Challenges and opportunities with shared data for Water Treatment Plants

Abstract: The Swedish water sector faces many challenges in terms of climate change, worn out facilities and distribution systems as many of them were built in the 50-, 60- and 70s, but also increased cyber security concerns. Collaborations between different actors are therefore required to address these challenges. This thesis work's purpose is to examine the opportunities a collaboration between water treatment plants could bring for the water sector to achieve a more sustainable drinking water production. The purpose is also to examine the most efficient way to establish a collaboration between them through digital means. A workshop and several interviews with representatives from different water treatment plants were conducted to gather information on possibilities of data/information sharing between them, but also to make a security classification of data/information generated at the water treatment plants. The representatives included process engineers, process technicians, security associates and an associate at Svenskt vatten, an interest organization for the water sector. The result showed that data/information sharing is already taking place in the sector under limited conditions. Smaller VA organizations have more challenges due to lack of skilled workers, partners and time. It is difficult for many in the sector to know where to turn to when in need of help, particularly for smaller VA organizations who usually are the ones with fewer contact networks. It is not to say that only smaller VA organizations are affected but they are more likely to lack contact with other water organizations. The majority of water treatment plants agree on that data/information on treatment processes would be allowed to share under limited conditions. The information classification is a matter for each plant due to different security realities which determines the information classification. This makes it difficult to decide on what parameters could be shared by every water treatment plant. This needs to be investigated further in order to determine what data/information could be shared by most water treatment plants on a platform. Most participants thought that a platform of some kind would be the best solution to simplify data/information sharing between water treatment plants. The suggested platform is a good start for making contacts between water treatment plants and has the potential to enable storage and sharing of data/information in the future.