2.2.1. Lack of innovation in water-saving measures.

Large urban water users, such as government agencies, universities and enterprises, Current water-saving measures and methods mainly focus on education and awareness, planned water use, the popularization of water-saving devices, and process improvements. The water-saving effect often depends on the strength of the promotion, the implementation of the plan, and the degree of technological improvement, lacking innovative means such as intelligent equipment or information technology to enhance the water-saving effect.

2.2.2. Inaccurate water metering.

In April 1987, the Ministry of Construction issued the “Industrial enterprise water balance test method” (CJ20–87), in 1990, the National Energy Foundation and Management Standards Committee issued the national standard “Enterprise water balance and Test General rules” (GB/T12452-90), requiring the realization of hierarchical household accurate measurement and the installation of remote intelligent meters. However, at present, most urban water-using units are not equipped with accurate metering meters, most still use traditional mechanical meters, and the degree of intelligence in data acquisition, transmission and control is low, so it is impossible to upload data in real time, and it is difficult to identify abnormal early warning, and the actual water consumption is not accurate enough.

2.2.3. The leakage rate of pipe network is high.

Pipe network leakage is an important reason for the waste of water resources, and it also brings great challenges to the water-saving management of urban water users. At present, the leakage detection of urban water-using units is basically by means of artificial passive leakage detection. Some urban water-using units invite professional companies to use listening sticks, electroacoustic detection instruments and other equipment for inspection every year. However, due to the aging of the supply pipeline, the leakage phenomenon is frequent. Although the situation can be improved by replacing the material, the effect of controlling the leakage rate is limited because of the long leakage detection cycle. According to statistics, the combined leakage rate of urban underground pipe networks in China is close to 20%. Due to the large area covered by water-using units and the widespread and complex distribution of underground pipe networks, the probability of leakage is high. The average leakage rate of underground pipe networks of large water-using units in urban areas is generally higher than 15%[8].

2.2.4. Lack of effective supervision of intelligent platform.

With the advent of the information age, the importance of intelligent water management is becoming more and more significant, and it is necessary to highlight the advantages of intelligent water management [9]. If the water-saving work of urban water-using units has not gone through the information and digital changes, it is difficult to break the management and technical barriers. Only with the help of information and digital transformation can intelligence be achieved and the evolution of the new system of water-saving governance can be continuously empowered [10].

In recent years, China has continuously encouraged and promoted the innovation of emerging technologies and processes, and increased the research and development of water-saving products and technologies, but the overall development level is not high. At present, the water-saving informatization construction in China is mostly focused on the management of basic water resources information, water-user business processing, and daily information compilation and statistics. However, there are few cases of the new generation of intelligent platforms based on GIS and big data cloud computing and Internet of things, which makes the nuanced data analysis and regulation become difficult.

3.1. 1. Reliability.

Reliability refers to the system’s ability to operate continuously without failure. To measure and quantify reliability, the following metrics and approaches can be used: The system should aim for a high MTBF, indicating long periods of uninterrupted operation. The system should achieve an MTBF of at least 10,000 hours under normal operating conditions. In the event of a failure, the system should be designed to minimize downtime. The target MTTR should be less than 1 hour, ensuring quick restoration of normal operations. The system should detect and report faults with an accuracy of 99.9%, ensuring that issues are identified and addressed promptly.The system should maintain an uptime of 99.99%, ensuring near-continuous availability.

3.1.2. Easy Operation.

Ease of operation ensures that users can interact with the system intuitively and efficiently. To measure and quantify ease of operation, the following metrics and approaches can be used: New users should be able to achieve basic proficiency with the system within 2 hours of training. This can be measured through user testing and feedback. Users should be able to complete common tasks (e.g., generating reports, configuring settings) with a success rate of 95% or higher on their first attempt. The system should minimize user errors during operation. The target error rate for common tasks should be less than 5%, measured through usability testing.

3. 1.3. Scalability.

Scalability ensures that the system can adapt to future technological advancements and changing user needs. To measure and quantify scalability, the following metrics and approaches can be used: The system should be able to handle a 50% increase in user load or data volume without significant performance degradation. This can be tested through load testing and stress testing. The system should support the addition of new modules or features with minimal disruption. The target time for adding a new module should be less than 1 week. The system should maintain response times of less than 2 seconds for 95% of user requests, even under peak load conditions.

By incorporating measurable and quantifiable aspects into the design principles, the platform can ensure that it meets the highest standards of reliability, ease of operation, and scalability. These metrics provide clear benchmarks for evaluating the system’s performance and user satisfaction, ensuring that it remains effective and adaptable over time.

3.2.1. Basic hardware and software layer.

This layer is the material foundation for the operation of the supervision platform and management platform, mainly including the software and hardware equipment required for construction. Among them, the system software covers operating system, database management system, GIS platform, Internet of things platform, mirror and backup tools, security protection system, etc. The hardware environment includes servers, clients, flow meters, water meters and other equipment and computer room facilities.

System hardware: The hardware facilities of the data server and application server constitute the hardware basis for the operation of the intelligent water-saving system.

System software: The operating system and database software installed on the system hardware, among which the database software is utilized for data storage and management, and the operating system serves as the software platform for the operation of the intelligent water-saving system.

Metering instruments: Installed at the key nodes of the water supply network, they are employed to collect real-time water consumption data such as flow and pressure, and are equipped with wireless communication modules for data transmission. Intelligent water meters and sensors collect water consumption data in real-time and transmit the data to the server.

3.2.2. Data layer.

The data layer is the data storage center of the system, which mainly contains topographic data such as street maps, remote sensing images and administrative divisions, as well as water supply pipe network related information. Monitoring data such as flow rate, pressure and water meter reading are collected at key locations, and business data of daily inspection and maintenance of equipment are recorded, which lays a foundation for the realization of water saving management and analysis.

Terrain data: Terrain data of urban water use units, describing the distribution of buildings, roads, and other foundations, facilitating the division of water using units.

Real-time monitoring data: Data such as water volume and pressure collected from the measuring instruments at the basic software and hardware layer are stored after the elimination of abnormal data. The raw data is converted into a format suitable for analysis, and the data is summarized and aggregated to provide high-quality data support for the platform layer, facilitating subsequent analysis and decision-making.

Pipeline spatial data: spatial data describing the water supply path, including pipelines and important facilities on pipelines such as valves, water meters, fire hydrants, etc. Calculate the difference between water supply and usage within the water unit through the connectivity between water meters.

Business data: Daily maintenance and inspection data of the pipeline network, used to analyze pipeline leakage data.

3.2.3. Platform layer.

This layer builds an intelligent water-saving management platform based on the internal water-saving management needs of urban water-using units, which is used to analyze the current situation of water saving and evaluate the effect of water saving. Its functions cover water-saving analysis, water balance analysis, electrical meter monitoring, pump room monitoring, GIS management and maintenance management and other application modules. The user interface displays real-time data, analysis results, and alert information. The platform generates various water consumption reports and trend charts, facilitating managers’ viewing and analysis. It also provides mobile access, enabling users to check water consumption at anytime and anywhere. The platform offers standardized API interfaces for seamless integration with other systems and acquires high-quality data from the data layer for real-time and historical analysis. The analysis results and alert information are presented to managers through the user interface.

3.3.1. Water consumption monitoring.

The water consumption monitoring module can macro-display the actual water consumption data of the urban water-using units, including the current water consumption per capita, water withdrawal, water consumption, leakage, leakage rate and other water-saving key indicators. At the same time, combined with electronic maps, the module visualizes spatial information such as zoning, pumping stations, and instruments, which helps to describe the map distribution and operation of water-related objects.

Water consumption monitoring acquires water consumption data from the meter monitoring module and combines it with spatial data from the pipe network GIS module to conduct real-time monitoring of water consumption. It is integrated with the meter monitoring function module to ensure the accuracy and real-time nature of the data. It is also integrated with the water conservation analysis function module to provide fundamental data support. The main functions of the module are as follows:

Basic water consumption information: displays the basic situation of the current urban water-using unit, including the occupied area, total population, annual water consumption, etc.

Water consumption overview: integrated display of the day’s water consumption and abnormal amount of each sub-region, centralized display of the distribution of partition modules and real-time data and historical data change trend through the operation of the general map. And show classified water balance statistics, regional water statistics and regional pump house water supply data details.

Water-saving overview: displays the water-saving situation, including the current water consumption per capita, water withdrawal, water consumption, leakage, leakage rate and other water-saving key indicators.

Thematic display: in combination with electronic maps, conduct thematic displays for key information such as water consumption areas, pump rooms, and instruments;

Water consumption analysis: multi-dimensional analysis of water use characteristics, including distribution of water use types, historical water use trends, etc.

Water classification statistics: the water consumption of classifications such as offices, dormitories, and canteens within different water use zones is displayed through circular graphs.

3.3.2. Water saving analysis.

The water-saving analysis module is capable of conducting multi-dimensional analyses of the water consumption characteristics of the urban water-using units, encompassing zone-based water consumption analysis, abnormal water consumption analysis, water-saving evaluation analysis, etc., for a comprehensive understanding of the water usage of the urban water-using units. Furthermore, based on the water consumption indicators of the urban water-using units and in combination with national and industrial standards, a rational assessment of the water consumption situation can be made. Through the GIS map of the pipe network, the abnormal water consumption in each water-using area is presented. The overview chart is utilized to centrally display the distribution of each water-using area, real-time data, historical data change trends, etc., and showcase the statistics of classified water balance, zone-based water consumption, and detailed data on water supply from zone-based pumping stations. Water-saving analysis is based on the data provided by the water usage monitoring module to conduct water usage efficiency analysis, abnormal water usage monitoring, etc. Based on the analysis results, water conservation strategies and suggestions are generated, such as optimizing water usage time and repairing leaks. At the same time, the analysis results and water conservation strategies are fed back to the management personnel or users through the user interface. The main functions of this module are as follows:

Zoning water analysis: by dividing the urban water-using unit into different water use areas, conducting zone metering, analyzing the indicators of water withdrawal, water consumption, abnormal water consumption, and minimum nightly flow within the zone.

Building water consumption analysis: based on the water use type, the number of buildings, and the number of urban water-using unit, analyze various indicators such as water consumption, per capita water consumption, and minimum nightly flow.

Abnormal water consumption analysis: monitor the import flow rate of each water consumption area for 24 hours, compare the flow changes during the same period, calculate the normal water consumption at night, and detect abnormal water consumption at night.

Classified water consumption analysis: classified water consumption in different water use areas is statistically presented in the form of a table, and comparative analysis of data from the same historical period is enabled.

Water supply and utilization relationship: express the relationship between water withdrawal and water consumption in the form of histograms and curve charts, showing the water consumption relationship in different water use areas.

Water saving evaluation and analysis: Based on the outcomes of the analysis of water withdrawal and use and the analysis of classified water use, a water-saving assessment and analysis report can be produced.

3.3.3. Use water balance management.

The water balance management module can collect water consumption data from different water use areas and present the differences in water intake and consumption between various water use areas in a graphical format for a clear visual representation. It can also analyze the water consumption situation and trends of each water use unit, and quickly identify the minimum flow state and trend at night to handle potential problems in a timely manner. It can record and manage water balance test reports to clearly show the water distribution in each water use area and scientifically evaluate the water consumption conditions of each water use area. Water balance management involves the rational allocation of water resources based on water demand and water-saving strategies to ensure water balance in all areas. It is integrated with the network GIS to achieve precise location and management of leakage points.

3.3.4. Instrument monitoring.

The instrument monitoring module can summarize instrument information and real-time monitoring data, combine electronic maps to provide a clear visual representation of the distribution of instruments, and achieve real-time monitoring of key water facilities. It can analyze the flow indicators of water-using units to achieve real-time monitoring of water consumption for key water facilities and water consumption trend analysis, providing basic data support for water-saving management. It can conduct specialized analysis of pressure indicators for water-using units, combine electronic maps to draw water pressure lines, and provide a clear understanding of the pressure distribution in the region, providing basic data support for pressure control strategies for water-using units. It can also manage the basic information, status information, and change information of instruments for water-using units. Real-time monitoring of the working status of intelligent water meters and other instruments is carried out to ensure their normal operation. When an instrument malfunctions or shows abnormal conditions, the system automatically alerts and notifies maintenance personnel. Regular calibration of instrument data is conducted to ensure its accuracy. Integrated with the water usage monitoring function module, it provides accurate water usage data. Integrated with the pipe network GIS, it enables precise management of instrument locations. The main functions of this module are as follows:

Instrument map: It combines electronic maps to display the spatial locations of pressure and flow at each monitoring point, and can aggregate display of monitoring points. It also shows the status of monitoring points, including normal, alarm, warning, and offline. Clicking on a specific monitoring point on the map allows you to view changes in data at different time intervals.

Instrument fault monitoring: monitors the instantaneous flow value of each flow monitoring point, real-time monitoring the state of the flow monitoring point, including normal, alarm and offline.

Instrument details: displays the names, statuses, and key indicator values of all flow monitoring points. By clicking on a monitoring point, one can view the flow variation trend, real-time data, and historical pressure data of that flow monitoring point.

Real-time data report: records real-time traffic data at different traffic monitoring points in a table format, statistically summarizes all device traffic data, and supports daily, weekly, monthly, and annual reports.

Flow report: the average flow rate, maximum instantaneous flow rate, occurrence time of the minimum instantaneous flow rate, and water consumption of each flow meter can be statistically calculated. Daily, weekly, monthly, and annual report statistics are supported.

Pressure report: It can display the names, statuses, and key indicator values of all pressure monitoring points. By clicking on a pressure monitoring point, one can view the pressure change trend, real-time data, historical pressure data of that point, and conduct an analysis of the pressure data.

3.3.5. Pipe network GIS.

The pipe network GIS module uses GIS technology to manage the spatial data of the water supply pipe network, describes the link relationship of pipes, valves, water meters and other facilities in detail, expresses the water supply network clearly, and realizes the dynamic management of pipe network data. The pipeline network GIS can conduct spatial analysis of the pipeline network, such as shortest path analysis and leakage point location, visualize pipeline network data, and facilitate managers to have an intuitive understanding of the pipeline network status. The pipeline network GIS is integrated with the water consumption monitoring function module to display the water consumption situation of the pipeline network in real time, with the water balance management function module to optimize the water resource allocation of the pipeline network, and with the instrument monitoring function module to accurately locate and manage instruments. The main functions of the module are as follows:

Quick query: It is possible to inquire about the quantity and particulars of specific water supply equipment such as water meters and valves within a certain area.

Conditional query: A specific area can be selected and multiple query conditions can be set to search for water supply facilities. The query results can be browsed and also exported.

Pipeline network editing: it can edit the spatial relationship of the pipeline network, including adding, deleting, and modifying network spatial data, as well as modifying attribute information for the network.

Valve statistics: Valves in a designated area can be statistically analyzed based on valve diameter and other conditions.

Pipe length statistics: Pipe length can be statistically analyzed based on pipe material, diameter, and other conditions.

Pipe burst analysis: Select the burst point on the map, and the system automatically performs shut-off analysis to search for the valves to be closed, the affected pipe segments, and equipment.

Pipe network connectivity analysis: The connection relationships of the pipe network can be analyzed, and the connectivity between pipes evaluated to ensure the normal connection of the pipe network.

Nevertheless, the currently developed and designed intelligent water-saving systems are primarily based on the approach of zonal water use and classified water use analysis, expressing the phenomena of regional water supply leakage and irrational classified water use through data, and are confined to the analysis of real-time and historical data. In the future, it is feasible to further employ big data and artificial intelligence algorithms for the simulation and identification of water usage characteristics, so as to assess the unreasonable water usage more scientifically and provide more effective support for water conservation work.