Grant: Industrial Research Chairs for Colleges Grants

Thanks to the explosion of technological advancements over the last decade, including the advent of Smart Cities, the Internet of Things, and advanced sensor technologies, municipalities and utilities are now able to collect high volumes of complex data. With the right equipment and systems, asset managers can yield insights from real-time information streams and take a proactive approach to asset management instead of a reactive one. Existing technologies and techniques to both detect and predict failure of water distribution systems (pipe bursts and leaks) are not adequately meeting the needs of asset owners and managers. The proposed five-year IRCC research program to be carried out by Dr. Mohammadreza Moslemi, P.Eng., will focus on developing a reliable predictive and prescriptive failure detection system that can support municipalities through pipeline asset management, planning, and maintenance services. Through a series of models and AI algorithms that are strengthened by hundreds of data files produced by industry partner Echologics, Dr. Moslemi will develop a tool that will advance and increase the adoption of predictive water network technologies. Increased adoption will lead to financial gains for innovative service providers, protection of water resources, and millions of dollars saved by municipalities. This IRCC initiative is supported by Fleming College's Centre for Advancement of Water and Wastewater Technologies, the Centre for Sustainable Municipalities, and the Office of Applied Research. *