Dutch water utility PWN supplies drinking water to more than 800,000 households, companies and institutions in the province of North Holland. Each year, its customers consume around 110 billion litres of drinking water, which is treated from surface water sources. To manage this supply, PWN operates a large-scale distribution network with approximately 33,000 valves that regulate the flow of water across the region.

To optimise operations and ensure reliability, particularly in emergency or maintenance situations, PWN needs accurate and up-to-date information on the position of key valves—whether they are open, closed, or somewhere in between. Currently, valve status is manually reported by technicians, which introduces the risk of time delays and human error. In around 1–2 percent of cases, the recorded valve position is incorrect, which may lead to stagnant water, pressure issues, and inconsistencies in the digital representation of the network.

To improve the visibility of valve operations and support the development of a digital twin of its pipeline network, PWN has partnered with AVK Nederland to pilot the installation of VIDI Positioners—smart devices that monitor and report valve positions in real time. The VIDI Positioner detects the exact opening percentage (0–100%) of a valve and feeds this data into PWN’s IT systems.

Three VIDI Positioners were installed in an initial pilot phase and connected to a test environment, which validated the technology’s performance. Following this, PWN launched a three-year programme to equip 150 key valves—such as those in large transport pipelines or in pressure-separating zones—with VIDI Positioners.

PWN also evaluated solutions from other providers but opted for AVK’s Smart Water offering, due in part to its flexibility. The VIDI Positioner can be operated using any standard valve key, which simplifies integration across the network.

Data from the VIDI Positioners will be visualised through AVK’s VIDI Cloud software and securely integrated into PWN’s internal pipeline information system. A dedicated IT team has already validated the system in a test environment and full-scale implementation is scheduled for spring 2025.

The use of VIDI Positioners enables PWN to automatically verify the status of critical valves with greater accuracy and speed. This improves operational reliability, reduces the risk of errors, and supports the creation of a digital twin—a real-time digital representation of the physical water network.

With better data, PWN can more effectively respond to operational issues and ensure water quality. Additionally, the new system helps bridge the current “black box” between pumping stations and end-users by making network conditions more transparent.

In 2025, PWN plans to install 50 VIDI Positioners, beginning with gate valves and later expanding to butterfly valves in main transport pipelines. AVK will support the first phase of installation and provide training to a core team of PWN technicians, who will later scale the rollout internally.