Unlocking digital twins

Unlocking digital twins

Breakthrough 2: Catalyst
Testing new ways of conducting core activities

Unlocking digital twins

Led by: Thames Water

Partners: Severn Trent, National Digital Twin Programme

A ‘digital twin’ is a virtual representation of a water company’s physical assets or processes, for example a digital version of its pipe network and water treatment process. Water companies use these digital twins to unlock new data-driven innovations, which can improve their services and how they manage their networks for the benefit of customers. More companies are using digital twins but there is no agreed standard model and process for creating them, which has the potential to create inefficiencies, reduce the value delivered by these systems and increase costs. This project will create standards to support consistent digital twins throughout the industry.

“Digital Twins allow us to visualise the performance of our networks and identify emerging risks such as leaks. With more water companies unlocking the benefits of digital modelling, this project will us create standardised processes which can be used across the industry to drive innovation and to benefit our customers.” – Jethro Yates, Lead Data Scientist, Thames Water