADA and asset/maintenance management system can be directly networked and collaborated. This means that there are already solutions for integrated IT and IoT communication across all

**3. Why does digitization differ from earlier technology developments?**

Classical engineering-based research does not fully reflect the comprehensive developments of digitization. With digitization, something very big has happening with increasing speed. It has now also reached the water industry. An analysis of publications, studies and research carried out in the context of KOMMUNAL 4.0 in the field of industry 4.0 has shown that, in addition to technology patterns, other subject areas are important which will also have a serious impact on the water management. This applies, for example, to data sovereignty, data law and public

Thanks to the accompanying research of the federal technology program "Smart Service World", in which the KOMMUNAL 4.0 project is embedded, and the associated networking with other Industry 4.0 research networks such as the federal technology program "Smart Data", the project partners in KOMMUNAL 4.0 are able to access the current state of knowledge and expected developments not only at the field of IT security and legal issues. These coming topics, some of which have not even been discussed in the water industry until today, are already the subject of

Previous technology flows primarily arose from development ideas that were examined in individual objects or tasks. An example of this is the extended elimination of nitrogen in sewage treatment plants. When this aspect was investigated and applied broadly after being anchored in legislation, the effects were limited to the respective sewage treatment plant or the responsible organization. The other departments of a municipality, city or association were not affected. The same can be noticed for example for the so called fourth sewage treatment stage. From this point of view, research institutes and plant operators were able to investigate into such issues independently to get an isolated developed solution. Consequences of a lack of communication between research institutes were not significant due to low need of interdisciplinary interfaces. Although the existing scientific-technical exchange among experts is maintained and also inspires research initiatives, a mutual agreement on the research and development contents was not absolutely

In opposite to aforementioned situation the appearance of digitization must be judged differently. Since as a cross-sectional technology it has an almost unlimited influence on all technological and organizational environments. At the horizontal level individual objects such as rain basins, flood reservoirs, water treatment plants or sewage treatment plants have to be connected more and more with the entire infrastructure systems across city and municipal boundaries. At the organizational level (vertical level) different departments and organizations have to be linked to each other. In addition, regional and supra-regional administrative and authority

necessary for the previous form of technology development.

units should also be integrated into these networking efforts.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90644*

application levels, as shown in **Figure 1**.

procurement law.

KOMMUNAL 4.0.

*Smart Water—How to Master the Future Challenges of Water Management DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90644*

*Resources of Water*

development of a complete digitization.

solutions (see example MS Office), this facilitates the start incl. a step-by-step

In the fields of municipal water management that are eligible for digitization, there are already a large number of established providers whose solutions in principle include these useful and expected functions. With regard to the basic functions, normal companies are moving forward in small steps. The differences in the functions can be recognized and evaluated more precisely after intensive use. If providers have several applications, there is concern on the user side not to obtain the supposedly best software for every task. If, however, a provider understands the current requirements of networking and has its own development of its product lines, this also has significant, clear advantages for the user compared to the sole availability of a special function. These range from interoperability up to the elimination of un-useful complex parameterizations. The importance of standardized user interfaces and dialogs, administration, data formats, menu navigation, etc., can be seen again when considering the development of the office world. For the KOMMUNAL 4.0 product lines, the overall system selection is based on the aspects of secure investment through technological sustainability as well as networking and usability. In this case, the technology is concerned with the methods, technologies and resources used in product development itself. They are essentially responsibilities for what is working today, in the future and what does not fit. At this point the user must inform himself accordingly early enough in order not to wait too long or also in vain for the necessary adaptations of his (special) provider in the future. In particular, the currently pending change through digitalization is a good way to orient himself comprehensively and to make new decisions if necessary. If the user succeeds in procuring systems from one platform and possibly from one provider, the networkability and operability of the overall solution will be simplified. The solution should also offer the possibility to integrate already existing software applications. The conversion and renewal of software and its entire technological basis also requires a lot of orientation, strength, competence and investment at the providers side. A changeover from classic client-server software to web systems, for example, also requires new thinking in development. As a result of the high challenges, only small steps or adaptations of the outer shell are often successful but no innovative progress or better results have to be achieved. Fitting usability and an intuitive using of a software can only be determined after several days of practical work. On the other hand users expect more today. They want deep horizontal and vertical networking of the systems, e.g. with asset/maintenance and SCADA systems. This has taken on a new and higher significance and it is the most discussed topic of interfaces or integration capability or networkability of the systems. Synchronization functions, uniform grammar, file formats, reliability and warranty are more and more in focus. Regarding these requirements the KOMMUNAL 4.0 world is already one step ahead and offers compatible web systems for GIS/PLS-SCADA/ERP/BFS tasks as well as integrated measurement and data technology applications and smart machines. The company HST (consortium leader of KOMMUNAL 4.0) for example has converted all its systems to platforms and web technology in recent years and comprehensively networked its systems. The widely used asset/maintenance management system KANiO and the process control system SCADA.web are today highly communicative networkable solutions with open standard interfaces as well as integration and synchronization functions also for third-party systems. Reliability and optimal operability have priority.

An IT-supported ISMS (Information Security Management System) is already available (KANiO-ISMS) for secure compliance with the requirements of the IT German Security Act. It represents an important building block for the individual steps on the way to a legally compliant IT security structure and is available as a

**22**

separate application and also as a component of the KANiO system. The use of the tool avoids uncoordinated individual measures that do not guarantee sufficiently secure IT operation. In addition, the tool ensures that the company's own efforts to ensure secure IT operation can be proven to customers or legislators. Earlier measures can thus also be better aligned with the current security standard. In addition, almost all process engineering machines of HST are gradually being equipped with sensors and actuators (so-called IntelliSystems) so that SCADA and asset/maintenance management system can be directly networked and collaborated. This means that there are already solutions for integrated IT and IoT communication across all application levels, as shown in **Figure 1**.
