Amsterdam, Netherlands – A network of 15 municipal water treatment plants in the Netherlands has achieved a 32% reduction in maintenance costs after deploying the ABB CI820V1 communication interface module. The module’s ability to enable secure remote data transmission has also reduced on-site visits by 60%—a critical benefit for plants located in remote rural areas.
Water treatment plants rely on precise monitoring of variables like pH levels, chemical dosages, and pump pressure to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. However, many rural plants lack consistent access to on-site technical staff, making it hard to address issues quickly. Prior to adopting the ABB CI820V1, the Dutch plants used outdated communication systems that only transmitted data in batches (every 30 minutes), leading to delayed alerts about equipment failures (e.g., a clogged filter) and costly emergency repairs.
“Our rural plants are often 50+ kilometers from our central maintenance team—so sending someone on-site for a minor issue is expensive and time-consuming,” said Sophie de Vries, Operations Director for the Dutch water authority. “The CI820V1 changed that. Now we can monitor every sensor and pump in real time from our central office, and we only send staff when a problem actually needs hands-on fixing.”
The module delivered value across three core areas of water treatment operations: Proactive Maintenance: Real-time data from the CI820V1 allowed the water authority to shift from reactive to predictive maintenance. For example, the module detected a drop in pump efficiency 2 weeks before it would have failed, enabling a scheduled repair that cost 70% less than an emergency fix. Regulatory Compliance: By unifying data from all 15 plants, the CI820V1 simplified compliance reporting. The water authority now generates monthly environmental reports in 4 hours, down from 2 days, and has avoided €50,000 in potential fines for late submissions. Energy Savings: Remote monitoring let the authority optimize pump and blower runtime—for instance, reducing blower speed during off-peak hours—cutting the plants’ total energy use by 18% and lowering carbon emissions.
“Water treatment is a critical service, and technology should make it more efficient and sustainable,” said Jan van der Meer, ABB’s Regional Sales Director for Benelux Industrial Automation. “The CI820V1 isn’t just a communication module—it’s a tool that helps water authorities deliver clean water while keeping costs low. This success in the Netherlands is a model for how industrial automation can support public services.”
The Dutch water authority plans to expand the use of the ABB CI820V1 to 10 more plants by the end of 2025. For more insights on how the module supports water and wastewater operations, visit ABB’s industry solutions portal.
