Water authority takes big step with uniform OT system

The immediate reason for the project was the outdated systems, fragmented information and technical differences between the civil engineering structures in the water authorities working area. "In addition, there was a large maintenance backlog and a multitude of different control platforms, taken over from the former merged water authorities and partly from municipalities. The existing control system still clearly reflected the situation before the merger in 2005," says Robert Doetsch, program manager at the Hollandse Delta water authority. "We worked with six different systems, different cultures and operating methods. That was not future-proof, especially with the challenges that climate change entails."

European tender 

In 2019, the water authority opted for a European tender, in which technology, quality and approach were the most decisive. ICT Group came out on top, partly thanks to their experience in the water sector. "The main criteria on which the project was awarded to ICT Group included technology, quality and process, or the way they approach the project," says Doetsch. "The contract includes not only the development and delivery of the system, but also the management for the next fifteen years with the same quality requirements."

"With ICT Group, we have a partner who acts as an extension of our own organization. A party we can rely on and that is able to translate our wishes into concrete solutions.” – Robert Doetsch, program manager water authority Hollandse Delta

Standardization and modularity

The program began in 2018 with the approval of the board and originally included 530 assets, but now there are more than 700. The project has been set up in phases, with a central SCADA environment and standardised software modules for both simple and complex civil engineering works: from weirs and pumps to large pumping stations with vacuum installations and fish passages. "From the start, we have focused on as much standardization and modularity as possible," says Bart Boerman, project manager at ICT Group. "It must be easy to add new works of art. That also meant a lot of learning and adjusting along the way. Information often turned out to be incomplete or outdated, so the approach had to remain flexible."

Flexibility and trust

This flexibility turned out to be one of the success factors. In contrast to the classic approach of 'build once and then don't touch again', a system has now been chosen that can be updated twice a year. According to Doetsch, this makes it possible to respond quickly to new requirements, for example in the field of cybersecurity or functionality. One of the most important pillars of the success of the project is the collaboration between the water authority and ICT Group. "With ICT Group, we have a partner who acts as an extension of our own organization," says Doetsch. "A party we can rely on and that is able to translate our wishes into concrete solutions. In the past, we did these kinds of projects ourselves, but we deliberately chose to outsource management and future adjustments to one party. Our water authority is too small to maintain all the expertise, which is why ICT Group is an essential extension of our ICT department."

"With the new OT system, the water board is better equipped to anticipate changing weather conditions, and can look to the future with confidence." – Robert Doetsch, program manager water authority Hollandse Delta

Ready for the future

Most of the project will be completed by the end of this year. After that, the management phase starts, in which further development remains an important part. One of the latest milestones is the conversion of the Pallandt pumping station, planned for the first quarter of 2026. "That pumping station brings together all the functionality that we have developed in recent years," says Boerman. "It is not the biggest, but it is the most complex. With the new OT system, the water authority is better equipped to anticipate changing weather conditions, and can look to the future with confidence," concludes Doetsch.