Enhancing Operational Resilience and Safety with Extended Reality Technologies

Water and wastewater utilities are facing many challenges in the twenty-first century, including aging infrastructure, climate change, population growth, and regulatory compliance. One of the most pressing issues is the looming talent gap and the retirement of experienced staff. This poses a risk to the continuity and delivery of quality service. To address this challenge, utilities need to adopt innovative solutions that can enhance the operational resilience and safety of their systems and personnel. One of the emerging technologies that can offer such benefits is extended reality (XR), which encompasses virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and assisted reality (aR). XR can provide a unique and immersive experience. It can help utilities overcome the talent gap by offering a new way of training and retaining staff. XR can also help utilities improve their operational resilience and safety by providing a more realistic and interactive environment for training and simulations. XR technologies can create immersive and interactive environments that simulate real or imagined scenarios and overlay digital information onto the physical world. These technologies can be used for various purposes in the water sector, such as training and education, asset management, inspection and maintenance, emergency response, remote assistance, and even stakeholder engagement. For example, VR can provide realistic and cost-effective training for new and existing staff, especially for complex or hazardous tasks that require high levels of skill and safety. AR can enhance the situational awareness and decision-making of field workers by providing them with real-time data and guidance on their smart devices or wearable headsets. MR and aR can enable remote collaboration and communication among utility staff, contractors, regulators, and potentially customers, by creating a shared virtual space that integrates both physical and digital elements. This presentation will discuss how XR technologies can help water and wastewater utilities address the talent gap and enhance the operational resilience and safety of their systems and personnel. The presentation will provide an overview of the current and potential applications of XR in the water sector, and highlight the benefits, challenges, and best practices of implementing these technologies. The presentation will also showcase some of the successful case studies and lessons learned from utilities that have adopted XR solutions and provide recommendations for future research and development. To determine the efficiency of task guidance and training using XR technology, CDM Smith conducted a research and development (R&D) project with a wastewater client. The project's primary goal was to train new staff to complete common tasks using an XR system and measure the results. Nine employees were provided basic training in using the XR technologies. Then, they were run through four different task guidance procedures.

*Cleaning the Reclaimed Total Suspended Solids (TSS) Meter

*Titration Analysis for chlorine residual

*Hach composite sampler

*Belt Press Operation The procedures averaged 13 steps each and the employees were able to follow the instructions and complete the tasks. XR technology training time averaged 9:05 minutes and employees rated the training experience at 7.88 out of a scale of 10. Employees rated ease of use at 8.66 out of a scale of 10. Eight out of nine employees said they would like to use this type of task guidance training in the future. This presentation will include more information about this project and other case studies using XR technologies to enhance operational resilience and safety. We will conclude with a Q&A session, where the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and share their feedback.