GoAigua improves efficiency of SAPAL operator in Mexico

SAPAL (Sistema de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado de León) is one of the most technologically advanced water utilities in Mexico and is a benchmark in the domestic market.

The city of León had already invested in a number of water management technologies and systems, but lacked a platform to bring together and harness all the data. Thus, a pilot was developed to implement the GoAigua solution in an assigned sector of the city’s network to reduce water losses and energy costs.

SAPAL found itself in a situation which was similar to the one experienced by Global Omnium a few years previously in the management of its Spanish networks where it had deployed GoAigua. This, and the holistic nature of the smart solution created by one utility for other utilities, paved the way for mutual understanding and took on special importance in the agreement. SAPAL also valued the capabilities of the solutions offered and the integration that had been achieved with them very positively.

The project was structured in two phases: the implementation stage included the deployment of several GoAigua solutions (Water Twin, FlowSens and Meter Insights) and the installation of additional sensors. In the subsequent monitoring phase, energy, hydraulic performance and service continuity were found to have improved as a result of the technology implemented. In addition, the number of outages dropped.

In this pilot, the client was given access to all the functions and developments that the GoAigua platform offers, in line with the project’s objectives to improve operational efficiency. In addition, algorithms were custom developed and made available to SAPAL for the optimization of its pumping and pressure management programs. This added significant value and yielded excellent results. Therefore, after the nine-month pilot, water losses registered a 54% decrease and energy costs fell by 39%.

The deployment of the GoAigua solution in SAPAL is a strategic milestone for Idrica in the country, as it has meant working for one of the leading Mexican utilities, which is also a benchmark organization in the area. In addition, SAPAL’s positive assessment of GoAigua’s solutions brought major recognition for Idrica enabling it to position itself as a solutions provider for the rest of the Mexican market.

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