TREVOSE, PA, DECEMBER 16, 2016 -- In an ever-increasingly connected world, almost all processes rely on some form of digital capability. The water industry is no exception. To further the creation of digital solutions that address pressing issues in water distribution and management, GE's Water & Process Technologies has entered into cooperation agreements with two leading water analytics and water technology providers, WaterSmart Software and Smart Earth Technologies (SET).
"Using data, remote control and analytics, we are working to transform the way water utilities operate, helping them run more efficiently while also improving the service and value they provide to consumers," said Ralph Exton, chief marketing officer, GE's Water & Process Technologies. "Working with WaterSmart and SET, we will bring together their deep domain expertise and analytics technologies in unique ways to address these needs and add new value streams for water utilities."
With these agreements, Water & Process Technologies will help improve water utility efficiencies and enhance consumer engagement for customers by developing and evolving applications on its existing InSight* asset performance management (APM) platform.
The joint applications being developed include digital consumer communication and engagement tools that deliver billing information, leak identification, remote valve control, resolution notifications and deep insights into water usage. This information will make it easier for consumers to understand their water consumption habits, save money and protect their property from costly water damage. For utilities, these customer self-service applications will reduce the cost to service consumer accounts by proactively addressing customer concerns, minimizing the need for on-site visits and improving payment performance.
"At WaterSmart, our proven customer engagement and analytics platform helps strengthen relationships between a utility and its customers by connecting them through proactive data insights and enabling the customer to take control of their water spend," said Robin Gilthorpe, chief executive officer, WaterSmart. "We also stimulate customer engagement and satisfaction by enabling them to choose the time and method to receive key information from the utility. These capabilities will further scale Water & Process Technologies' digital solutions to best serve its global water utility customers."
As it continues to build out its digital capabilities, Water & Process Technologies also is helping to shape the future of the water industry by creating a more connected and informed environment for municipalities and utilities.
"Having an in-depth understanding of how, when and where water is used can provide invaluable insights for both utilities and consumers," said David Duncan, chief executive officer, SET. "Working with Water & Process Technologies, we will be able to utilize digital capabilities and industry expertise to create an engaging and mutually beneficial solution for consumers and utilities to better manage and control water consumption."
The consumer application development initiative adds to Water & Process Technologies suite of software proof of concepts currently under development. Previously announced proof of concepts include a pipeline health solution with American Water and a storm and sewer overflows solution with MWH Global.
About Water & Process Technologies
With operations in 130 countries and employing over 7,500 people worldwide, GE's Water & Process Technologies applies its innovations, expertise and global capabilities to solve customers' toughest water and process challenges. It offers a comprehensive set of chemical and equipment solutions, as well as predictive analytics, to enhance water, wastewater and process productivity. Water & Process Technologies strives to enable customers to meet increasing demands for clean water, overcome scarcity challenges, strengthen environmental stewardship and comply with regulatory requirements.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com
About WaterSmart Software
WaterSmart Software provides intelligence beyond the meter to make the lives of water utility managers easier. Water providers using WaterSmart's cloud-based, customer engagement and analytics platform have been proven to reduce costs, protect revenue, and increase customer satisfaction by more than 35%. WaterSmart recently won the globally coveted World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers Award for their potential to "significantly impact business and society through the design, development and implementation of new technologies and innovation." Come help us change the way the world uses water. www.watersmart.com
About Smart Earth Technologies
Smart Earth Technologies provides utilities and consumers with a versatile solution for managing and controlling water service through its SETflow™ valve control platform. SETflow™ hardware devices enable integrated wireless valve control, hourly meter reading, water sensor monitoring, and all over the latest generation LTE low-power cellular networks. By removing the complexity of building and managing a proprietary communications network, SET empowers water utilities by de-risking and dramatically lowering the investments required to deliver near-real time data and control of water service throughout a water utilities distribution network. www.smartearth.net
