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City staff describe 'digital twin' simulator for BNR sewage plant; staff says no net added cost
Summary
A council member asked how consent item 3B — a digital simulator for the BNR sewage treatment plant — accounts for weather and pressure changes; staff identified as Gary described a 'digital twin' virtual model to train operators and troubleshoot processes, and said costs were offset from the original contract so there is no additional net cost.
A council member raised technical questions about consent item 3B, which concerns a digital simulator for the BNR sewage treatment plant, asking how the system would handle weather and pressure variations.
"I was curious as that around weather... so that way we have the processes figured out depending on the weather, pressure changes," the council member said, seeking more detail about the simulator’s capabilities.
Gary, identified in the meeting as the staff member familiar with the project, described the technology as a "digital twin," a virtual replica of the facility intended to train operators and to diagnose and troubleshoot treatment-process issues.
"...where basically it creates a virtual, facility just like we're building. So we can train our operators. It helps us get ahead of understanding the new technology and the treatment processes. It helps us to overcome any issues we might have," Gary said. He added that the effort represents the first time the city has ventured into this technology and that it has broader future uses.
On cost, Gary said the city offset the simulator’s price by reusing unused funds from the original contract. "We were able to offset the cost, with some unused portion of the original contract. So there is no net added cost," he said.
Why it matters: the digital twin aims to help the city train operators, diagnose plant problems more quickly and plan for operational variation without exposing staff or systems to live risk. Council members asked technical questions about resilience to weather and pressure changes, reflecting concern about real-world performance.
Next steps: the item was presented as a consent item for council consideration on the June agenda; staff indicated the project is the first of its kind for the city and that it could be applied to other facilities in the future.
