Page 32 - BENTLY SYSTEMS PR REPORT - February 2025

2/7/25, 11:25 AM A look at how digital twins optimise water management

A look at how digital twins optimise water

management

CREATED: 06 FEBRUARY 2025

Gregg Herrin, Bentley Systems vice president for water, highlights a few case
studies where digital twins helped cities conserve water. This is the second in a
three-part series of his op-ed, which has been slightly edited for brevity. Read the
first part here.

Companhia Aguas de Joinville (CAJ) supplies water and sanitation services to

approximately 600,000 residents of Joinville, a thriving municipality in Santa Catarina,
South Brazil. In 2020, Joinville experienced the worst drought in 30 years, with one of the
city’s two main water systems—the Pirai River—dropping to unprecedented low levels.
The drought drastically impacted water production and sanitation, threatening the health
and quality of life for Joinville citizens.

Using Bentley's hydraulic modeling application, the CAJ team created a digital twin of the
city's water distribution system, enabling advanced modeling and simulation.

With the digital twin, CAJ engineers devised a new contingency plan—at near-zero
carbon cost of implementation, no less—that saved BRL 4.5 million, by optimising
existing infrastructure and reducing the need for new construction. It helped CAJ
understand current system conditions, including flow rates, pressures, and water quality,
enabling proactive management and scenario analysis.

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