K-water Focus ②
Hwaseong AI Water Purification Plant wins
the Global Lighthouse Network Award
The Hwaseong AI Water Purification Plant operated by K-water became the first water corporation to receive the Global Lighthouse Network Award at the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland on January 15, local time.
Text by Editor’s Office
Sources K-water
World’s first water service provider recognized for future-leading technology
As a joint initiative launched by WEF and McKinsey & Company in 2018, the Global Lighthouse Network Award recognizes companies leading the world manufacturing industry by actively introducing core technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution just like a lighthouse shines light in the night sky to guide ships in the sea. Previous recipients of the award include Johnson & Johnson, SIEMENS, and other major corporations, with only three Korean corporations: POSCO, LS Electric, and LG Electronics. The Hwaseong AI Water Purification Plant is the world’s first water management facility and the first public water service provider ever to win the award, making it a monumental case. WEF found it particularly noteworthy that the Hwaseong plant has introduced an AI-based operation system in response to the increasing volatility in water supply amid the accelerating climate change. The plant is implementing next-generation technology that combines big data-based autonomous operation, energy management, self-diagnosis of irregularities through real-time facility monitoring, and intelligent video monitoring.
Setting global standards for responding to climate change
Amid the rapid climate change, water supply services are becoming increasingly important as they are directly linked to people’s lives. K-water decided that it needed to adopt a new approach that could operate facilities efficiently and minimize human errors in order to respond in a consistent, timely manner to the changing water management environment due to abnormal weather conditions. With the advent of the digital transformation era, K-water decided to launch an AI-based operation system for the Hwaseong Water Purification Plant, which was successfully completed in April 2022. K-water plans to introduce the AI-based water purification technology into 42 metropolitan water purification plants by the end of the year and continue to develop the technology with the goal of achieving fully autonomous operation by 2030. Aiming to advance its AI water purification technology further through ongoing technological innovation and develop it as part of ISO international standards, K-water will work closely with small but strong water corporations to develop overseas markets and acquire globally competitive advantages.
Hwaseong AI Water Purification Plant Conceptual Design