To implement SWMI, the development and application of various technologies is required. According to Oxford Dictionary, the definition of technology is “The application of scientific knowledge for practical purpose, especially in industry”. Technology was divided into three categories - Infra & device (I), Solution & Service (S), Process & Management (P) - to establish strategies for developing, standardizing and applying technologies to implement SWMI depend on their characteristics such as types, etc., in this project.
A three-step strategy was established to implement SWMI through the development and application of technologies for the entire water cycle system. The first step, entitled K-Tech Tree, involves the development of necessary technologies for SWMI implementation based on the current state of technologies. The second step, entitled STEP-ISP, includes the standardization of developed and will be developed technologies depending on the technology types. The last step is a standardized frame for applying technologies developed by K-Tech Tree and STEP-ISP.
Technology development - K-tech tree
K-Tech Tree was established as a strategy for finding necessary technologies and developing the technologies to implement SWMI. As shown in Fig. 4, K-Tech Tree consists of three components which are technology classification, current state of technology, and technology development.
The concept of SWMI is to systemize the entire water cycle and each of the components of the systemized water cycle were divided into technology classifications. As shown in Fig. 5, classification was set up by departmentalizing in a step by step process.
Once K-water’s technologies were departmentalized, they were then investigated and linked to applicable classes which are considered as a room to contain technologies. Technologies which are required to develop or improve for implementation of SWMI will be selected through this process based on the current state of technologies. Also, the plans for development required technologies were established.
Standardization of technologies - STEP-ISP
The importance of the standardization is increasing to get connectivity of each technologies and improve efficiency of technology application, because diverse and complex technologies are continually being applied to water management. As such, standardized technologies could be used to increase business efficiency. The STEP-ISP (Standardization Technology Enhancement Project - ISP) strategy was established to standardize technologies depending on their types related K-Tech Tree. Figure 6 shows the concept of STEP-ISP standardization strategy of K-water. All technologies have been classified based on their types and characteristics. And then, standardization strategy has been established according to the technologies’ types and characteristics.
STEP-I is the strategy for standardizing the installation of infra and devices. K-water, as a public organization, suggests standards for the installation of infra and devices. Accordingly, private sector entities that pursue the development and production of relevant products abide by the standards. Consultation with the private sector has been undertaken to discuss and cooperate in the standardization process, because a consensus among all concerned parties is very important for establishing standards.
STEP-S is the strategy to standardize systems such as S/W and information. The strategy for standardizing each component has been established with consideration of difference characteristics between S/W development and using information. When a new S/W was needed for some task, the traditional way for a new S/W to be developed independently and linked necessary part of the S/W to existing systems or adding new functions. Therefore, securing connectivity between S/W is quite difficult because of differing developing languages, algorithms, and GUIs were applied to develop S/W depend on the person in charge. Also, efficiency for new S/W development and integrated operating is very low. In order to resolve these problems, a standard for developing S/W needs to be established with a concept of modularization and framework. The basic components commonly used in various systems will be modularized and a standard framework will be built to increase the availability of the components.
A variety of information has been using for water resources management by various organizations and the amount of information is increasing recently because water management tasks are becoming more complicated. As well, the number of ICT technologies is the field of water management is continually growing. However, limitations still exist in terms of sharing and using the information because of differences in information types and delivery systems between organizations. The types and delivery systems of information, including observation data, will be standardized in order to share and provide open access to water resources management information.
STEP-P is the standardization strategy for operating and managing processes of facilities, devices and systems. There are some limitations in achieving identical qualities and results due to differences of each individual employee’s experiences and level of work performance. In order to resolve these issues, standard manuals of all K-water’s technological tasks will be established through the conversion of tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge. K-water’s vast pool of technological know-how will be capitalized with the creation of standard manuals. Also, optimized work processes will be built to gain identical qualities across all of K-water’s technological tasks by establishing identical work methods and processes through the manuals. At the same time, a standard manual management system will be developed for the systematic management of standard manuals for the purpose of distinguishing the roles and responsibilities between headquarter and branch offices.
Application of technologies - standardized framework
The final step is the establishment of a standardized framework to apply technologies secured from K-Tech Tree and STEP-ISP. The established framework is composed of customized and modularized technologies to resolve water related issues in targeted regions of interest. The framework consists of a water management level assessment of a targeted region, result analysis, composing technologies and then applying them to improve vulnerabilities.
The composition standard for the water resources management and water supply field is established to make a criterion for water management level assessments of targeted regions. The composition standard for the water resources management field consists of four components which reflect the water cycle in a basin such as observation, dam, river and city area as shown in Fig. 7. Also, each of the components consists of technologies for smart water management including schemes and planning.
The composition standard for the water supply field consists of five components considering water treatment and distribution processes such as intake, water treatment, distribution, consumption, and reuse as shown in Fig. 8. As well, each of the components consists of technologies which are the same as water resources management field.
Approximately 100 indices have been developed to assess the smart water management level of a targeted region based on the composition standards. The level of a targeted region will be classified into Levels 1 to 5 against each assessment indicators. Vulnerabilities of the region will be definitized through analyses assessment results. Figure 9 shows the assessment process including sample indicators for the assessment to definitize vulnerabilities of a targeted region.
The last process is the application of the standardized framework to improve a targeted region’s water management level by supplementation of vulnerabilities. The framework consists of modularized necessary technologies developed by K-Tech Tree and STEP-ISP to achieve the water resources management improvement goals of the targeted region. As well, the component technologies of the standardized framework can be changed by improving the goals depend on assessment results. Figure 10 shows the standard framework’s concept consist business model from technologies.
It is expected that the efficiency of selecting public investment projects needing to resolve water related issues will increase as the investment direction and necessary technologies are determined by applying the standardized framework based on the water management level assessment. Time and effort for planning and launching new businesses can be reduced by establishing a standard business model using the framework with standardized and modularized technologies. Also, efficiency in terms of promoting new businesses will increase as necessary technologies and improvement goals are systematically determined based on framework assessments.